Moses Prayer, Exposition · Verse 15
Ver. 15. Make us glad, according to the daies, wherein thon haſt afflicted us: And the years wherein we have ſeen evill.
IN this verſe Moſes and the people of God make their third Requeſt, and petition unto God: and that is for comfort, that the Lord would gladden their ſouls after their ſorrows, and afflictions. Make us glad according to the daies, &c.
And herein we have
1. What they pray for, Comfort:
2. That in their comfort, that the Lord would keep ſome proportion; that as he had a long time afflicted them for their ſins; ſo he would in mercy give them anſwerable matter of comfort and rejoycing.
For this is the Lords manner of dealing with his people, the lower he humbleth any poor ſoul for their ſins, and the deeper ſence they have of their miſery; the greater meaſure of joy and of comfort he uſually beſtowes upon them.
Obſerve we firſt of all from the coherence of this petition with the former;
1. They pray for reconciliation, verſe 13.
2. For the feeling of his mercy, verſe 14.
3. Now for comfort in their miſery, verſe 15.
From which order in their requeſts we learn;
That the fountain of all true comfort to a diſtreſſed ſoul, Doct. 1 Reconciliation the fountain of true comfort.is our bleſſed reconciliation to God in Chriſt, and the comfortable feeling of that love of his to our ſouls.
For till a man have truly repented of his ſins, and comes to be reconciled to God in Chriſt, what dram of comfort can ſuch a one have?
When the day begins to break, then we know the Sun will ſoon ariſe. In the dark night of affliction, what comfort to a diſtreſſed ſoul; but, when the Sun of righteouſneſſe ſhall ariſe, Mal. 1.with healing under his wings; and Chriſt, which is our life ſhall appear: Here comes true comfort, and the ſoul is here refreſhed, as the Sun-riſing doth the world.
It fares many times with a poor ſoul, Mat. 14.24.as it did with the Diſciples in the ſhip, they tugged all night, but in vain; but, in the fourth watch of the night, Chriſt came and relieved them, when their hope was almoſt paſt. Jacob wreſtled all night with the Angell, but about the break of the day, he obtained the bleſſing. When we have tugged long, and ſtriven hard with God by repentance and prayer, at laſt he will come, and in an acceptable time he will command ſalvation to his people: Pſ. 9.18.The poor ſhall not alwaies be for gotten, the hope of the afflicted ſhall not periſh for ever.
Whereas wicked men that are in their ſins, and not reconciled to God, they can have no peace, they can have no comfort, Eſ. 57.There is no peace to the wicked, ſaith my God. 1 Sam. 16.23.We may ſee this in King Sanl, what comfort had he in his Kingdome, Wife, Children, Harp, Muſick, or what elſe, ſo long as God was angry with him, and was without the feeling of his love: all the world could not yield him one dram of comfort, the evill ſpirit did ſtill torment him.
A poor condemned Traytor, what comfort can he have in wife, children, gold, ſilver, &c. nothing will cheer up his ſpirit but the Kings pardon. So a poor diſtreſſed ſoul, feeling the anger and wrath of God preſſing his ſoul, unleſſe God ſhew his loving countenance in the pardon of ſin, can have ſmall comfort.
'Tis true, wicked men may taſt of worldly comforts, and they may ſeem to have much peace in their conſciences, as any of the godly themſelves, for ſo ſaith Job, Job 2…Their houſes are peaceable, and without fear: And, they a… not in trouble as other men are. Thus Saul, when David played upon his Harp, had ſome kinde of eaſe, that the evill ſpirit for that time did not torment him: and thus many wicked men can run to their harps, to their pipes, and to their pots, and to merry company, &c. of whom it may be ſaid, Eſ. 55.2.They lay out their labour for that which ſatisfieth not. A poor comfort to give a Malefactor a cup of ſack when he is going to execution. The caſe of ſuch miſerable creatures is well deſuibed by the Prophet, Eſ. 29.8.A man dreameth, and lo he drinketh; but, when he awaketh, behold, he is faint, and his ſoul longeth.
This Doctrine ſhall hold, when all the ſeeming joyes of the wicked ſhall vaniſh away, that the fountain of all true comfort is our peace with God, when we come to be reconciled to him in Chriſt.
