Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 2 · Lecture 11
Lecture XI. On Psalme 51.1, 2. Ianu.. 3.. 1625.
Vse. 2.THe second use now followeth, which is for exhortation to stirre us up in all our distresses, to seeke for helpe and comfort from God by prayer. It is the Apostles exhortation Iames 5.13. Is any man afflicted? let him pray. Wee all have need of this exhortation. For (as we heard the last day) there is not one of us here, but either we are, or have bin, or may be in that distresse (either through outward or inward affliction and anguish) that we are ready to cry with Iehoshaphat. 2. Chron. 20.12. We know not what to doe. O that wee could bee perswaded when we are in that case (though not then only) to flye unto God. One would thinke there needs no motives to be used to perswade us to this. What needs any man perswade a poore wretch, that hath not bread at home, to seeke abroad for reliefe; be he never so bashfull, his necessity will perswade him to it sufficiently. The poore speaketh supplications, saith Solomon, Prov. 18.23. You shall heare nothing from him but bewailing his wants, and humble intreaties, and supplications for helpe and reliefe, to such as are able to doe him good. But (alas) our hearts are so estranged from God, even from the very wombe, as David speakes, Psal. 58.3. that no necessity, no extremity, will drive us to goe a begging to him. We have need of strong motives to drive us to it. Thinke therefore seriously of the foure reasons I gave you of this Doctrine the last day, and consider further.
Motive 1First, That this was the course that David and all the worthy servants of God, yea Christ himselfe tooke, and wherein they found comfort in all their distresses, Luke 10.37. Goe and do thou so likewise. Such examples are worth the following, they are like the cloud that guided Gods people through the wildernesse, as the Apostle calls them, Heb. 12.1. We should marke which way they went, and follow their footsteps, Goe thy way sorth by the footsteps of the stocke saith Christ to his spouse, Cant. 18.
2.Secondly, This is the opportunity, and time above all others, wherein Gods people may be sure to find him. For such promises to speed well in their prayers they have at no time, in no case as in this. Exod. 22.23. If they cry at all unto me, I will surely heare their cry, Psal. 9.9. The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble, and 22.24. He hath not despised, nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he cryed unto him he heard. But the most effectuall meanes to perswade you to this duty, is by removing foure principall impediments that keepe men from it, and answering foure objections that they are apt to make against it. 1. The extreamity of their affliction. 2. The sense of their owne unworthinesse. 3. The want of ability to this duty. 4. The little good they have got by it.
First,Object. 1 I am in great distresse (saith one) and would faine seeke to God by prayer for comfort. But 1. I am overwhelmed with extreamity of affliction, and weary of my life, yea 2. the Lord is so angry with me, and I have so many tokens of his indignation upon me, that I have no hope to speed; nay 3, I am afraid I shall provoke him farther, even by presuming to pray unto him. This hath beene the case, not of desperate wretches only, such as Cain and Iudas, but even of Gods dearest children.
First, They have beene overwhelmed with the extreamity of affliction, and for the time so overcome of it, that they have not beene their owne men. David complaines Psal. 142.3. His spirit was overwhelmed within him. They have even beene like drunken men, that have lost the use of their understanding for a time. Psal. 60.3. Thou hast made us to drinke the wine of astonishment. Esa. 51 21. Thou afflicted and drunken, but not with wine. Yea, they have beene like distracted persons. Psal. 88.15. While I suffer thy terrours, I am distracted. Yea, they have had such fits of impatiency, that they have beene weary of their lives, Iob 7 15. My soule chooseth strangling, and death rather then my life.
Secondly, the tokens of his indignation that have beene upon them, have even made them afraid to goe unto him, 1. Chron. 21.30. David could not goe before the altar that was at Gib…on to enquire of God, for he was afraid, because of the sword of the Angel of the Lord.
Thirdly, they have beene afraid God would bee further provoked against them, even for presuming to pray unto him, Psal. 80.4. How long wilt thou bee angry against the prayer of thy people.
Take therefore an answere to this objection,Answ. and a defensative against this tentation in foure points.
