Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
Pſalm 130.
Verſ. 1. Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee, O LORD.
2 Lord, hear my voice; let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my ſupplications.
BEing ſo long detained in the morning in breaking in upon this Purpoſe, I ſhall now the more briefly come to that where I left.
Ye have heard that in theſe two firſt Verſes, the diſtreſt Pſalmiſt was wreſtling with the difficulties, and ſinking perplexities in his condition, wherein we have an account of what he had to wreſtle with, The depths; the way of his wreſtling with theſe Depths, to wit, by Prayer, his reflecting on that exerciſe, and telling God, That he cried unto him out of the depths, and his Proſecution of it, or inſiſting and pleading with God in a new doubled ſuit, verſ. 2.
For the firſt of theſe, the Depths wherewith he wreſtled, ſomewhat was ſpoken both for Explication, and to a more general Application of that purpoſe, which I ſhall not now repeat.
That which lyes before me in the ſecond place, is, the way of his wreſtling with theſe Depths, or Difficulties. Others had they been in the like exerciſe, might fret and repine, or they might labour to rant them out, or drink them down, ſo far as they were able to rid themſelves of them, or they might cruſh under them; but he drives another Trade, his being in the Depths puts him to Prayer, and to fervency in Prayer, he not only intimats that out of the Depths he Prayed, but out of the Depths he cryed to God in Prayer, with that earneſtneſs, and fervour, that a drowning man, preſently going to ſink, cryes for relief, if any relief may be had. The general Obſervation which I take from this, is, That the kindly reſult of ſinking and ſurchanging exerciſe in the Saints, is when it puts them to Prayer, and to fervency in Prayer, when being in the Depths, Out of the depths they cry unto God. This is the general Doctrine of trouble, Pſal. 50. Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, &c.
And that I may ſo far as is neceſſary lay the Point in broad-band before you, before I come to a word of Ʋſe, I ſhall deduce the Importance of it in a few particulars.
And 1. The Pſalmiſt's practice, who is content to be at exerciſe, doth import, That ſleeping and idleneſs is a very unſuitable poſture, when the people of God are in the Depths, to be at any time without exerciſe is very dangerous; for as the Animal Life is ſtill in motion, ſo the Spiritual Life of a Chriſtian muſt ſtill be in exerciſe, ſo in particular, to be without exerciſe in a diſtreſs, and particularly to be without Prayer, is yet more dreadful; an idle man in a difficult lot, I can compare him to nothing, but to that drunken man, Prov. 23.34. That is as one that lyeth down in the midſt of the ſea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a maſt; he is a deſperat man, drunk with ſome Diſtemper that is not at exerciſe in the Depths. May I add, the idle man in the Depths, is readily the Guilty man that draws on the Storm and the Tempeſt; Hence we have a ſad Narration, Jonah 1.5. where Jonah, a Godly man, fleeing from the preſence of the Lord, in the Storm, is down in the ſides of the Ship ſleeping, and one might think in the caſe he was in, he might have an unſound Sleep there, but the Text tells he was faſt aſleep; and ſhall I add, that's a ſad Poſture, verſ 6. when a Pagan Ship-maſter reproves a Prophet Jonah, what meaneſt thou, O ſleeper? ſaith he, ariſe, and call upon thy God. That then is the firſt thing imported, that it is a dangerous thing to be ſleeping and idle in the Depths.
