labour and sweat for a poor life here of so short a continuance how much more should we study and labour for life eternall As Christ saith Labour not for the meat that perisheth John 6. but c. So let us labour for that life that perisheth not and shall not last for seventy or eightie years and then end as this life doth but shall last whilst God himselfe lasts even to all eternity Thirdly and lastly Use 3 seeing the ordinary time of mans life is seventie or eightie years a goodly time to live in the world if we have grace to use it well O if God give a man this goodly time what a great mercy is it if men bestow it well how much glory might we bring to God how much good to his Church and what a measure of heavenly knowledge faith repentance and other graces may a man get in these seventie or eightie years if we are not wanting to our selves But alas who makes this use and benefit of his time Commonly men bestow this time pretious time vainly and unprofitably and little of it is spent in the service of God in doing good to his Church and furnishing their souls with grace against the time of need Did men but learn-one lesson at every one Sermon that they hear how much knowledge might be gained in seventie or eightie years and what a stock of grace might men have in store against the time of sicknesse and when death shall come Yet is their strength but labour and sorrow MOSES having in the former part of this Verse shewed the common rate of our life here in this world and the ordinary stint beyond which few passe Doth here likewise show that as this long life that men 〈◊〉 being compared to eternity is but short and not to be stood upon so it is not free from trouble and sorrow from misery and affliction but that the chiefest part of it even the pride and flower of the strongest man is but labour and sorrow so that the sweetnesse of the longest life is tempered with manifold sorrowes troubles and afflictions we never continue long at one stay but in our chiefest prosperitie our comforts are often blasted and suddainly gone So that in these words we have to observe 1. The misery of mans life even in his best and most flourishing estate it is mixed with labour and sorrow 2. The ground and cause of this which is It is soon cut off and we flie away First in that Moses affirmes that the life of man is ordinarily not only short and shut up within the compasse of seventie years or at the most eightie years but also affirmes that the best and most excellent part of this time is 〈◊〉 â—â—ouble and sorrow Hence we learn Doct. 2 That the misery of man since his fall is exceeding great Misery of man since the fall great Gen. 47.9 because let his life be what it will be yet his very best time is full of labour and sorrow As Jacob said to Pharaoh The dayes of the years of my pilgrimage are few and evil So true is that of Job Job 14.1 Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble The very honey and sweetnesse of this life is mixed with wormwood and gall what day almost passeth over our heads without some crosse or other and cause of grief He that drank deepest of the cup of all worldly prosperity as Solomon took his fill of them yet at last concluded Eccl. 2.13.23 That all was but vanity and vexation of spirit That mans dayâ— are full of sorrows and his travel grief of heart we see our joyes are uncertain our sorrows and grief more sure whilest as Job saith The evils which we fear befall us and the comforts we desire fail us We are still expecting better dayes and times but finde worse In our mirth there is mourning in our joy there is sorrow our false fears beget reall grief though the things we fear never come to passe And as if our present miseries were not enough to make our lives miserable we torment our selves in laying hold of those we have already suffered and fear those that are to come by which means many times we torment our selves before the time In a word there is no age or time of mans life nor estate or condition we are in here but it meets with its severall miseries incident thereunto youth middle age old years all of them have their labour and sorrow daies of vanity full of misery Seeing our life here in this world is so frail and so miserable Use 1 full of labour and sorrow both inward and outward of body and minde this shewes that the greatest part of the world are far from this perswasion of Moses as look not upon this world to be so full of misery for many a man could wish he might ever live here and never die It seemes these men did never yet tast of the misery of sin and of the misery of this life or else they could never yet see what a blessed thing it is to be freed from these miseries and to live eternally in Heaven Secondly seeing our life is so short Vse 2 frail and miserable full of labour and sorrow this should teach us that lesson of the Apostle To use this world as though we used it not seeing it is so full of misery and trouble We see a Mother when she would wean the Child from the breast she laies some bitter thing upon it that so the Child tasting of it might be out of love with it and desire it no more Even so the Lord knowing that we are exceedingly in love with the world with the pleasures and profits of this life lest we should surfeit with these things hath laid many bitter troubles and afflictions upon us and all to wean us from the immoderate love of it This doth David acknowledge from experience O Lord thou hast made my daies as an hand-breadth Surely every man in his best estate is but vanity Ps 39.5 6. And that this might be remembred of us he sets upon it a note of attention Selah and shewes what use himselfe made of it O Lord my hope is in thee He casts off all care of the world and only flies to God and seeks to him for succour Yet is their strength but labour and sorrow Text. WE have yet farther to observe that in asinuch as Moses saith their Strength that is the chiefest and most excellent estate the very flower of their life wherein men do so much glory and rejoyce is but a time of labour and sorrow We are taught Doct. 3 that there is no estate of man in this life No estate but full of labour and forrow so high or so sure and certain or so sweet and comfortable but it is subject to alterations and change subject to misery and trouble For Moses speaks this in generall both of Prince
his favour again And because wee cannot come unto him without Christ who alone must stand betwixt the wrath of his Father and us We must come in his name and through his Mediation and intercession who will accept our prayers not for any worthinesse in us or them but for his sake alone It is he alone that must perfume our prayers with the sweet incense of his merits Rev. 8.3 Io. 16.23 and mediation without which our persons and prayers can finde no acceptation with him Seeing it is God alone that in all misery and distresse is sought unto Vse 2 as this example shewes This overthrows that erroneous Doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome who teach men to pray to Saints and Angels to Peter and Paul the Virgin Mary to this He-Saint and to that Shee-Saint c. we utterly renounce this Doctrine and abhor this practise as that which hath neither precept nor promise nor Example in all the Book of God to leave the Creator for ever blessed and fly to the Creature What greater dishonour can be done to God and Christ 1 Ioh. 2.1 since we have one Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins What is this but to leave the Kings son and to go to a servant to speak to the Father Nay what is this but to rob God of his honour and Christ of his office both to be an advocate and to make reconciliation are proper to the person of Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediatour even the man Christ Jesus Besides the Angels are but fellow-servantâ— Rev. 22.9 See thou do it not I am thy fellow servant As for the Saints in heaven they know not our wants Es 63.16 Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel know us not And no lesse folly and madnesse is it to pray to stocks and stones reliques and bones as the Papists do And the last is Use 3 we are taught hence where to go and speed in times of affliction and distresse Lord saith Peter whither shall we go thou haft the words of eternall life It is our duty then to repair and resort to God the Father through the merits of his son Jesus Christ What Parent can be more compassionate of the child in time of misery and distresse then the Lord is to his children in their afflictions yea such is his love and compassion towards them that though by reason of their affliction they are not able to put up a distinct prayer to him yet their very sighes and grones shall passe for powerfull and effectuall prayers Hezekiah mourning like a Dove and chattering like a Crane is heard and answered of God yea the Spirit helps our infirmities when we cannot pray as we ought Rom. 8. With sighes and grones that cannot be expressed We may rest assured the Lord is neer to them that draw neer to him Is our faith weaks he will strengthen us are weignorant he will instruct us do we want grace he will supply us is our love cold he will quicken it is our repentance imperfect he will perfect it are judgments amongst us he will remove them are we in distresse he will have mercy upon us do our sins trouble us he will discharge us are we in sicknesse he will restore us are we in misery he will deliver us So that every true believer may comfortably conclude that his wea kest prayers sighes and grones proceeding from a broken heart a hungring and thirsting desire after grace and mercy shall not return in vain but God in his due time will answer the desire of their souls We shall not want that grace that we unfainedly desire neither shall we be hurt with that corruption we unfainedly lament Return O Lord. THe words are not so to be under stood as if God at any time did totally leave and forsake his people for so God never departeth from his whom he once loved in Christ Howbeit in times of affliction and distresse the Lord seemeth to them thus to do as the Sun may be sometimes under a cloud yet will appear again so though the cloud of our fins may hide the face of God from us for a time yet he will pierce through them and shinâ— upon us at last But now whilst the Lord thus withdrawes himselfe from his people it is a most bitter time unto them they can have no rest nor peace till the Lord returne again and be appeased towards them Hence we may farther observe Doct. 3 that so long as the Lord is departed from us and turneth his angry countenance towards us there can be no peace Whilst God seemes to be angry there can be no peace no comfort to a poor sinner but extream sorrow griefe and perplexity of spirit We may see this in those sad complaints of Gods people that have felt his frowns angry countenance upon them for their sins how heavy intol lerable the sense of his displeasure hath bin we may see it in that sad complaint of David Ps 6.1 2. O Lord rebuke me not in thy anger neither chasten me in thy sore displeasure my Soul is sore vexed but Lord how long David could have no rest nor peace in his soul so long as he lay under Gods displeasure And thus prayes the Church O Lord correct me but with Judgment Ier. 10.24 not in thy anger lest thou bring me to nothing Yea the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe in the sense of Gods anger and displeasure cries out Mat. 27. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me What are a mans wife children gold silver lands livings or all the world when the soul shall combat with Gods wrath A wounded spirit who can bear Es 57. The poor soul scorched with the heat of Gods anger and displeasure for sin nothing can comfort it but the Lords returning again in love and favour Ps 4.6 Lord saith David lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corn and their wine encreased the whole world is not to be compared to it David having sinned and by his sins having eclipsed this favourable countenance of God towards him O how earnest is he in begging his gracious presence again towards him Ps 51.10 11.12 1. He prayes that God would turn away his angry countenance from him 2. That he would restore him again to the joy of his salvation 3. That he would not take away his Spirit from him But Quest why doth the Lord deal thus with his own children Reas No doubt the Lord doth it in much love towards them that hereby they might feel the bitternesse of sin and his anger and displeasure for the same that they might learn to prize his favour and loving countenance towards them at a higher rate then before they had done
no desire of mercy and these the Lord sends away emptie O fill us with thy mercy THey crave not here a small pittance or a light tast of Gods mercy but even to have their hungry souls filled and satisfied with mercy Hence we see Doct. 3 We should labour for a plentiful sense of Gods mercy that it is not enough for us to have some light tast of Gods mercy in Christ for the pardon of our sins but we must labour to have it in a plentifull measure To be filled with the fulnesse of God and the feeling of his love The Lord is a bottomlesse Sea of mercy able to fill every soule that comes unto him but we are like a vessell that hath a narrow neck which if it be cast into the Sea yet is not quickly filled but by degrees Even so the mercy of God is as the bottomlesse Sea able to fill every soul that hungers and thirsts after mercy Whence then is the cause that we are not filled with mercy Surely in our selves our Faith which is the mouth of the soul is so narrow that though the Lord be able and willing to powre his graces and mercies into our souls yet we cannot receive but drop after drop one drop after another And hence it is that in a long time we receive but a small measure of grace and mercy because the Lord must distill it into our hearts as we are capable to receive it now a little and then a little Es 28.9 10. precept upon precept and line upon line here a little and there a little It was only true of Christ Ps 45.7 that he received not the spirit by measure He was annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes But as for us we receive grace by measure Whilst we are here We know but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 And according to our knowledge so are our other graces proportionable Gods children in this life have not fulnesse or perfection of any grace but only so much as the Lord in his wisdome sees meet for them and we are still to be adding grace to grace Grow in grace saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby And the Apostle exhorts us to joyne to our vertue faith and to faith knowledge c. So that it is not enough for us to have some light tast of Gods love or of the graces of his Spirit but we must labour to have them in a plentifull measure to be filled therewith The best of Gods Saints in this life Reas 1 have no grace in perfection we are not capable of fulnesse of grace in this life but must pray still Lord increase our faith and with the Church here Lord fill us with thy mercy And Christ teacheth us daily to pray Thy Kingdome come The Lord is pleased thus to exercise his people with many wants and imperfections in his graces given them here Reas 2 to humble them and to keepe down the pride that so naturally is ready to rise in our hearts especially in spirituall gifts Paul lest he should be lifted up with the abundance of Revelations had that prick in the flesh that he should not be exalted above measure 2 Cor. 12.8 Thus many times are the godly kept low in their own eyes that they might walk the more humbly with God Seeing then Use 1 that it is not enough for us to have some light tast of Gods love in Christ for the pardon of sin but we must labour to be filled with the feeling of his love This serves to condemn the greatest part of the world even Professors themselves that when they have