Becauſe ſin breeds enmity, Reaſ. 1 and ſets God and men at odds; and whilſt this enmity continueth, this mans perſon and actions are hatefull to God, minde conſcience, and all is defiled: Now what true comfort can ſuch a one have, whilſt he abides in ſuch a condition; all the curſes that are written in the book of the Law do wait upon him, hardneſſe of heart, blindneſſe of minde, ſearedneſſe of conſcience, a continuall fear of hell, Gods wrath, and damnation to come; all theſe doth the guilt of ſin contract, and draw upon us, the miſery whereof we ſhall never be ſet free from, but by our reconciliation to God in Jeſus Chriſt.
The Lord crowns all the ſorrowes of his ſervants, all their tears, Reaſ. 2 and pangs of their new birth, whilſt Chriſt is a forming in them with joy and comfort, and all to provoke them to come in to God, and to encourage them in prayer, and ſeeking of him, I love the Lord, Pſ. 116.1.becauſe he hath heard the voice of my weeping. If the husbandman ſhould alwaies think on his ſeed-time, and of his labour and pains, and never think of the harveſt, who would be a husbandman? And what would become of the Chriſtian in the midſt of all his watchings, faſtings, and temptations, which here he undergoes, were it not for this harveſt of comfort at laſt.
Seeing then that all ſound comfort flowes from our peace and reconciliation with God, Uſe 1 this ſhewes, that the doctrine of the Church of Rome is moſt vile helliſh, and uncomfortable, who affirme, that no man in this life can know or be aſſured whether God loves him or no; and that no man can know whether his ſins be pardoned, and whether he be reconciled to God yea or no: I will ſay to them as Job ſomtimes ſaid to his friends, Miſerable comforters are ye. Alas, what comfort can a poor ſinner have, or what joy, if it ariſe not from Gods mercy in the pardon of ſin? What is this but to ſet up a gibbet to torture diſtreſſed ſouls? How can a poor creature have any comfort in the ſervice of God, in prayer, hearing, receiving, &c. whilſt he cannot tell whether the Lord loves him or hates him? We utterly renounce that curſed Doctrine, and believe this to be the truth of God that all ſound comfort ſtands in the feeling of Gods love towards us in Chriſt, and in the pardon of our ſins; and we ſhould never reſt, till we be able in ſome meaſure to ſay with Paul, Rom. 8.38.I am perſwaded, &c. This will make us cheerfull in prayer, and in all other duties of his worſhip and ſervice.
Seeing all ſound and ſolid comfort ariſeth from our reconciliation with God, and untill then, Uſe 2 there can be no ſound or laſting comfort; What mad men are they then, that take a prepoſterous courſe to raiſe their comfort? that have the Creator, bleſſed for ever, and flie to the Creature, run to cards, dice, and merry company, &c. as if a man to eſcape a burning feavour, ſhould leap into the fire; whereas there is no ſound comfort to be looked for, but only from God in Chriſt: Poor ſoul, go thou to him, confeſſe thy ſins to him, beg for pardon as for life and death; intreat the Lord that he would according to the multitude of his mercies, do away thy offences; that he would be a reconciled God again unto thee, that he would lay aſide his diſpleaſure, and give thee the feeling of his favour and love again; there is no other way to procure ſound comfort to thy ſoul.
Comfort us.
THe Lord before had exerciſed this people with preſſing ſorrowes, and ſore afflictions, both in Aegypt a long time, and after that in the wilderneſſe; and now they beg for comfort. Doct. 2
Hence we may obſerve, what is the outward eſtate of Gods children in this life; The outward eſtate of Gods children ſubject to alterations and changes.it is ſubject to ſuch alterations and changes, that they are ſometimes up, and ſometimes down, ſometimes full of ſorrow, at another time filled with comfort. Here Moſes and the people of God pray for comfort, being for the preſent comfortleſſe, perplexed, and much diſtreſſed; the Lord trieth, humbleth, and proveth this people here in the Wilderneſſe, That he might do them good at their latter end. Deut. 8.16.look we upon the eſtate of the Church in generall, and upon the particular members of the ſame, and we ſhall finde, that our condition here is like the daies of the year, ſometimes winter, ſometimes ſummer, ſometimes fair, ſometimes foul.
