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.

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 ge∣nerations after them; thou wast a co∣vert 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, * 1.1 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 Forefa∣thers; 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] * 1.2 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 ad∣ministred, 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 E∣clipsed 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 com∣plaints 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 glo∣rious 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. 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 pro∣nounced, turn from their wickednesse, * 1.3 I will repent of the plague that I thought to have brought upon them. Thus Niniveh prevented her Judge∣ment. 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 Coun∣try,

nay, what Family hath not suffe∣red 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 Crea∣ture hath mourned, to teach us to mourn; and now again by an univer∣sall 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 Mo∣ses 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, * 1.4 but behold mirth, eating, and drinking, &c. when was there ever the like ex∣cesse 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 pu∣nish us in a different manner, then our Forefathers in former ages, as Moses here. Surely it is a dangerous fin heed∣lesly to passe by Gods dealing with us at this time, from former times. How can we be humbled aright for our pre∣sent miseries, if we do not consider hi•• former mercies. This were to deprive God of his glory, and our selves of confidence and comfort.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ps. 105.15.
• * 1.2

  When a people decay in glory, then it is time to seek to God.
• * 1.3

  Ier. 18.5.
• * 1.4

  Esa. 22.13, 14.