2. That the Pſalmiſt when he is in the Depths cryes out unto God, it imports, That kindly Saints, whenever they come in any Diſtreſs, have no refuge but God. It's with God and his Saints as it's with a Parent and a Child, in a Croud, as long as nothing ails the Child he will go beſide any body, but when he comes in a difficulty he will leave the reſt & ſingle out his Parent to protect him; ſo I ſay it's with the Saints when any thing ails them, they have no refuge, no ſhift, no gate to go, but God. Would ye know the Character of a Child of God in Diſtreſs, ye have it in that fore-cited place, 2 Chron. 20.12. we have no might againſt this great company that cometh againſt us, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. This is the Scope of the moſt part of all the Pſalms. A Saint is no ſooner put to it, but he puts at God: a Croſs is no ſooner laid at his door, but he tells, it's the wrong Door, and he goes and layes it at God's Door: the reaſon of this is double, partly the difficulties of the Children of God may be ſo great, that they are left allenarly upon God. It is with them as it was with that hypocritical king, when he ſaid to the Harlot, if the Lord do not help thee, whence ſhall I help thee? out of the Barn-floor, or out of the Wine-preſs. What will become of the Saints in many difficulties and hard caſes, if God ſtep not in; David looked to all Airts, and could find no relief, Pſal. 142.4, 5. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me, refuge failed me, no man cared for my ſoul, what follows? I cried unto thee, O Lord, I ſaid, thou art my refuge: Kindly Saints muſt therefore look unto God in every Diſtreſs, partly becauſe whatever right means they have to make uſe of, they muſt either begin at God, or they will find they have followed a wrong method. Saul pretended to this, 1 Sam. 13.12. The Philiſtines will come down upon me, and I have not made ſupplication unto the Lord, I muſt begin at God, ſaith he, and as Saul pretended to it, David really practiſed it, 1 Sam. 30.7. whatever mind he had to purſue the Amalekites that had burnt Z…klag, and taken his Wives captive, he will do nothing till he conſult with God. That then is the ſecond thing imported, that as the Saints are not aſleep, are not idle in the Depths of trouble, ſo they have no refuge but God.
A third thing imported in this, that the Pſalmiſt out of the Depths cryed unto God, is this, that there is no caſe of the Saints ſo deſperate, wherein Prayer is uſeleſs, ye know what was that wicked Kings Determination, 2 Kings 6.33. This evil is of the Lord, what ſhould I wait for the Lord any longer? and how many in Heart and Practice, in difficult Caſes ſay ſo? it is to little purpoſe to wait on God, to look to God. The Pſalmiſt here was of another temper, out of the Depths have I cried unto thee, Lord, ſaith he, he finds it to good purpoſe to cry unto God. So Jonah 2.4. I ſaid, I am caſt out of thy ſight; and he had as much to ſay for his being ſo as any other, the Waters compaſſed him about, and went into his Soul. The Weeds were wrapped about his Head he went down to the bottoms of the Mountains. The Earth with her Bars were about him, yet even then he ſees not Prayer to be an uſeleſs Trade, wherefore he adds, yet will I look again to thy holy Temple. Prayer is to good purpoſe for all that, and no wonder, for there is no condition of the Saints ſo low, no Pit ſo deep, wherein they can be caught, but an humble Supplicant will from thence reach the Throne. A David buried quick in a Cave, a Daniel in the Lyons Den, find that Prayer can win up to God, and find audience; for the high and lofty One, who hath the Heaven for his Throne, and the Earth for his Footſtool, hath an Eye alſo to them who are of a poor and of a Contrite Spirit, and trembleth at his Word, Iſa. 66.1, 2. and he who humbleth himſelf to behold the things that are in Heaven and in the Earth, he raiſeth the poor out of the Duſt, and the needy out of the Dung-hill, and therefore no deſperate caſe of the people of God renders Prayer uſeleſs.
