The Christian Governor in the Commonwealth and Private Families, Exposition 1 · Part 6
Till thou come vntounto me, &c.
THe Prophet will doe wisely by the word, and waite on God, doing his will, till he come vntounto him; that is, (as some restraine it) during his interim of attendance, and till God should giuegive him the Crowne of Saul, by Sauls death: but (as I take it) not onelyonly so long, but till his dust should returne to earth, as it was, and the spirit to God that gaue it, Eccles. 12.7. that is, till God, by death should come vntounto him, calling him out of this land of his pilgrimage, and valley of misery, by his happie change and translation from an earthly, to an heauenly Kingdome. And so the Prophet promiseth to walke in the way of the Lord by his practise of patience, till the Kingdome fell vntounto him, and of true wisedome after it was fallen: for when God should set him in the Throne, may we thinke that hee would leaue off to doe wisely? nay, but hee vndertaketh this taske by promise, till God should call him out of this world by death. Indeede, though in that great distance and gulfe of time that was from his being annointed by Samuel, when hee was by God: owne mouth proclaymed beyre apparent to the Kingdome which Saul then had, he saw many weary dayes, & endured many hard penances by the iniury of Saul, yet he neuer hastned his owne aduancement by the making away of his Soueraigne. And though by the prouidence of God, Saul, who deadly pursued him, was offered into his hands once in the Wildernesse of Engodi, 1 Sam. 24.3.5. And another time in the Desert of Ziph, Ch. 26.8.9.10.11.12. yet he spared him, and would offer no manner violence to him, committing the iudgement to God, and tarrying his leasure till hee should possesse him of the Royall Diado…. And when once he had it, he promiseth to perseuere in a godly course, till God should take him away, and till his cha…ge came. Before he had it, he would not practise for it, and when hee had it, he would doe wisely in it.
Doct. 1.First (therefore) hee promiseth to keepe within the bonds of dutie to his Soueraigne while hee was subiect to Saul; which may be a good lesson to vsus, when God deferreth vsus in any thing that hee hath promised, to walke in hope, & not to goe out of the way of patience til … come… So Sarah receiued strength to conceiue seede, being past children by ordinarie course, because she iudged him faithfull that had promised, Heb. 11.11. Isaac waited for children tvventie yeeres, and prayed vntounto the Lord, that is, vvaited Gods good pleasure for them, and he had two at a birth, Gen, 25.20.24.26. The pittifull Church waited long for the God of her helpe; did she (therefore) cast away her confidence, and by meanes, altogether vnlawfull, become her ovvne helper? no, but shee practised patience, and exercised prayer, saying, Let vsus lift vp our hearts with our hands to God in the heauens, Lam. 3.41. Of an excellent Prophet we read, that his life claue to the dust; but vvhat follovveth? it follovveth… and his heart claue to Gods testimonies, Psalm. 119.25.31. Heere Dauid vvould bee Gods King, … King: and as this was his practise, so this vvas his precept, waste vponupon the Lord, and hope in him, Psa. 37.7. Now, vvhy hath God in his vvord and in the vvorld, left vsus so many examples of this holy subiect but for our imitation, and that vvee by them should learne to runne this race of patience, and of a contented life in all changes.
The Reasons.
God knovveth the fittest time vvhen to bestovv his blessings vponupon vsus; and it is good reason, that hee vvho giueth vsus all things freely, should take vvhat time he thinketh best to giuegive them in: for so shall they bring more benefit to vsus, and thanks to him. Secondly, it is the tryall of our faith and patience: and therefore necessarie that there should bee some space of time betweene Gods promises and our receiuing of them, that patience may hauehave her perfect worke, and God, by faith, his deserued glory. Thirdly, God doth often put vsus off, not to put vsus by that we looke for according to his ordinance in his word, I say, that we looke for and he will giuegive vsus, but to make vsus more readie for it, and more earnest about it, by making many prayers. Fourthly, the longer it is before the Lord performe his promises, the larger his mercies are when they come. When he prolongeth his seeding, hee prouideth a more plentifull haruest; and when he doth not presently giuegive his gifts, he taketh the more time to tell out much, that he may giuegive more liberally, and offer larger gifts.
Vses.
A reproose to those,Vse 1. who if they obtayne not a thing when they would hauehave it, and as they would hauehave it… fall to shifting for it. They vvill waite vponupon God no longer, imagining that euill commeth from him, and no good, seeing he maketh so long tarrying, 2 King. 6.33. If he lay crosses vponupon them for a time, and troubles of some continuance, for a tryall, they make more haste then good speede to shake them off by corrupt courses; and so depriue the Lord of that honour, vvhichwhich they should yeeld him in vvayting for his helpe, and themselues of that comfort vvhichwhich hee vvould giuegive them together vvith his helpe.
An admonition,Vse 2. vvhen God delayes our matters, and puts vsus off, to acquaint our selues with the patience of the Saints, and that excellent fruit of hope which maketh not ashamed: for, these things are written for our learning, that wee through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might hauehave hope, Rom. 15.4. So shall we possesse our soules… and keepe all sound vvithin: vvhichwhich aduantage vvee lose, vvhen wee hauehave neither povver of our soules, nor commaund of our selues, through a feuer of distrusts, and impatient vnsetlings.
