Moses his prayer. Or, An exposition of the nintieth Psalme.: In which is set forth, the frailty and misery of mankind; most needfull for these times. Wherein [brace] 1. The sum and scope. 2. The doctrines. 3. The reasons. 4. The uses of most texts are observed. / By Samuel Smith, minister of the Gospel, author of Davids repentance and the Great assize, and yet living.

And thy glory unto their children.

HItherto we have heard their peti∣tion, 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 to∣wards Canaan, it would redound much to his glory.
  • For then should those Canaa∣nites see, and all the wicked of the world, that there is a God that takes care of his Church and peo∣ple, 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 dea∣ling 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 un∣godly 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 ene∣mies might have no cause to insult, or they once to doubt of Gods promise.

From hence we learne, [Doct. 4] 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. I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give another.

It was our Saviours prayer and pra∣ctise to seek his Fathers glory, Father glorifie thy name, and againe I seek not my owne glory, but his that sent me.

Thus Moses was so set upon Gods glory, as that he preferr'd it before his own part in the book of life. And thus those Seraphims cry one to another, Ho∣ly,

holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.

And those foure and twenty Elders say, 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 prayers as the principall end of our re∣quests; It is the greatest argument, and motive to move the Lord to hear, and grant our requests.

Because Gods glory is the chiefest good, mans life, yea, [Reas. 1] mans salvation is not to be preferred before it, which made Moses to wish rather to have his name blotted out of the booke of life, then that God should be disho∣noured by the Egyptians which would be ready to say, that God brought them out of Egypt into the wildernesse, but was not able to bring them into the land of Canaan.

Secondly, [Reas. 2] such as our esteeme is of God himselfe, such is our respect unto his glory. If we esteeme of God, as wee ought, as our chiefest good, his glory will be our chiefest end in all our acti∣ons, Whatsoever yee do, doe all to the

glory of God. It is true this glory is e∣ternall with God; and admits of no ad∣dition, or diminution; As the Sunne would still retaine his brightnesse, though no creature had an eye to see it. But hereby wee set forth our high e∣steeme of it, not that God reaps a∣ny good by it, but the fruit redounds to us, God loves his glory as he loves himselfe; And as we love him, so we love his glory.

It is the end that God purposeth to himselfe in all his workes, [Reas. 3] his own glo∣ry, God made all things for his own glo∣ry, the Heavens declare the glory of God. It is the end of our Redemption, Yee are bought with a price, therefore glorifie God &c.

It is the end of our Adoption, to the praise of his glory. And therefore this being the end of all his workes, to set forth his glory, we are not to prefer any thing before it. And such as prefer any thing before his glory, as too many do in these dayes, the Lord at last will powre contempt upon them. Let us apply this. [Vse 1]

This may serve for a prop and stay

unto the godly in the land at this time, wherein God hath shewed so many to∣kens of anger and displeasure against our land and Nation, by those wofull Changes our eyes have seen, and our dayly feares of farther miseries that the gospell it selfe is departing from us, by the daily increase of Sects, Heresyes, with all manner of sin, and profanesse, which increasing in a nation and king∣dome, where the Gospell hath been sin∣cerely professed, and maintayned, have ever proved a fore-runner of desolation if not the departure of the gospell from such a people. Surely now is the time if ever, that the Spirit of the faithfull should be kindled in prayer. And in prayer, that we set before our eyes Mo∣ses example here, that the Lord will take the cause of his Church into his owne hand, and root out these Sects and Heresies that are crept in amongst us, and every plant that is not of his own planting. And this must be the Reason and motive, that we must presse the Lord withall, His owne glory, that doth now suffer. And this will be a power∣full motive to move the Lord to heare

and help. Because he is most most jea∣lous of his own glory. And if the Lord would be pleased, to save this Land and Nation, deliver his people, & purge his Church, this will redound to his own glory. Say, O Lord what will become of thy glory, should the enemies of thy truth, & Gospell, still prevaile, shall thy vineyard be trodden down? shall this Land and Nation in the which thou hast taken delight to dwell, and where thy Gospell hath been preached, and thy name called upon for so many yeares, now at last become an Habita∣tion of Ohims, and Zijmes, that the Lord would be pleased rather to hum∣ble us, if it be his good pleasure, by any other judgement, then this spirituall Judgment of the Gospels departure from us.

If Master Herbert, some yeares be∣fore our troubles began, could say that

Religion doth on Tiptoe Stand, Ready to passe into America Land;

What would he have said, if he had lived at this day: to behold those abo∣minable Sects that now have gotten

head amongst us. O pray, pray, that the Lord would take his own cause and his Churches cause into his own hand, and plead his glory, that doth now suffer.

Secondly, [Vse 2] by this we may try the soundnesse of our hearts and the since∣rity of our prayers, we put up unto God. viz: By our seeking of Gods glo∣ry above all our carnall Interests: ma∣ny men in time of sicknesse, misery, and distresse, can pray to God for help, and succour, but their prayers are but the fruits of selfe-love, whilest they mind their own Benefit, and comfort, more then Gods glory, they can be content that God should serve their turns, and supply their wants, if poor to releeve them if sick to recover them, or in a∣ny misery to help them. But all this while they have no eye at all to his glo∣ry, neither do they plead that at all in their prayers. Whereas a gracious heart, and a prayer formed according to Gods will, that shall prevaile with God; hath ever Gods glory the principal end of it, and Argument in it, to move God.

David in extreame sicknesse flyes to

God to be his Physitian.; And what Argument doth he use to move the Lord to pitty him? In death there is no remembrance of thee, and who will give thee thanks in the pit?

q. d. Thou maist let me live if thou wilt, which if thou wilt, I shall praise thee, and glorifie thy name. If I die, Who will give thee thanks in the pit? Thus he Challengeth his life at Gods hand, from this very ground, the glory and praise that God should receive by his recovery.

The like we have else where, What profit is there in my blood, when I goe down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee, shall it declare thy truth?

Shall the Dead arise and praise thee? Selah.

It is a signe our hearts are sound and our prayers sincere, when Gods glory doth principally affect us.

The Idolatry of the people, whereby God was Dishonoured, did most of all afflict Moses.

And the reproach done against God, by the blasphemous letter of Senache∣rib did more trouble the heart of good

Hezekiah then all his threats against him, and his people. O well fare a gra∣tious heart, that can thus render Gods glory above all.

And lastly, [Vse 3] this serves for the just re∣proofe of many amongst us, that albeit doe good things, such as in themselves are lawfull & commendable; yet because they propound not Gods glory, as the principall end of their actions, can have no comfort in them.

If a minister of the word shall teach never so well, and doe not propound the glory of God to himselfe therein but preach for gaine, preferment, vain glory &c. Alas what comfort can he have in it?

So to give much to the poore, as 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 com∣fort at all in it.

Notes

• To plead Gods glory, a good ar∣gument to move the Lord to pitty his Church.
• Esa. 42.8
• Jo. 12.28
• Joh. 8.49, 50.
• Exod. 32.32.
• Esa. 6.3.
• Rev. 4.11
• 1 Cor. 10.30.
• Psal. 19.
• 1 Cor. 6.20.
• Eph. 1.6.
• Psal. 6.5.
• Ps. 30.9.
• Ps. 88.10
• Dan. 32.19.
• Esa. 39.3.4.