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 in thy wrath are we troubled. [Text.]

MOSES and the people of God here confesse, that they were exceedingly amazed, and troubled by Gods anger and wrath, gone out a∣gainst them for their sin.

Whence we may observe, [Doct. 6] what it is that doth most affect the god∣ly, * 1.1 wounds their souls, and makes their hearts to bleed, viz. The sense and feeling of Gods anger, and frow∣ning countenance against them, for their sins: that by their sins they have

so far provoked God, thus to frown upon them, and to be displeased with them.

For as the loving kindnesse of God is better than life it selfe, * 1.2 so the sense and feeling of his wrath and displea∣sure, is that which wounds their souls to the quick, so as there can be no comfort, no joy, no rest, nor peace, but sorrow, griefe, vexation, and trouble of heart. No doubt, there were many things that troubled the heart of David, in the matter of his sins of Adultery and Murther; as the murther of his faithfull servant and subject Uriah, the drawing of Bath∣sheba to the sin of Adultery, and his drawing of Joab and others, into the guilt of his sin; besides, the seandall that he had given to Religion: But this was it that wounded him to the heart, his sin against God, and there∣fore he cries out, Against thee, against thee have I sinned: nothing went so neer his heart, as his offence against God, and the sense of his displea∣sure.

Many times the wicked mourn for

sin with worldly sorrow, * 1.3 when by their sins they bring shame, punishment, or some detriment to their estate, and the like.

Thus Pharaoh was troubled and took on, * 1.4 because of the Thunder and Hail, and when that was over, his trouble was over. * 1.5 Thus Esau wept, when he had parted with his Birth∣right, for his own losse, not for his offence against God. And thus was Saul troubled, when Samuel told him, * 1.6 that God had rent his King∣dome from him: and Ahab, when the judgment was denounced against his house. Whereas in the godly, the ap∣prehension of Gods displeasure, and the sin against him, works the greatest sorrow, though their sins were never so secret, and should never come to light. A gracious soul lookes more upon God offended, then upon what he hath deserved: This the Apostle calls a sorow according to God, * 1.7 when it proceeds not from selfe love, but be∣cause of God.

And this is that, * 1.8 which the Lord in some measure works in the hearts

of all his. And the Reasons are:

The first is taken from the nature of sin, [Reas. 1] which is a Transgression of the Law. By sin, the most holy and righ∣teous Law of God is violate and broken, and hereby God is provoked. A small offence against a Prince is made Treason; so are sins committed against him, being an infinite God.

Is given by the Apostle, [Reas. 2] Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage to fear again, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption. Now such as have received this Spirit, the Spirit of A∣doption to be made the Sons of God, these cannot but love God, are af∣fraid to offend God, and much grie∣ved, if at any time, by their sins, they provoke God.

Is for tryall, [Use 1] whether our griefe and sorrow for sin, be a godly sorrow, and a fruit of true repentance, yea, or no. The vildest wretch, its possible, may some times have compunction, and sorrow of heart for sin, and they may wish, that they had never committed such evills; Ahab mourns, and Judas repents himselfe; and yet all was but

worldly sorrow that brought death A wicked man, and a very Hypocrite may go wonderfull far this way; but upon tryall it will be found, that their sorrow is conversant about the evill of punishment, and not for the evill of sin.

It is the losse of credit, detriment in estate, shame, punishment, or the like, that affects them; selfe love works it in them, and were it not for shame, punishment, hell, or torment for sin they would live and die in their sins. Cain cries, but why? My punishment is greater then I can bear. Pharaoh is troubled, for what? O take away this Plague of Thunder and Hail. * 1.9 Saul mourns, for what? The losse of his Kingdome. Ahab puts on sack-cloth for what? For the evill threatned a∣gainst his house. O the deceitfulnesse of mans heart! Here is the sorrow in wicked men; let but the judgment be removed, and Pharaoh hardens his heart again. It is not sin, as it is a breach of Gods Law, neither is it the apprehension of Gods displeasure they so much care for, or look after, as

the punishment of sin, that thus affects them.

But now come to a child of God, a gratious heart indeed, that hath in it the work of grace; his sorrow is principally for the evill of sin, that God hath been offended, and his righteous Law violate; and if there were no danger at all in sin, either of shame, punishment, here, or hereafter, yet this wounds their souls, and grieves their hearts, that they have dishonou∣red God, and brought upon them Gods displeasure.

Beloved, when we come once to see sin in this glasse, in the glasse of the Law, and in the wounds of Christ, as it offends God, and provokes his wrath, then shall we mourn kindly for our sins, and this sorrow will cause that repentance, that is not to be re∣pented of.

Secondly, [Use 2] seeing the anger of God is so terrible, as no creature is able to bear it, In thy wrath are we troubled: this should stir us up to labour for reconciliation with God. David, that knew what it was to lie under the

burthen of Gods displeasure, exhorts us to kisse the Son lest he be angry. * 1.10 If his wrath be kindled, yea, but a little, saith he, they only are blessed that trust in him.

And as this should make us affraid to provoke him to anger, so when we perceive that he is offended, as at this day, the Lord hath shewed many to∣kens of his displeasure against the Land, to look about us, and to la∣bour for reconciliation, to come in unto him by Repentance, and Humi∣liation; for he is a strong God, yea, a consuming fire to all rebellious sin∣ners. When Jacob heard, that Esau was angry with him, he presently sends a present, and speaks very mildly to his Brother, Tell my Lord Esau, &c. And when Nabal had provoked Da∣vid, we see how Ab••gal, she came with her present, to intreat for her life. So when any great man is offen∣ded, O what riding and running, and labouring to win his favour again. O where are our hearts, that we la∣bour no more for reconciliation with our God, whose anger is provoked

against the land this day? But alas, we are little moved with these signes of his wrath, and tokens of his displea∣sure.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sin most of all af∣fects the godly.
• * 1.2

  Ps. 63.3.
• * 1.3

  2 Cor. 7.
• * 1.4

  Exod. 9.27.
• * 1.5

  Gen. 27.38.
• * 1.6

  1 Sam. 15.14. 1 Reg. 11.21.
• * 1.7

  2 Cor. 7 10.
• * 1.8

  Zach. 12.12.
• * 1.9

  1 Sam. 15.24.
• * 1.10

  Ps. 2.12.