Secondly, the Prophet vvill vvaite for God in righteousnes, till hee come vntounto him, that is, till by death hee come vntounto him, and take him from basenes to glorie. Where we learne to spend our short time well,Doct. 2. and that there will bee a time when God will come vntounto vsus, as a Father, to receiue vsus, or as a Iudge, to account with vsus how we hauehave liued here: Iob considered this, and therefore, both shewing what he had done, and further testifying what he would doe, he saith, All the daies of my appoynted time, I will waite, till my change come, Iob 14.14. His meaning is, that he would not be lead away from his attendance, though God now had fastned his arrowes in him, and set him as a But to shoote at. The Prophet was very low brought, when vvith a crying voyce hee sayd, My soule fainteth for thy saluation; yet he forsooke not the path of righteousnes, but wayted for God in his word: that is, in a good vvay vvayted for him, Psal. 119.81. The exhortation of our Sauiour Christ is this; Let your loynes be girded about, and your lights burning, Luk. 12.35. and it is as much as if hee should hauehave saide; As they vvhose Garments are long, doing some businesse, or being on some iourney, trusse them vp: so you that are Christians, and hauehave so many impediments of Christian conuersation to hinder you in good things, and to stay your course in good vvayes, cut short these worldly affections, and (girded vvith diligence) trusse vp the loynes of your minds, abstayning from all things that may hinder you, eyther in your fight for Religion, as warriours, or in your passage to saluation, as way-faring men, 2 Tim. 2.4. And as they that receiue their Master, or vvaite for him in the euening, set vp lights in the house, and hauehave some in their hands at his comming home: so you that looke for the Lord, when he will come to you, or when you shall remooue to him, must waite for him continually, with store of faith in your hearts, and like plentie of good deedes in your liues, that you may hauehave the prayse and reward of good seruants at his comming, Luk. 12.36.
The Reasons are:
Death it selfe, and the last Iudgement (both which shall most certainely bee) doe vncertainely, and will most suddenly come; and therefore wee should alwaies be ready, like wise Virgins, and true Christians, to meete our Bridegroome Christ, Mat. 25.6.7.13. Secondly, it is a fearefull thing to liue so as thou wouldest not bee taken dying, or in such an estate, as thou wouldest not dye in and be iudged in: and therefore it is necessarie, remembring that thou must die and be iudged, so to settle thy conscience, and order thy conuersation at all times, that at no time thou bee found vnready and vndisposed to thy last end, by a carnall life: for such shall be sawne asunder, and hauehave their portion with hypocrites, Mat. 24…51. Thirdly, if a wise Master will not deliuer his money to his seruants, but he will account with them for it; we may not thinke that so wise a House-holder will deliuer any talent of grace to his household-people, (the Merchants of so precious saluation) without account, Luk. 19.15.
Vses.
An admonition to all in authoritie,Vse 1. or in roomes of seruice about authoritie, to consider their fearefull iudgement, if they hauehave not ministred well: for though Magistrates be called Gods, because they hauehave Gods place, and are called by God… name, yet they shall dye as men, Psa. 82.6.7. their Stewardship will not continue alway, and God will keepe his audit with these earthly Gods, Luk. 16.1.2. They shall dye; and after that commeth the iudgement, Heb. 9.27. If (then) they hauehave oppressed the poore man in his cause, at the entreatie, or vponupon the letter of a wealthy friend; if they hauehave taken a reward to peruert iudgement; if they hauehave dishonoured God, who hath so highly honoured them. If the Lawyer, who is the liuing Land-marke, that by a true opening of the case, should binde eueryevery man within the compasse of his owne title, set in the Land-marke, and bound a man shorter in his true title then is cause, by deceitfull pleading. If the Officer that is put in trust with dispatch of causes, and is the very hand by which the Iudge must reach from his seate of iustice to a poore man his right, after hee hath iudged it, wil keepe it in his hands foure, fiue daies, or more without deliuerie, because he is not bribed for expedition, a couetousnes which I…b neuer knew, who neuer caused the eyes of the Widdow to fayle, Iob 31.16. Let all these know (except they repent) that their Master will come in a day when they looke not for him; and that for all these things God will bring them to iudgement, Eccles. 11.9. Generally, all must learne (here) to redeeme the time, and to bestow good houres well, Ephe. 5.16. for time must be accounted for: as how many dayes hauehave beene spent in vanitie, and how few in Gods seruice: how long time in sports, how little time (if any) in prayer: how wearie of an houres hearing, and how little vvearie of a dayes play at Bowles, Tables, or Cardes, vvherein vve doe not redeeme, but lose time. To recouer which losse, vve must (presently) breake from this fellowship of the vvorld, to hauehave fellowship with the Saints; who number their dayes, not vainely to bestow them, but vvisely to passe them in Christian duties, Psal. 90.12. Young men must remember their Creatour young, Eccles. 12.1. And old men (because they bee olde) as they hauehave most cause, so they should giuegive most diligence to remember him: for young men may dye quickly, and olde men cannot liue long.
A reproofe to the Atheists of our dayes,Vse 2. vvho thinke there is no day of account, or liue as if there vvere none: of such Amos speaking, sayth; They put farre away the euill day, and approach to the seate of iniquitie, Amos 6.3. Indeede they are (sometimes) incumbred vvith the horrours of conscience, and the sound of feare is in their eares: but against all these, Sathan doth succour them, by teaching them to make out a power of blasphemies, and derisions both of heauen and hell, or to earth themselues in the canes of obliuion, that the iudgment (to come) may not come into their mindes. So farre for the meanes that the Prophet vvill vse for the performance of his song. The things hee will performe in it, first as a priuate man, secondly as a publike King, follow.