First, Consider the examples of Gods people that have bin in this case, that when they have beene fullest of the tokens of Gods anger, yet have they prayed for all that Observe it in all the examples mentioned in the objection no extreamity of affliction could keepe them from prayer. When God wrestled with Iacob as an enemie, and smote him so on the hollow of his thigh, that he lamed him, Genes. 32.25, 26. yet Iacob prayed still for all that, Hos. 12.4. He w…pt and made supplication unto him. When Iob was by the extreamity of his affliction tempted to thinke God hated him as an enemy, Iob. 16.9. He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me; he gnasheth upon me with his teeth, mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me, yet he prayed much to God for all that, and resolves still to doe it, Iob 9.15. I will make supplication to my judge. What greater extreamity could a man be in, or what greater evidence could he have of Gods indignation then Ionah had when he was cast into the Sea; and devoured by a Whale, yet prayed he for all this. Ionah 2.2. Out of the belly of hell cryed I, and thou heardest my voice, verse 4. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight, yet will I looke againe towards thine holy Temple; and verse 7. When my soule fainted within mee, I remembred the Lord, and my prayer came in unto thee. When Christ had said of the woman of Canaan, he was not sent to such as shee was. Mat. 15.24. Yea when he had called her dog, verse 26. yet she prayed to him for all that, verse 25.27.
Secondly, The more angry the Lord is with us, the more cause we have to seeke unto him for favour, for we cannot stand out with him, Iob 9.4. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength, who hath hardened himselfe against him, and hath prospered? Neither can we flye from him, Psal. 139.7. Whither shall I goe from thy spirit, or whither shall I flye from thy presence? There is therefore no strugling with God, our only way is to stoope, and yeeld, and humble our selves to him, to cast our selves downe at his feete, as 2. Sam. 15.26. If he thus say, I have no delight in thee: behold, here I am, let him doe to me as seemeth good unto him. It is the counsell Solomon giveth, for the wisest course that can be taken by a subject when he is fallen into the displeasure of his Prince, Eccles. 10.4. If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place, neglect not thy duty, or as he saith, Eccles. 8.3. Be not hasty to goe out of his sight (as if he had said, fling not from him in a chase) for yeelding pacifieth great offences. And by a debter, when by suretiship he is fallen into the hands of his creditor, Prov. 6.2. When thou art come into the hands of thy friend, go humble thy selfe. How much more must this course be taken when God is offended, when we are in his hand. Ps. 73.28. It is good for me to draw neere to God. For this is the only way to pacifie him when he is angry, Iam. 4.8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Thirdly, None of us may conclude, that we are out of Gods favour, or hated of him, because we are sharpely and grievously corrected, and plagued by him. If I say, I will speake thus (saith David Psal. 73.15.) I should offend against the generation of Gods children. For 1. they that have beene dearest unto God, and most highly in his favour, have drunke deepest of this cup. All the day long (saith David. Psal. 73.14.) have I beene plagued, and chastened every morning. As many as I love (saith Christ, Revelat. 2.19.) I rebuke and chasten. 2. The Lord hath oft dealt very sharpely with his children, when hee hath had no purpose therein to take vengeance of them for any of their sinnes; nor bin angry with them at all, but only to try their faith, and obedience; and when he hath purposed to do them most good, he hath prepared them for it this way; as is evident in the case of his wrestling with Iacob, and laming of him, and in his dealing with the woman of Canaan. When Moses speakes of his dealing with Israel in the wildernesse, and of all the hardnes they endured there. Deut 8.16. he did it (saith he) that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to doe thee good at thy latter end.
Fourthly. One chiefe cause of Gods so sharply afflicting, and seeming so angry with his people, is to draw them to seeke unto him for his favour this way, and to come oftner to him, or at least to come to him in a better manner, with more humility, and sense of the need they have of him, and with more fervency, then they have bin wont to do. Hos. 5.15. I will go and returne to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face, in their affliction they will seeke me early. For as God for his part greatly desires to see his children oft, and delights to heare their prayers. Cant. 2.14. Let me see thy countenance, let mee heare thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, & thy countenance is comely. So we for our part are apt (like the prodigall Lu. 15.16, 17.) to neglect our father till extreame need and misery drive us unto him. So that to conclude the answer to this first objection. No affliction or token of Gods anger how extreame soever, should cause us to despaire of help from God, or discourage us from seeking comfort from him by prayer, but we should resolve with Iob. 13.15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him.