But 4ly. That the Pſalmiſt out of the Depths cryes unto God, it imports, That as there is no caſe ſo deſperate as it renders Prayer uſeleſs, ſo it imports, that it is the property of the Saints, when they are right, that be Prayer hopeleſs, or not hopeleſs, they will not quite it, they will not give it over, put them in the Depths: It's a great encouragement to them, that they know it is to good purpoſe to Pray; but be it to purpoſe, or no purpoſe, they muſt be about it, they will not quite it, that place cited in Jonah proves it, let God caſt him out of his ſight, yet will he look to his holy Temple and Pray; ſhut him out at the Door, he will be in at the Door by Prayer. Tell him his difficulty is ſo great (as Temptation will be ready to ſay) that crying to God will do him no good, it's all a matter, to Prayer he muſt, he'll rather ſink Praying, than be ſaved without it. Pſal. 61.2. From the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. That's a notable word from a man in a deep Diſtreſs. What could a man imagine to be diſcouraging that he wanted? for his Caſe, he is as far from God as the ends of the earth; for his Heart, he is under Perplexity, his Heart is overwhelmed; and yet in that condition he will cry unto God, if ſo be he will lead him to the Rock that is higher than he, come of it what will he will Pray. And Heman is another notable inſtance, Pſal. 88.13, and verſ. 14. he ſays, Lord, why caſteſt thou off my ſoul? why hideſt thou thy face from me? and verſ. 15. I am afflicted, and ready to die from my youth up, while I ſuffer thy terrors, I am diſtracted. I am put out of my Wits, my Wit gets a rack with thy terrors, and yet verſ. 13. Ʋnto thee have I cryed, O Lord. No hopeleſneſs of my undertaking, no hardſhip I meet with could put me from crying to thee, and in the morning ſhall my prayer prevent thee; I will continue Praying, and, (to ſpeak after the manner of men) Thou ſhalt be ſoon up, but my Prayer ſhall be at thy Door to prevent thee; That then is the 4th thing imported here, not to be put from Prayer were our Caſe never ſo deſperate, nay not by the apprehenſion of drowning in the Depths, though at the next Bout we ſhould ſink to the bottom.
But 5ly. That he ſays, Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee, it imports, that not only a Saint will not be put from Prayer, through the greatneſs of his Diſtreſs, but his Diſtreſs will put an edge upon Prayer, when he is moſt fervent, and made to cry out when he is in the Depths. And this word Crying, expreſſing Prayer in the Text ſuffer me to Explicate more particularly what it imports. I intend not to Speak of it as it is generally uſed in Scripture, but as it expreſſeth Prayer. And I ſhall here offer four or five Things to be looked to by them that would continue Praying in the Depths, or out of the Depths.
1. It imports a Mans being Affected with that which is his Caſe. The crying Man knows what ails him, when a Man Scricks or Cryes out, it is an evidence that he feels ſomewhat that Affects him much. Thus Crying is uſed upon the account of Grief, Ezek. 5.4. The marked Perſons are ſuch as ſigh and cry for all the abominations done in the midſt of the city. They cry out of ſad oppreſſion from Grief. And I find Crying in Prayer made us of, to ſignifie the fears of the Supplicant, Heb. 5.7. Our bleſſed Lord is ſaid to offer up prayers and ſupplica-with ſtrong crying and tears, and he was heard in that he feared; Grief and fear importing the ſenſe of our Caſe, the ſource and fountain of our Cryes; a ſtupid Man that wots not how it's with himſelf, or the people of God, (who is like Pharaoh that knew not that Egypt was deſtroyed) will not be a crying Man.
2. This Crying imports, not only a ſenſe of ones Caſe, but an earneſt affection after that, which our cryes are employed about, it's not for Triffles that a Man cryes either to obtain or avoid them (at leaſt they are not Triffles in his opinion), it's given as an eſtimation of Wiſdom, Prov. 2.3. when a man cryes and lifts up his voice for it. And David cryes about that which he is affected with, Pſ. 84.2. my ſoul longeth, yea euen fainteth for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my fleſh cryeth out for the living God. It's a token of raiſed Affections either to be rid of ſome imminent ill or hazard, or to attain ſome excellent good, that puts folk to Crying. A ſlighting of Trouble, (when a Man is like Ephraim, Hoſ. 7 9. gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he knows it not) and a ſlighting of deſyrable Mercies, will not produce Crying for the one, or to avoid the other.
But 3ly. This Crying imports, with ſenſe of need and earneſtneſs of Affection to be at the thing cryed for, a ſenſe of a diſtance. Wee uſe to cry to folk that are far off, and not within ordinar ſpeaking or rounding; and this follows well upon the former. When folks are put to Pray from the Depths, they will diſcern God at a diſtance from them, and themſelves at a diſtance from God; it is another thing when a man is in the Depths to be within ſpeaking terms with God as when he is at eaſe. The children of God while they are at eaſe are like Sampſon, who thinks he hath no more ado, but go out and ſhake himſelf, and have God at his command; but the Man in the depths will not find ſuch an eaſie matter to come near God. He will not only be ſenſible of his natural diſtance, but of that diſtance he is under upon the account of his Provocations, and ſo this Crying will take in ſenſe of Guilt to be confeſſed and mourned for before God. But this I ſhall leave, becauſe it will fall in upon the third and fourth Verſes following.