got a little tast and feeling of Gods love and of the work of grace in theirsouls have a little measure of knowledge of faith and other graces content themselves and think they have enough But this ought not to be If ever thou hadst any true tast of Gods mercy in Christ it will make thee hunger and thirst after more and therefore the Apostle Exhorts 2 Pet. 1.2 that As new born babes we should desire the sincere milk of the Word that we might grow thereby He adds If you have tasted how sweet the Lord is intimating thus much that untill such time as we truly tast how sweet the Lord is we shall never truly desire the sincere milk of the Word Seeing the cause why we are not filled with the mercy of God Use 2 even at our first conversion is not in God but in our selves even in the want of Faith which is the inlet of all grace into the soul It is our duty to encrease in Faith in knowledge repentance and obedience for as these graces grow and encrease in us so will the feeling of Gods mercy and love towards us in Christ encrease in us Such as have a great measure of Faith there will be a great measure of the feeling of Gods love Fill their Sacks saith Joseph Scanty sacks could not carry away any plentifull store of provision where Faith is weak the neck of the soul narrow and streight there will be but a little measure of the feeling of Gods mercy which should stir us up to grow in Faith because as our Faith grows so our feeling of Gods mercy grows Satisfie us early or in the Morning THat is with speed they that lust for a thing cannot indure to be delaied It is death to a thirsty man to belongwithout drink So they that have their Soules scorched with the sense of Gods anger O it is mercy they long for And such a Soul thinks every hour ten and every day a year till they be refreshed with Gods mercy All delaies to such distressed soules is death it self Hear me speedily O Lord saith David My Spirit faileth hide not thy face from me lest I be like unto them that go down into the â—it Satisfie us early or in the Morning q. d. Lord let us not lye any longer soaking in extream miseries lest we be even swallowed up in desperation but make speed to take pitty upon us The like we have by that of David Ps 5.3 Hear my prayer in the Morning where David intreats the Lord not to defer his mercy but to to make speed to his help So Moses here intreats the Lord to hear them in the Morning That is with speed that hee would not deferre to hear them but with speed to take pitty on their miseries and troubles Now when Moses and the people of God pray thus that God would not defer to help them they do not this with impatient minds but partly in regard of their own frailty lest if the Lord should suffer them to lie longer in misery their faith should fail them in their expectation of Deliverance Doct. 4 And partly to shew their hearty Only Gods favour refresheth a distressed Soul and longing desire and comfort and feeling of
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
promise concerning Elizabeth his wife that she should bear him a son that the Lord struck him dumb till the day that the promise was fulfilled So that the point is clear and plain that our corrupt nature is such that we often call Gods power into question in times of straights that we fall into Because it was the first sin of our Father Adam Reas 1 by the which Sathan entered into mans heart Gen. 3.4 and so drew him from God to question Gods love and the same is derived to all his posterity And this is the root and mother of all other sins by it we depart from God when we call Gods power truth promises Heb. 3.12 and mercy into question what is this but to make God a lyar 1. Joh. 5.10 and so dishonour God in a high degree As we cannot honour God more than by sanctifying his name Numb 20.12 and acknowledging his power in times of affliction and distresse So is God highly dishonoured when we doubt of his power and goodnesse and call the same into question Secondly Reas 2 as it is the work of Faith to see God to be of power All-sufficient to help and succour us in times of straights And herein appeared the truth and power of Abraham's faith that he doubted not of the promise through unbeliefe Rom. 4.20 for he was perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform Whereas the unbelieving heart blocks up the gate of mercy against it selfe and makes a man uncapable of mercy If we examine our selves by this Doctrine Use 1 we shall finde that we are guilty in some measure of this sin when our estate goes not so well with us as we desire how ready are we to thrust off the cause of it from our selves and to lay it upon others When we are in health peace and prosperity and set free from trouble O then we can acknowledge and say that God is all-sufficient mercifull and gracious But if the Lord send affliction sicknesse tryalls times of adversity then we are ready to call all into question and think that Gods power is shortned we dare not follow God in the dark we can hardly confesse God to be almighty powerfull just mercifull at such times Iudg. 6.13 but are ready to say with Gideon If God be with us why is this befallen us We shorten Gods arme and call his power into question as this people did Can God furnish a Table in the Wildernesse Psal 78. He gave us drink indeed out of a Rock but can he give bread also This is that sin which this cursed nature of ours is most prone unto and therefore are the more carefully to watch ouer our own hearts against it Seeing it is the sinne of our nature thus to question Gods power Use 2 his mercy and goodnesse towards us especially in times of trouble and adverfity and to lay the blame on him Let us learn to know that God is alwaies one the same most mighty most just true faithful in his Covenant towards his people Though our condition change yet God changeth not he is one and the same from all eternity and cannot change But if our condition be otherwise with us than we desire Lam 3.39 Es 59.2 let us ascribe all to our selves Man suffereth for his sin Your iniquities have separated betwixt you and your God Your iniquities have turned away these things and your sins have withholden good things from you Let us condemn our selves and accuse our selves that we are thus afflicted and know that God is just and the arme of his power is not shortned towards his people Quest Quest But how comes it to passe that the Lord seemes thus to leave his people so long a time in such fore affliction and distresse as his people here Answ Answ The Lord doth this in much wisdome and love to his people First to bring them to a clearer sight of their sins and to work in them a greater measure of humiliation for the same then yet they have attained unto We are apt to think that a little sorrow for sin is enough and every light and slight confession will serve the turn But the Lord sees it meet that the foundation of our repentance and conversion should be laid deeper Secondly herein and hereby the Lord will exercise our graces which in times of Gods delaies are exercised in us How was the faith of Abraham exercised whilst he took Isaac in his hand three daies together when he went up to the Mount to sacrifice him How was the faith of Paul tried when he received this answer from God My grace is sufficient for thee though the temptation was not removed The Lord will have it so to quicken the prayers of his people seeking him The Canaanitish woman had divers denyalls in her suit to Christ in the behalfe of her daughter yet at last had a gracious answer returned unto her And this is ordinarily the fruit of sore afflictions they produce fervency in prayer and have at last a welcome deliverance Before the Mountains Text. c. even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God MOSES being now to have recourse unto God by prayer for his people flies unto the Covenant of grace made unto the Church in Christ pleads that minds the Lord of that and that gives him boldnesse in prayer