Secondly, I am in great distresse (saith another) and I would faire seeke to God for helpe and comfort by prayer,Object. 2 but (alas) I am so vile a sinner, and so unworthy that I dare not, I know God beareth not sinners. Iob. 9.31.
And certainely this keepes many from prayer. This is a naturall effect of of sin to make men afraid to go to God, and to stand before him; as appeares in that example of Adam, Gen. 3.8. Adam, and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. Conscience of sin will stop our mouthes, and make us unapt to speake to God, as appeares by Davids prayer heere, Psal. 51.15. O Lord open thou my lips. It will make us unable to looke up unto God. Psal. 40.12. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to looke up. O that men would thinke of this, and it would have great force to restraine them from sin.
Now for answer unto these that are kept from prayer in their distresse by sense of their owne unworthinesse,Answ. I have foure things to say.
First, others of Gods servants that have beene as deepely touched with sense of their sins, as any of us can be, have beene much given to prayer for all that. This appeares by Davids example in this Psalme; and 40.12. My sinnes are more then the haires of mine head, therefore my heart faileth me. Yet prayeth he for all that, verse 13. Be pleased O Lord to deliver me: O Lord make hast to helpe me. And so did Ezra 9.6. O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespasse is growne up unto the heavens. Paul also had as deepe a sense of his sins, and unworthinesse as any man could have. For he saith, 1 Tim. 1.15. he was the chiefe of all sinners, and Ephes. 3.8. he was lesse then the least of all Saints yet he was given much to prayer, yea even then when the sense of his sins did most afflict him, Act 9 12 Behold he prayeth.
Secondly, the more, and more hainous our sins are, the more need, the more cause have we to seeke to God, by prayer for mercy, Mat. 9.12. They that be whole need not a Physitian but they that are sicke.
Thirdly, the sense of our sins, and unworthinesse (if it be sincere, and unfained) makes us never the lesse, but much more capable of mercy, and comfort from God by prayer. For we go not in our owne name but in Christs. That is that, that doth give boldnesse, Heb. 4.16. None have ever beene so welcome to God, nor have found so much mercy with him as they that have come to him in deepest sense of their owne unworthinesse. Five notable examples we have for this. First, In the woman that Christ cured of the bloudy issue, that was so humbled in the sense of her unworthinesse, that she durst not presume to speake to Christ but Mar. 5.27. came in the preasse behind, and touched his garment. And when she perceived Christ knew what she had done she came fearing, and trembling, and fell downe before him, verse 33. Secondly, In the Centurion, Luk. 7.6, 7. who thought himselfe not worthy that Christ should enter under his roofe, nor that hee should presume to goe to Christ himselfe. Thirdly, In the Prodigall that thought not himselfe worthy to be called a sonne, Luk 15.21. Fourthly, In the Publican who thought not himselfe worthy so much as to lift up his eyes to heaven, Luk. 18.13. Fiftly, in the woman of Canaan, that judged her selfe no better then a dog, Matth. 15.27. Who cou'd have deeper sense of their owne unworthinesse then these? or who did ever receive greater mercy, and comfort from God in their prayers then these did? So that it is certaine, it is not true humility, and sense of our unworthinesse that keepes any from prayer. They that are truly poore in spirit, and do mourne for that, will hunger, and thirst after righteousnesse, and seeke it by all meanes, Mat. 5.3, 4, 6. It is privie pride, that keepes men from prayer, as it doth that poore wretch that being in extreame want will rather sterve, and pine himselfe then he will seeke unto, or be beholden to any that is able to succour, and relieve him.
Fourthly, whereas thou pretendest that the sense of thy sinne, and of thine unworthinesse for sin keepes thee from prayer, know thou that thy infidelity that keepes thee from seeking to God, for mercy, is a farre greater sin then any other; yea then all the rest that ever thou committedst; as is plaine by that speech of our Saviour, Iohn 16.9. He will reprove the world of …, because … not in him.