A 4th Thing imported in this Crying is, That notwithſtanding of all that hath been ſaid a Saint ſhould cry out of the Depths, with Confidence in God, and of Relief from him, hence the Spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8.15. Gal. 4.6. It doth not prompt a Man to muter, or peep, or whiſper his Prayer to God; but to cry out with Confidence, Abba, Father. And whatever ſenſe we have of our need, or of our diſtance from God, or of the Guilt hath drawn it on, Confidence is needfull to uſher in Prayer, Heb. 4.16. Having ſuch an high prieſt, let us come boldy. The word in the Greek (foreign) ſignifies, let us come with an all-ſaying, with an open mouth, unto the Throne of Grace, with Confidence, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace, to help in time of need.
5ly and laſtly, This Crying out of the depths it imports, as the reſult of all that I have been ſpeaking to from it, a fervency of Affection; when folks are not only ſenſible of that they need, have an eſtimation of it, ſee their diſtance, come with ſome meaſure of Confidence, but an edge is put on their Affection, and they are fervent, and raiſed in Prayer for it; I do not mean that Prayer with the loudeſt Voice is ay the moſt fervent Prayer, when I think upon theſe Tones and Voices uſed by ſome in Prayer, I often mind that word, Eccleſ. 9.17. the words of wiſe men, are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. It's not the Tone (though we ow the Voice to God) that makes fervent Prayer to him. Moſes Exod. 14.15. prayed fervently, he cried to God when he ſpoke not a Word, and Lam. 2.18. Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion. But my meaning is, that frequencie, fervency, and inſtancy in Prayer from the Heart is required in them that talk and cry out of the Depths; ye talk of your ſaying of your Prayers, and among the Prayers in the world many of them are but ſaid Prayers, but when it comes to crying out of the Depths, your ſaid Prayers will not do the turn our bleſſed Lord was never ſuperficial in Prayer, yet Luk. 22.44. it's ſaid, being in an agony he prayed more earneſtly, there is a patern of Prayer out of the Depths, and I wiſh I ſaw a practical Commentar of that among you, which ye find Pſ. 107.12, 13. He brought down their heart with labour, they fell down, and there was none to help, (that's a poſture that would put many to Pray, and how far ye are from it, if ye were awake ye would diſcern) then they they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he ſaved them out of their diſtreſses.
So ye have heard the import of this crying out of the depths unto God. As for the uſe of this, whereof it affords divers, though all along the point is practical and applys it ſelf; I know not if I dare break in farther upon it, I ſuppoſe to ordinar hearers, all is poyſon that is ſpoken after the Glaſs; but ye ſhall take a few words from it, if this be the kindly reſult of bleſſed trouble, to be put to crying to God out of the depths, then ye may ſee what a dreadful plague it is, that when people are caſt in the Depths, and the Spirit of Prayer is away, and there is no crying out of them to God, Shall I hold up to you a Glaſs to let you ſee your own foul Face in this matter. Read Ezek. 24.23. And I pray you forget Judah and Iſrael, and call this Scotland, and your ſelves Profeſſors in Scotland that are ſpoken to, Ye ſhall not mourn, nor weep, but ye ſhall pine away for your iniquities. O that is the Cop-ſtone of a peoples calamity, when it is ſaid to them, Ye ſhall pine away in your iniquities, and mourn, and roar one towards another. And will ye not get many ſuch up and down the Land, folks that are like wild beaſts in a net, ſtrugling with their Calamity, tatlers and talkers of their troubles, he blaming him, and he him, roaring for the ſad caſe themſelves and the Land are in, but where is their crying out of the depths to God? Who have added to the weight and meaſure of their Prayers for all that is come over them? Where will ye get a Daniel in all Scotland, that for three full weeks gave himſelf to Faſting and Prayer? Will ye have another Glaſs to ſee your foul ſpots in? Read Dan. 9.13. As it is written in the Law of Moſes, all this evill is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer to the Lord our God, that we ſhould turn from our iniquities