Before the Mountains c. thou art our God Hence we learn That the knowledge of Gods Covenant of grace in Christ Doct. 2 gives boldnesse in prayer The knowledge of Gods Covenant gives boldnesse in prayer It is the knowledge of our interest in the Covenant of grace that God is our God kindles prayer as a Sacrifice kindled with fire from heaven and is much accepted of God Upon this ground we are to pray Gods Covâ—nant made with his Church and faithfulnesse in all generations in keeping promise with his people is the staffe and strength of prayer And this Covenant of grace the godly have been ever carefull to lay hold upon in prayer Heb. 10.23 Rev. 19.11 He is faithfull that hath promised And he that fits upon the white Horse is called faithfull and true Thus the Lord minds Jacob with his Covenant made with Abraham and Isaac his father Gen. 28. ver 15. and then confirmes the same unto Jacob Behold I am with thee and will keep thee which way thou goest Rom. 10.14 This made Paul to ask that strange question How shall they call on him on whom they have not believed implying thus much That where there is not faith in Gods Covenant there is no calling upon God Iam. 1.5 If any man lack wisdome saith Saint James let him ask it of God But how Let him ask in faith nothing wavering And again Let us draw neer with a true hears in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an evill conscience So that the point is clear and plain Ephes
are convinced that repentance is necessary and grace must be had to make them die happily and their purpose is to leave sin and to cry God mercy yet they conceit they have time enough before them they may do this when they are old or when they lie upon their fick-beds then they will set to this work as time enough O that such men would consider this Doctrine 1. That many times death comes suddainly like a Flood when men think least of all on death Alas do we not see that on the Stage of this world some therebe that indeed do act a longer part and many there be that act a shorter some die in their youth passing as it were from one grave to another from their Mothers womb to another womb the earth How few live to the age of fiftie How many do we hear of daily that go well to bed at night and are found dead in the morning And why may not this be thy case Secondly consider that this is but one of the old Serpents wiles to put off our repentance and preparation for death to the last for Sathan knowes that if he can but prevail in that it is all one as if men resolved never to repent at all for we see by experience that not one of a thousand which take this course ever attain unto it for they adjourn from year to year and time to time so long that they come at last to be hardened in their sins that there is little hope of recovery In youth we appoint the time of age in age we appoint the time of sicknesse and when sicknesse comes the Lord knowes we are then most unfit for this great work Then comes the cares of disposing of our estates then comes pain and grief loath we are to die and in hope we are to live these things take off our thoughts of another life and so death feizeth upon us and away we must Thirdly do but consider that albeit thou livest to be old and hast thy understanding about thee and thy godly friends and acquaintance about thee that can exhort thee and pray for thee Alas how knowest thou whether God will hear thee at this time of thy death that wouldst not hear him in the time of thy life Nay is it not distributive justice now in God to refuse to hear thee then that refusest to hear him now It is not usuall with God to give grace in death who have despised grace in life See that place and tremble at it Prov. 1.24 25. c. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and ye have not regarded I will laugh at your destruction c. Besides thou dost but offer up unto God the Halt Mal. 1.8 the Blind and the Lame which is abhomination to him It is a most base and unworthy thing to offer that to God which a man would disdain and scorn to accept of But I hope God is mercifull Ob. 2 and though I am sinfull he is mercifull and I will rest upon that It is true Ans God is mercifull and thou maist say it for it is his mercy that thou hast not been long ago consumed that God hath not cut thee off and cast thee into Hell many years agoe 't is true it is his mercy But alas what is this to thee that hast so long and so often abused his mercy Is God mercifull the more unthankfull wretch thou to sin against so mercifull a God Ro. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth to repentance Shall God be contemned for his mercy Ps 145.9 that ought the more to be loved and respected There is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared If God be so mercifull the greater the sin to sin against it And let such men know that presume thus of Gods mercy that as he is mercifull so is he just as he hath his Armes of mercy spread open to receive poor penitents so is Hells mouth wide open to receive the impenitent And how knowest thou that hast despised grace and mercy so often and so long a time but thou maist at last die in a Spira's case who in the time of his sicknesse being exhorted to say the Lords Prayer answered O I dare not call God Father And this hath been an observation I have made these forty years that such as have lived under a godly zealous and faithfull Ministry and have not been wrought upon it is often found true of such as was said of Nabal their hearts die like stones within them What little cause then have any to harden their hearts and continue in their sins in hope of mercy But did not the Thiefe upon the Crosse at last confessing his sin Ob. 3 and desiring Christ to remember him when he came into his Kingdome finde mercy at the last houre and so was saved Though men have much ingorance in them of the Scripture Ans yet this example they can remember and often alledge and all to this end to sooth up themselves in sin and to flatter themselves that they may repent at last Whereas this example as one saith is to keep us from desperation and is no cloak to sin Why should not the desperate condition of his fellow Thiefe that dyed with him asmuch affright us and terrifie us as his example comfort us And for this example of this penitent Thief we are to know that it was an immediate act of the divine power of Christ and it was not ordinary neither doth it prove that God will deal thus with thee It was not ordinary because he was saved without means but what was that to thee that enjoyest the means Besides one particular act of Gods power goodnesse and mercy can be no rule to go by The Sun once stood still at noon-day in Joshuah's time we must not look to see it so again Balaam's Asse once spake we must not look for the like any more Besides for ought we know this was the time that he was first called Now what is that to thee that hast been often called God hath often knocked at the dore of thy heart and to this day thou hast not opened unto him Besides this penitent Thiefe at this time shewed many excellent fruits of his repentance 1 Rebuking his fellow railing at Christ 2. Confessing his sin 3. And by making an excellent Prayer to Christ Now who can promise these things to himselfe when he comes to die O then to conclude seeing this is so that death comes as a flood suddenly and unexpectedly when men are not aware let it be our wisdome to be in a continuall readinesse that death finde us not unprepared There is nothing more certain then death nor more uncertain then where when and how we shall die They are as a sleep Text. IN these words lest Moses should seem to undermine and weaken the
