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.

But we are consumed in thy anger.

IN these words, Moses sets down the cause, why they were thus hastily wasted and consumed in the Wilder∣nesse, which he confesseth here to be double.

• 1. The more remote and impro∣per cause, and that was Gods anger in this verse.
• 2. The neerer and more proper cause, and that was their sins, verse 8. Thou hast set our iniqui∣ties before thee, &c.

First cause was Gods Anger, [unspec 1] which is described by the degrees of it.

• 1. Anger.
• 2. Hot anger.
• 3. Sore displeasure.

But how do Moses and the people gather, that God was so exceedingly angry with them? But by that manner

of death, that they were so suddenly wasted and consumed, with the Pe∣stilence.

Hence we may observe:

[Doct. 3] That great and extraordinary judgments and calamities, do argue the greatnesse of Gods Anger: For Moses here inferrs, and concludes, the greatnesse of Gods anger and dis∣pleasure, by the greatnesse of their punishment, that seeing they were so miserably consumed, and so fearfully plagued, it must needs shew the Lord exceedingly provoked by their sins. And this is that very use the Apostle makes of this their sudden destruction, that came upon this people, an argu∣ment to prove, that God was dis∣pleased with them, With many of them God was not well pleased.

In all extraordinary and strange judgments, which the Lord brings upon us, it is safe to say to our hearts as the people of God said, Are not all these troubles come upon us, because God is not with us. This use could Naomi make of the death of her two Sons, That the hand of God was gone out against her.

And this the very Barbarians could conclude of Paul, when the Viper hung on his hand, No doubt this man is a murtherer: They conclude, that it must needs be some great sin, that Paul was guilty of, that did cause that so sore a judgment.

It was a strange hand of God upon old Eli, that he should fall and break his neck: And no doubt, his indul∣gency towards his children, in their prophanenesse, was the cause of it. It was no ordinary death that of the young Prophet, certainly his sin was the cause of it. That Moses himselfe must not come into the Land of Ca∣naan, 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 judg∣ments,

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 Pa∣rents.

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 Pa∣rents were the cause, why the Lord smote him with blindnesse, but that the work of God might be made mani∣fest 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 plea∣sed many times to lay his hand and that heavy too, upon his own Chil∣dren, and such as are both neer and dear unto him.

1. [unspec 1] As the exercise of their graces of Faith, Patience, Hope, &c.

2. [unspec 2] To wean them them from the world, whereunto our hearts are too much addicted.

3. [unspec 3] To quicken Prayer.

4. [unspec 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 a∣gainst 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 re∣vealed, 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 pro∣fit 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 righte∣ous in his judgments: as Abraham said to God, It is far from the Judge of all the World to deal unrighteously. The Lord is ever most clear in him∣selfe from the least stain or mixture of iniustice, in any of his judgments inflicted upon men, Righteous art thou, O Lord, and true are thy judg∣ments.

[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. Miseries and afflictions, yea, all kind of iudg∣ments, spirituall and temporall, are but the sinners harvest that he must look to reap, by sowing the seeds of sin, 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 con∣clude the exceeding anger & displeasure

of God against them, by the greatnesse and grievousnesse of their punishment, that they were thus hastily, and fear∣fully, 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 Mi••listers therof, the great securitie, unfruitfullnesse, and unthankfullnesse of all sorts, may mind us of some far∣ther judgments yet at hand.

And yet alas, who laies the Lords dea∣lings 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 sor∣row, and Repentance; for great anger argues great sins, and great sins must have great Sorrow, and great Repent∣ance?

[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. 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 there∣fore 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, for as Solomon saith, All things happen alike to all.

But now, when we shall see a Man or Woman, whose life hath been vile and prophane, a blasphemer, a con∣temner of grace and godlinesse, an un∣clean person, a drunkard, &c. and see some strange judgment of God upon upon him, to die some cursed and miserable death, we may say of them thus, Surely this is the just judgment of God upon him for his sin; as Mo∣ses sometimes spake of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, If these men die the common death of all men, then hath the Lord not spoken: So as when they saw them swallowed up of the earth, for their rebellion against Moses and Aaron, they surely might say, He••e is a spectacle of Gods judgments for their sins.

And it is good for us to observe Gods dealing amongst our selves, that we might learn to fear him, lest we be made spectacles of his wrath, as others have been.

Notes

• Cause, Gods an∣ger.
• Extraor∣dinary judg∣ments are argu∣ments of Gods anger.
• 1 Cor. 10.5.
• Deut. 31.47.
• Ruth 1.13.
• Act. 28.4.
• 1 Sam. 4.18.
• 1 Reg. 13.24.
• John 9.
• Gen. 18.25.
• Ps. 119.137.
• Lam. 3.39.
• Pro 22.8.
• 1 Cor. 10.10.
• Eccles. 9.11.
• Num. 16.