and underſtand thy truth; We feel well-enough all the evil that is on us, and that it is come as it is written in the Law, yet there is no Prayer to purpoſe. Will ye yet take another Glaſs? Then read Amos 4.6. &c. Where the Lord tells what ſtroaks he had inflicted upon his people, every one of them heavier than another. I have done this, and this to you, ſaith the Lord, and ſtill the over-word is, yet ye have not returned unto me. Many folks are blyth when things riſe to an height, and then they think God will be ſeen on the Mount, but they forget that continuing them in the Depths, is to ſet them to Prayer; it is the ſin of the Generation, that they look more to their Priviledges, than their Provocations, or ſo to their Priviledges, as they forget their Provocations; and lean ſo much weight on the righteouſneſs of their cauſe, as they forget that for which God hath put them in difficulties: I may ſay on this account, that fearers of God are ſelf-deſtroyers, O tell it not in Gath, publiſh it not in the ſtreets of Aſhkelon, that God hath taken ſuch pains to put us to pray and repent, and yet we will do any thing, but Pray and Repent we will not. I ſee no iſſue in this, but to put off our Ornaments, and ſee what the Lord will do with us. And will ye yet take another word that may give folk a ſight of their foul Face? Even that Charge unjuſtly laid by Eliphaz againſt Job, chap: 15. verſ. 4. Which I doubt if we can lay ſo well from our door as he might, Thou caſteſt off fear (ſaith he) and reſtraineſt prayer before God. There is a threefold reſtraint of Prayer before God in Difficulties. And I wiſh that one or all of them take not in the generality of the Generation we live in. 1. When folk that wont to Pray give it over. And what thouſands are there of this ſtamp in Scotland? and not a few in the Weſt Countrey. How many are there among us, that ſometimes have worſhipped God in ſecret, and now do not bow a knee to God? How many have worſhipped God in their Families, who now have left it off? And among you there are not a few ſuch, as we find by your ſhifting anſwers, when you are asked therea…ent, a thing that rather might be expected in the barbarous parts of the Land than among you, and is not Religion and Religious Duties much clipped where it had much place. A Prognoſtick of little good, when ſo few Families will be found having their poſts ſprinkled with the blood of ſprinkling. Now what ſhall I ſay of them that never Prayed, when ſo many have quit Prayer that once uſed it. O! I ſay it again, publiſh it not in Gath, &c. That Apoſtaſie hath ſo far prevailed, that it hath driven many from the very form of Godlineſs.
A 2d. Reſtraint of Prayer is in them who have keeped up a Form, but alas they put me in mind of that word ſpoken of Pharaoh's Chariot Wheels, They drive heavily; There was a time when Religion was in requeſt, and then folks got borrowed Wings that they Flew with, or Stilts in Religious Duties; but when a man comes in the Depths, he muſt have Divine Approbation, or theſe will not do his turn, or if he hold him by his Prayers, he will be looked down upon and lightly eſteemed, and that he that was wont to ſoar in Prayer, will do much if he can creep on the Ground; but that clipping of Prayer, is a reſtraint of Prayer before God.
I ſhall add 3ly. That many reſtrains Prayer, that neither quites nor clips Prayer, of whom if ye judge by their frequent continuance, and the edge they have in Prayer, ye will find no difference betwixt what they are now, and what they were formerly, and ye will not eaſily know their reſtraining Prayer, and yet they reſtrain it; for in ſtead of humble Supplications, their Prayers are made up of murmuring and quarrelling. And this way of Praying is much the way of them who are of the beſt ſtamp, that take out of their Prayers their quarrellings, complaints, glooms and frowns, ye will get little of the poor mans Supplications in their Prayers. Look to theſe things as Glaſſes, wherein ye may ſee your ſhort-comings and guilt, and I intreat the Lord to bleſs them to you for that end, and for your exciting to more fervency to Prayer. And remember when I preſs upon you crying out of the depths, that I preſs a peremptor Duty on you, and that every neglect of Prayer while ye are in the Depths, diſpoſes you to Apoſtaſie, and is a ſtep to your ruine.