but only see it and die in the Land of Moah surely Moses his sin shut him out And of all that great number that came out of the Land of Aegypt even six hundred thousand that all above twenty years should perish in the Wildernesse was an undoubted argument they were guilty of some great sin that caused the Lord to be thus angry with them Object If this be so that extraordinary judgments are arguments of Gods anger how was it said of the blind man that lay under such an extraordinary judgment as to be born blind that neither this man sinned nor his Parents The meaning is not Answ that neither He nor his Parents were without sin no not such sins as might have justly brought that punishment upon them But neither the Mans sins nor his Parents were the cause why the Lord smote him with blindnesse John 9. but that the work of God might be made manifest in him Job though he were a a godly man indeed yet Job's sins might justly deserve all his miseries but God did not so much look upon his sins but that he might be a pattern and example of Faith Patience and of other Graces to his Church for ever Besides there be many grounds and causes wherefore the Lord is pleased many times to lay his hand and that heavy too upon his own Children and such as are both neer and dear unto him 1. As the exercise of their graces of Faith Patience Hope c. 2. To wean them them from the world whereunto our hearts are too much addicted 3. To quicken Prayer 4. To chasten us for our sins past and to make us more watchfull for the time to come c. But since the Lord in his Word hath denounced these judgments against us for our sins and doth not reveal unto us when he is pleased thus to try us his secret will and pleasure therein We are not to pry into his hidden counsells but into his will revealed which is that Man suffereth for his sin And howsoever we may erre in respect of Gods secret purpose in sending afflictions yet we shall profit thereby to humble our selves to justifie God as righteous to renew our repentance and hereby become fit for mercy and deliverance Whereas in times of affliction and distresse to look upon any other cause then sin may hinder our repentance and cause us to continue in our wickednesse Now that great and extraordinary ludgments and afflictions do argue Gods high displeasure these Reasons shew Reas 1 Because he is most just and righteous in his judgments as Abraham said to God Gen. 18.25 It is far from the Judge of all the World to deal unrighteously The Lord is ever most clear in himselfe from the least stain or mixture of iniustice in any of his judgments inflicted upon men Ps 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and true are thy judgments Reas 2 The second may be taken from that neer union and inseparable affinity that is betwixt Gods anger and sin Man suffereth for his sin Lam. 3.39 Miseries and afflictions yea all kind of iudgments spirituall and temporall are but the sinners harvest that he must look to reap by sowing the seeds of sin Pro 22.8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap affliction and the rod of his anger shall fail Let us apply this to our selves Use 1 Did Moses well to gather and conclude the exceeding anger displeasure of God against them by the greatnesse and grievousnesse of their punishment that they were thus hastily and fearfully wasted and consumed Alas then what may we think of our selves how hath the hand of God laine heavie upon us in this Nation In these later daies the sword hath been in the Bowels of the land and hath drunk much blood in every corner of it we have had the pestilence amongst us what Country hath been free we have had cleannesse of teeth when many have perished in the open fields and by the way side for want of bread The Lord hath made the Heavens as Brasse and the Earth as Iron that the like yeares have not been known Besides this strange sicknesse that hath been amongst us whereof fewe Families have escaped but some have been either sick or weake or suddainly taken away by Death that fewe that are living have knowne the like time of sicknesse and mortalitie Now what can we think by all these messengers of his Anger and wrath but that God is exceedingly angry and displeasedwith us Certainely the sins of this Nation the innocent blood that hath been shed the high contempt of the Gospel and Miâ—listers therof the great securitie unfruitfullnesse and unthankfullnesse of all sorts may mind us of some farther judgments yet at hand And yet alas who laies the Lords dealings to heart to take notice of Gods Anger and make but light account of judgments None consider in heart that the greatnesse of Gods judgments is an argument of the greatnesse of our sins It shall be our wisdom to lay Gods judgments to heart and to meet the Lord by unfained Repentance lest worser judgments overtake us at last Use 2 Secondly this serves to admonish us that according to the greatnesse of Gods judgments to increase our sorrow and Repentance for great anger argues great sins and great sins must have great Sorrow and great Repentance Quest 1 But is it an Argument that God is Angry when he takes men away by Death No it is not alwayes so Ans that the Lord is Angry when he takes men away by Death But when he takes them away by such a manner of Death as this people here with some strange kinde of Death horrible and fearefull for some sin as these people for their infidelitie murmuring Rebellion and despising of his mercy this is a token of Gods Anger 1 Cor. 10.10 Neither murmur ye as some of them murmured and were destroyed with the Destroyer Quest 2 But is it a token of Gods Anger for men to dy suddainly or by some strange kind of Death of the plague pestilence c No. Ans It is not alwaies a token of Gods Anger for men to dy suddainly or by some strange kinde of Death Pilate to make the Jewes odious and their religion hatefull mingled the blood of certaine Galileans with their Sacrifices here was an unwonted kind of Death And so those eighteene upon whom the tower of Silo fell these dyed not an ordinary kind of Death And yet Christ saith that they were not greater sinners then other men And many of Gods dear children and faithfull servants have dyed strange kinds of death and none more then the Son of God himselfe And therefore we may not judge a man out of Gods favour by the suddennesse or strangenesse of his death if his life hath been good his death cannot be bad Eccles 9.11 for as Solomon saith All things happen alike to all But now when we shall see a Man or Woman whose
thing that crosseth it But Gods anger and wrath is ever at sin which is so contrary to that holy and pure nature of his that he will not fail to correct even in his own children O how happy were we if we could bring our hearts to this to be angry Eph 4.26 and sin not to make sin the object of our anger and wrath in our selves and others As Moses though he were the meekest man living yet when the people had made the golden Calfe he caused the same to be grownd to powder and made the people in a holy anger and indignation to lick up the dust thereof Thus was the zeal of Phineas kindled against Zimri and Cosbi and executing judgment upon them Gods wrath was appeased Secondly Use 2 seeing the effects of Gods wrath for sin are so terrible what then is sin the cause of Gods displeasure In all diseases we say the cause is worse then the effect Now all the plagues and judgments that God executeth in the World are but the effects of sin We have seen in our times the great alterations that have been in Church and State the Crown it selfe is withered many Noble Families and Houses brought down and laid in the dust Inheritances translated to others the Sword hath begot a new tenure confusion in the Church Sects and Heresies abound in every corner the Ordinances of God contemned and despised the Ministry slighted and disesteemed as if it were uselesse and might be spared never more open prophanenesse nor aparent signes of Gods anger and wrath against a people then God hath manifested against us with his unwonted judgmeÌ„ts and strange visitations by unwonted sicknesses and diseases Surely in the midst of them all we are to justifie God since England's sin hath caused all our plagues upon us this day and we are to confesse with the