What a long night of affliction did this Church and people of God endure in Aegypt for the ſpace of four hundred and thirty years; yet, at the laſt, the Lord raiſed them up ſaviours, Moſes and Aaron, by whom he brought deliverance unto his people. What a condition was the Church in in Heſters time, when all the Jewes were appointed as ſheep to the ſlaughter; yet God laughed the counſell of Haman to ſcorn, delivered his people, and brought ruine and deſtruction to their enemies.
What a condition was the Church in, in Jezebels time, that ſlew the prophets of the Lord, inſomuch that Elias thought himſelfe alone; yet, what a ſuddain alteration was there, when Eliah ſlew the Prophets of Baal, and reſtored religion again.
How was the Church of God in Chriſts time peſtered by the High Prieſts, who had given commiſſion unto Saul, to binde, and to deliver bound at Jeruſalem, all that made profeſſion of Chriſt; yet, at another time, had the Churches peace, and multiplyed. So changable hath the eſtate and condition of the Church of God been in all ages and times of it.
And if we look into particular examples, we ſhall alſo finde it true, that the eſtate and condition of the beſt of Gods children hath been ſubject to diverſities of alterations and changes. Joſeph, one while hated of his brethren, at another time advanced under Pharaoh; at one time caſt into Priſon, at another time made ruler over the Princes. Jacob, one while wreſtling with the Angell, at another time going away with the bleſſing. David, one while perſecuted by Saul, at another time ſwaying the Scepter.
Job, Job 42.at one time plundered out of all, at another time as wealthy as before. Thus God is pleaſed in his wiſe diſpenſation to diſpoſe of his people, that many times we are no ſooner rid of one miſery, but there comes another in its room, yet, at laſt the Lord gives peace.
And who doth not finde this true by experience in himſelfe, ſometimes to feel much joy and comfort in himſelfe; yet, by and by, either by ſome ſin that they have fallen into, or by ſome cloud of affliction or other, that joy is eclipſed, and to be loſt for a time.
As we ſee the trees in winter ſeem to be dead; as though they would never grow again; yet, when the ſpring comes, the heat of the ſun revives them again. So many a dear child of God, either by ſome ſin committed, for want of keeping a ſtricter watch, and walking more cloſely with God; or, by ſome ſtorm and tempeſt of affliction and temptation, ſeemes even to be void of comfort for a time; yet, when this winter and ſtorm is over, the preſence of Gods love and favour cheers them up, quickens their hearts, Pſ. 6.38.and puts into them comfort and ſpirituall joy again.
Queſt. But what may be the Reaſons why the Lord ſhould thus be pleaſed to exerciſe his children in this life with ſuch alterations and changes?
Anſ. I anſwer.
Reaſ. 1 One reaſon may be from our ſelves. There is ſuch a world of corruption that lies lurking in our hearts, that albeit we have taſted and ſeen how ſweet the Lord is, which ſhould teach us for ever to walk both humbly and holily before him, and to be afraid to offend him, and provoke him, leſt his loving kindneſſe ſhould be turned into frowns and diſpleaſure. Yet alas, we are many times, what with the temptations of Sathan, and our own inward corruptions, ſo hurried about, that we are often drawn to diſhonour God, and fall into thoſe ſins that turn his favours into frowns, as it was the caſe of David, after he had ſinned ſo hainouſly, he loſt much of that comfort he had formerly felt, and is fain to beg hard, that God would reſtore him again to the joy of his ſalvation.Pſ. 51.12.
Secondly, Reaſ 2 the miſeries and afflictions of Gods children ſerve, to ſet out the abundant riches of Gods mercy. The more deſperate the cure is, the more obliged is the Patient to the Phyſitian. And when the Lord ſhall raiſe us up from the depth of miſery, whereinto our ſins have plunged us, and give us comfort and deliverance; this works abundance of love and thankfulneſſe. Mary loved much, becauſe many ſins were forgiven her. And David can ſay, I Love the Lord becanſe hee hath heard the voice of my weeping.
And thirdly, herein and hereby, Reaſ. 3 the Lord will ſhew the priviledges of his people, above all wicked and ungodly ones; his Children either in darkneſſe they ſee light, or after darkneſſe they ſhall ſee light. Whereas of the wicked it is found true, They cryed, Pſ. 18.41but there was none to ſave them, even to the Lord, but he anſwered them not.
Let us apply this.