lamenting Church that it is the Lords mercy we are not quite laid wast That it might be said of England that we were a people that kept not Covenant with God And when we shall see Religion advanced discipline and order in our Church Sects and Heresies discountenanced Piety encouraged and Prophanenesse suppressed then and not till then may we hope that God will remove his wrath and turn away his anger from us And last of all Vse 3 this may serve for Exhortation to admonish all to take heed of sin we shall never escape Gods anger nor displeasure whilst we are guilty of sin sin laies us naked and open to all judgments But especially this concerns Magistrates that as they desire to keep off Gods judgments from a Land and Nation that they see that sin be duly punished When Phineas executed judgment the Plague ceased And this care ought Parents and Heads of Families to have that as they desire protection from God and to see his blessing upon their Families that they suffer not an Achan under their roof Ps 101. Zach. 5.4 Pr. 3.33 but purge their house as David did his For certain it is the curse of God is up-the habitation of the wicked whereas the habitation of the righteous shall prosper There is one thing more to be observed that as the effects of Gods anger and wrath are terrible So it is the sight of sin Doct. 4 Sight of sin and sense of Gods displeasure for sin ground of repentance and â—â—â—ious consideration of Gods anger and displeasure against sin that is the ground-work and foundation of true repentance There are many excellent fruits of godly sorrow and true repentance manifested by this people from verse 12. to the end yet if we observe well these two verses 8 9. we shall see it was the sight of their sins and the apprehension of Gods anger and displeasure for sin that set them upon their repentance The fight of sin and the apprehension of Gods anger and displeasure for sin ever goes before true repentance This Church and people acknowledge that God had set their their iniquities before him c. And withall had a deep sense of Gods anger and displeasure before they addresse themselves for pardon And surely this is Gods order of working in the great work of Repentance and Salvation first to cast down through the sight of sin and apprehension of Gods displeasure for sin and then to raise up in the apprehension of mercy in Christ Never did any truly repent but first apprehended the curse and Gods indignation against sin before Let this be duly thought upon as a most certain ground of truth that those whom the Lord intends to save he will first discover unto them their sin and Gods wrath due unto them even the curse of the Law which is eternal death of Soul and Body for ever before he ever give them the sweet apprehension of his favour and love in Christ The Scriptures are clear and plain in this point Come let us return unto the Lord Hos 6.1 for he hath wounded us Where we see the Lords order first to wound and then to binde up Thus dealt he with those Jewes Act. 2.37 who had imbrued their hands in the blood of the Lord Jesus they were first brought to see their sins by the Ministry of Peter and apprehend Gods wrath due for the same and then they cry out to the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved The Lord deals with a pure soul whom he intends to save as he said to Moses Deut. 28.66 Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night Now it is with a soul in this plight as it was with Balshazar in his cups Dan. 5. when he saw the hand writing the joynts of his knees smote together thus doth the Lord strike the soul with amazement and fear whilest he shall see before him nothing but death hell and condemnation thus the Lord ordinarily breaks the heart and humbles the â—oul before he fills it with mercy Baloved let us not flatter our selves to think that repentance and reconciliation with God were a matter so easily got No no the Lord will have us into the furnace first and the Lord will make us to see our sins and to feel the waight and burthen of them Mat. 9.13 Es 55.1 Joh. 7.37 with the sence of his anger and wrath against sin before we can look for mercy The Scriptures are full in this particular And the Reasons are God hath so appointed it Reas 1 that all the Elect should thus be brought home to him Ioh. 16.8 I will send you the Comforter saith Christ and he shall rebuke the world of sin and of righteousnesse First of sin unto condemnation and then of righteousnesse viz. the righteousnesse of Christ unto salvation And thus the Prophet brings in Christ speaking thus Es 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is on me and the Lord hath annointed me and sent me to preach good tidings to the poor to binde up the broken
put the Lord in minde to plague him for his sins Albeit there are many excellent and precious promises made unto the Godly in the word there not one of them belongs to a wicked man that is not in covenant with God And the Reasons are First Reas 1 It is the Covenant of promise made unto us in Christ that is the ground of our faith and it is faith by the which we are reconciled to God and without faith and reconciliation God lookes upon us as enemies to him and so is God an enemy to us and so long are excluded and shut out from all mercy and pitty from God God will not be moved towards those that are not in Covenant with him these are Loammi not his people Hos 1. nor God their God none of his house and family but may be called Loruami Hos 2.4 such as on whom the Lord will have no mercy Secondly Reas 2 such as are not in Covenant with God are notregarded of God The Gentiles were not in Covenant with God Eph. 2.12 and were therefore called Strangers from the Covenant of promise And all this while Christ esteemed of them but as Dogs as Christ said to the Canaanitish woman It is not meet to take the Childrens bread and to cast it to Dogs Mat. 15. Mal. 3. The Lord will be a swift witnesse against such Now what a grievous thing is it to have the Creator blessed for ever against his poor creature When Saul was an enemy to David yet David could fly to Gath and there secure himselfe from the rage of Saul But if God become our enemy whither shall we fly from him This shewes in the first place the miserable estate and condition of all unregenerate men Use 1 that be not in Covenant with God are none of his houshold servants All unbelievers all impenitent sinners they are none of Gods servants What account did the Lord make of Cain when he was cast off of God but as a vagabond and one that travelled without a passe lived from under Gods roofe and from under his protection Let such a one come unto God in prayer he can use no argument or reason to move the Lord to shew him any pitty or compassion Why God is not thy God What though thou be baptized and so a member of the visible Church so was Simon Magus thy Baptisme will no more prove thee his servant and one in Covenant with God then his Baptisme did him thy name may be called Loammi thou art none of his people neither is God thy God Let a wicked man that is none of Gods servants and in Covenant with God come and cry as Israel did My God I know thee Hos 8.2 God will say upon what acquaintance comest thou to me Dost thou call God Father so did Ephraim But God said Hos 11. ult that Ephraim did compasse God about with a lie If God should own a drunkard a swearer an unclean person or one that is prophane to be one of his servants and one in Covenant with him God might go to Hell and have such servants there Many great and pretious promises are made to Gods servants and such as are in Covenant with God as Saint Peter hath it 2 Pet. 1.4 promises concerning Justification pretious promises concerning Sanctification pretious promises concerning redemption remission of sins Adoption c. pretious promises concerning this life and concerning the life to come Now not one of them all belongs to thee if thou be not of Gods Family a Servant and one in Covenant with God 1. For pardon of sin the promise is God passeth by the iniquity of his people But what is that to thee that art none of his people God will not passe by thy sins 2. I will give you a new heart Eze. 21. saith God a promise made to such as he enters into Covenant withall but what is that to thee that hast thy old heart still So for the outward things of this life they are all promised in Christ All things are yours and ye are Christs But what are these promises to thee that art out of Christ Hath a wicked man riches honour prosperity c He holds themnot by Vertuâ— of any promise and hence it is that that which they think a blessing is a curse unto them Nay that which is most lamentable if thou be not in Covenant with God thou art most cruel to thy very posterity after thee for thus runs the promise will be thy God and the God of thy seed and I will Circumcise thy hear and the heart of thy seed after thee So that if thou that art a Parent art not in Covenant with God and on of his servants how injurious art thou to thy posterity I deny noâ—â— but God to shew the freenesse of hiâ— grace many times doth call home such unto himself that were the seed of wicked Parents yet if the Lord be not the more mercifull unto them thou inthralst them under the curse and many times it falls out that gracelesse Parents leave behind them a gracelesse posterity And let every one of us think what shall become of us when datch comes if we are not servants but out of Covenant with God nothing is ours but Hell This may serve in the second place to stir us up to labour toget into Gods service to become his servants to enter into Covenant with him so may we be bold to come to our Master to request any thing at his hand Use 2 and plead his Covenant made unto us in Christ And to take heed that wee think it not enough to professe our selves to be his Servants as many do in word and shew that get the Livery of Gods Servants upon them to hear the Word to receive the Sacrament c. as if to wear the Coat of Christ were enough to prove us to be Servants of Christ like those foolish Virns that had the Lamps of an outward profession and the names of Virgins when they wanted the oyl of grace in their hearts Mal. 1.6 This will not serve the turn If I be a Father where is my honour If I be a Master where is my fear saith the Lord If we fear to offend God fear to sin against him fear to break his Commandments fear to offend him If we enter into a straight Covenant with him to take him for our onely God to love him above all to trust in him and to make our portion and accept of the righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ for Justification to life Then his promise is to give us all good things for this life and the life to come Then may we come with boldnesse unto him and claim the priviledge of Servants and the performance of his promise But if we rest upon the bare name of Servants it will not serve our turn We see in great mens houses all are not covenant-servants that retain thereto that now
Midianits into thy hand lest Israel say my hand hath saved me Thus David when he was to encounter with Goliah The Lord saith he Saveth not with sword nor speare 1 Sam. 17.4.7 but the battle is the Lords That no flesh should rejoice in his presence 1 Cor. 1.19.31 But that he that rejoyceth should rejoyce in the Lord. And lastly Reas 4 because all power and might is with him to save and deliver the Churches cause is ever the Lords cause and the people are the Lords And to bring downe the wicked God can arme frogs and lice catterpillers and the smalest of his creatures and these being sent of him shall prevaile As Moses incourageth the people Exo. 14.14 the Lord shall fight for you therefore hold your peace Seeing that herein viz Vse 1 in the proction of Gods Church and people the work of God his power wisdome justice and providence doth appeare How may this stir up all Gods people to beg and intreat the Lord that his work may appeare to us at this time wherein so many are dayly plotting to undermine Religion the Gospell and ministery and all That God would now take care of his Church and people that we may at last see Sion in her beautie and that at last we may see the Church thoroughly purged all things which make for the beautie of the Church established Let all the Lords remembrancers give him no rest till he thus shew his work upon us and make Jerusalem the praise of the whole earth O that England might now see this worke of God when so many are wrastling against this worke Esa 62.6 7. Now Lord let thy worke appear and let thy power thy providence and mercy be seene in the defence and protection of thy Gospell and Church that all the world may see that thou art mind full of thy Church And let shame fall on them that be enmies to the work of the Lord amongst us That the Lord would regard the prayers of the destitute that it may be written for the generations to come Psal 102.18 that the people that shall be created may praise the Lord. Secondly Vse 2 this lets us see the happie priviledges of Gods Church and people above all the wicked in the world that have such a watchman and keeper that never slumbreth nor sleepeth Deut. 32.11 12. It is he that keeps them as the Apple of his eye that spreadeth abroad his wings and beareth them up as the Eagle her young ones And the ground of all is his people are his portion and Jacob is the lot of his inheritance O who would not bea member of his Church to whom these excellent priviledges belong and appertaine why should we not thus trust in him in the worst of times and in the sorest danger Nothing can stave off his mercy but sin let us be humbled for sin and meete him by unfeigned repentance let us awake him by our prayers as the Disciples did Christ and say Master save us lest we perish And last of all Vse 3 when the Lord shall declare his work and shall be pleased to send deliverance to his Church and people Zac. 3.2 that they are as a brand taken out of the fire It becometh the just to be thankfull and to looke up to the hils from whence our deliverance comes and to say with Mary He that is mighty hath done great things for me Lu. 1.49 and holy is his Name Many of us partake of many mercies and deliverances from God with those Nine Lepers but few returne thankes to God but hereby we may know whether any mercy or deliverance we receive from God bebest owed upon us in mercy or judgment by considering how our hearts stand affected in thankfulnesse to God after the same And thy glory unto their children HItherto we have heard their petition and that was for protection Now for their reasons to inforce their petition and they are two 1. If the Lord would be thus pleased graciously to heare them and protect them in their journey towards Canaan it would redound much to his glory For then should those Canaanites see and all the wicked of the world that there is a God that takes care of his Church and people and might be afraid to offend him 2. If the Lord would be thus pleased to prosper them and protect them then it should fare well with the Church and people of God for Ages to come His mercifull dealing towards them would be made knowne to their Children And thy glory to their Children The Lord had promised to give the land of Canaan to this people the seed and posteritie of Abraham The Lord had now begun to bring them onward of their journey thither and if the Lord should now have cast them off in the wildernesse then the glory of the Lord should have beene obscured and the ungodly Heathen would have blasphemed God and said that it was because he was not able to do it And therefore that the glory of God might not be thus obscured or dimmed or evill spoken of by their enemies they intreat the Lord to go before them to direct and protect them so as their enemies might have no cause to insult or they once to doubt of Gods promise From hence we learne Doct. 4 To plead Gods glory a good argument to move the Lord to pitty his Church That there is no greater argument to move the Lord to protect his Church and people in times of misery and distresse then this that it shall turne much to his owne glory Our Saviour teacheth us in this prayer left unto his Church as a pattern and platforme of all our prayers First to pray that his name may be hallowed and to conclude our pravers with for thine is the Kingdome power and glory To shew that we can use no better argument to move the Lord to grant us any thing we stand in need of Then when it shall tend to his owne honour and glory for of all things the glory of God is most dear to him so as he is most tender of it and will part with it to no other Esa 42.8 I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give another It was our Saviours prayer and practise to seek his Fathers glory Jo. 12.28 Father glorifie thy name Joh. 8.49 50. and againe I seek not my owne glory but his that sent me Thus Moses was so set upon Gods glory Exod. 32.32 as that he preferr'd it before his own part in the book of life And thus those Seraphims cry one to another Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts Esa 6.3 the whole earth is full of his glory And those foure and twenty Elders say Rev. 4.11 thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and Honour and power c. And when this glory of God is set before our eyes and pleaded in our
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
hould on Christ and wanting repentance whereby we come to be reconciled to God How dare we approach his presence who is a consuming fire Let us then labour above all things for reconciliation and for the comfortable feeling of Gods love in Christ without which we cannot pray with faith or comfort for our selves much lesse for others And this may serve for matter of singular comfort and consolation to the Godly that are reconciled to God in Christ Vse 2 and are at peace with him these are the great favoriâ—s in the court of Heaven and may come boldly to the Throne of grace both for themselves and others and obtaine help in time of need Their Sacrifices God is well pleased withall their worship service they do unto him howsoever accompanied with manyfailings imperfections Yet because they proceed from a person accepted in Christ they please God and are accepted of him A little thing done of a child in love is more acceptable to a loving and indulgent father then much done by a slave in feare ver 17. And let the beautie of the Lord our God be upon us and stablish thou the work of our hands upon us Yea the work of our hands establish thou it THis verse containes the conclusion of the whole Psalme and the end at which Moses and the people of God aymed in all their former petitions viz. The glory of God that he would make himselfe glorious and take honour to himselfe in protecting and defending them and in causing his favour love and kindnesse towards them appeare unto all nations under Heaven In the verse they pray for two things 1. That the Beautie of the Lord might be upon theÌ„ by beautie they understand the speciall favour grace and protection of God towards them for when the Lord withdrawes his favour love and protection from his people they seeme to be forlorne as a woman forsaken of her Husband Nehe. 1.3 Even so when the Lord is pleased to manisest his love favour protection towards his people he seemes then to beautifie and adorne them 2. They pray for the Lords gratious blessing to the work of their hands that he would direct them blesse and prosper them but specially as I take it they meane their journey towards the land of Canaan that the Lord would goe along with them and guide them in their journey that they might in the end enjoy that good land promised unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob that he would give it Let the beautie of the Lord. q. d. O Lord we have laine a long time in cruel bondage in Egypt and now againe in the wildernesse soaking in much miserie and affliction without any beautie or Honour So as all Nations have contemned and despised us But now let thy Beautie shine upon us let thy favour and loving kindnesse be so plentifully shewed towards us that we may not only have comfort in our selves but may also recover againe that antient Honour and glory and reputation that formerly we had amongst the Nations Whence note first of all How Moses and the people of God crave that the Lords Beautie might be upon them herein then they confesse that they had none of their owne but were indeed deformed and full of shame in regard of their Sins That no man by nature is decked with this Beauty Doct. 1 We are deformed till the beauty of Christ be put upon us Eze. 16. till the Lord put it upon us but we are rather deformed with our sins and have no joy of spirituall Beauty till the Lord put it upon us and untill his Beauty even the pure Beauty of Christs Righteousnesse the Lamb without spot be put upon us Our naturall misery is most lively set forth by the Prophet by the misery of a poore distressed Orphan destitute and forsaken and lying in its blood c. And that which Christ spake of the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3.17 thou art miserable poore and blind and naked is true of every one of us by nature Miserable deformed creatures are we till the Lord beauty be put upon us What Beauty is in a poore naked Infant polluted in its blood We are all by nature under this misery of spirituall Nakednesse naked of originall righteousnesse and we have nothing to cover our nakednesse untill the Lord put upon us the righteousnesse of Christ to cover our deformitie Now it is only Christ that must take away this deformitie from us it is he that must cover it with his owne white rayment I counsell thee to buy of mee white rayment That thy shamefull deformitie may not appeare If a man have but this garment upon him Cant. 6.1 though he be black of himselfe as the Church confesseth yet he will be comly Yea if a man have this garment upon him if he were in Hell Hell fire could not touch him It gets the blessing as Jacob did that was covered with Esaus garment This serves for matter of Humiliation Vse 1 that seeing that by nature we have no beauty at all in us but are deformed miserable poore blind and Naked have no beauty at all in our Souls but are full of blemishes and deformities and more filthy uncleanness though thou art never so faire or beautifull in body clothed in silke and purple yet unlesse thou have Christs righteousnesse put upon thee thou hast no beauty at all but art a most vile loathsom and wretched creature O how may this humble us in our owne eyes seeing we have no beauty of our owne to be proud of nor spark of true beauty And the more we see our owne naturall deformity and spirituall nakednesse the foule spots and blemishes of our Soules the better it is for us to humble us and to make us loath our selves and to repent in dust and ashes O then let us take the glasse of Gods law and behold these foul and deformed faces of our souls and be ashamed to behold them be humbled for it God lookes not after the beautie of the body whilest thy Soul is thus deformed if thou liest in thy sins in an impenitent and unregenerate estate know that thou art a most vile and loathsom creature in his sight Secondly Vse 2 seeing we are thus voide of all Heavenly and spirituall beauty by nature let us labour to have the beauty of the Lord our God upon us to make us truly beautifull Now wherein stands this beauty of the Lord Not in a painted face which is not bâ—autie of the Lords making but rather of the devils like a rotten signe post gilded over to make a shew no nor in the beauty of nature it selfe which is but as a flower which will quickly wither and decay there is no such excellency in that which is not only unprofitable but often times pernitious but in God who is beauty it selfe and infinite in all perfections And all the beautie that is in the heavens in the earth or in any other creature is not