Seeing our condition here is ſo variable, and changable, Vſe 1 at one time full of joy, at another time full of ſorrow, &c. It ſhall bee our wiſdom to take heed to our hearts, how we pitch our Tabernacle here, as to think that that health, peace, or proſperity, that ſomtimes we enjoy, is built upon ſuch a foundation, that will not be ſhaken.
It was Davids caſe to be ready to fall aſleep upon his bed of worldly pomp, and eaſe. I ſaid in my proſperity, I ſhall never be removed, thou Lord of thy goodneſſe haſt made my hill ſo ſtrong. But God-awakened him out of that ſleep, as he ſaith, Thou didſt turn away thy face from me, and I was ſore troubled.
We may ſometimes have the joy of faith, but it may quickly be clouded with infidelity; we may now be full of hope by and by our hearts may be filled with fear, now we may have a glimpſe of Gods Tabernacle, by and by his back parts are turned towards us.
As the fleſh Iuſteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, ſo the graces of God themſelves within us are continually in combat. The conſideration whereof ſhould wean us from the world and make us more mindeful of that life, where all tears ſhal be wiped away from our eyes, and ſin from our ſouls; for whatſoever we here have and enjoy is movable, but that Inheritance fadeth not.
Secondly, Uſe 2 ſeeing the eſtate of Gods children in this Word is ſo uncertain and changable, ſomtimes joy, ſometime heavineſſe, ſomtimes comfort, ſomtime ſorrow: It ſhould teach us this wiſdom, to take heed that we do not deſpair, as if we were utterly caſt off of God, when the Lord ſeems thus to frown upon us. But rather when wee have loſt the comfortable feeling of his love, and loſt our hold of God, ſeek again unto him for comfort, as David did, Pſ. 51.12Reſtore me to the joy of thy Salvation, and Make me to hear the voice of joy and of gladneſſe, that the bones which thou haſt br…ken may rejoyce. And where we have got it, to make more accompt of it, and to apply it to our ſouls.
Seeing what comfort we have in the feeling of Gods love, Uſe 3 may not only be dimmed and weakned by our ſins, but even overwhelmed and Eclipſed, as when a cloud hides the light, and the heat of the Sun from us; O how carefull then ought we to be of ſin, that we never dare-willingly, and wilfully, to put our hands to ſin, that robs us of our joy and comfort; this will rob us of our comfort in prayer, in finging of Pſalmes, in hearing, and in all duties for the preſent, and bring horror, and terror in the ſoul inſtead thereof. Certainly he is but a titular Chriſtian, that doth not find this true by experience in himſelf. Haſt thou been bold to ſin againſt thy God, to lie, to deceive, to commit uncleanneſſe, &c. Thou ſhalt preſently feel thy joy and comfort for the preſent, clouded, and eclipſed, till by repentance the breach be made up again betwixt God and thy ſoul, and God becomes again reconciled All duty in publick, and private, will have little reliſh in them, and yield but ſmall comfort, till thou haſt been at the Throne of grace, and there begged pardon, and made thy peace. O then let us dread ſin, that robs us of our comfort, and overwhelms our ſoules with griefe and ſorrow.
And laſt of all, Vſe 4 ſeeing the eſtate and condition of Gods Children in this life, is ſubject to ſuch alterations and changes. This may ſtay us at this time, wherein the Lord is pleaſed to ſuſpend our deſired comfort; in rendring our Parliaments, one after another thus ſucceſſeleſſe; and that Reformation in Church and State, which our eyes have ſo long deſired to ſee, yet retarded, and Sects and Hereſies to make head amongſt us; threatning daily ſome farther diſtemper, in the body politique of our State, if not confuſion at laſt. Yet let us ſtay our ſelves upon the conſideration of this point. That howſoever the Church, as the Diſciples boat, may bee toſſed and tumbled up and down with the waves and billows of furious ſpirits for a time, let us not deſpair, for the day of her Deliverance wil come, when the Sun of righteouſneſs ſhall ariſe, and healing ſhall be under his wings, and that at ſuch a time, when deliverance will prove moſt ſeaſonable, and comfortable.
Hitherto of what they pray for, Comfort.
According to the daies wherein thou haſt afflicted us.
AS they crave this at Gods hands, that the Lord would comfort them in their miſery;
So they intreat the Lord to keep ſome proportion; and according to the time of their great affliction, to give them comfort, that as the Lord had a long time kept them under the rod, ſo hee would now upon their true repentance, be reconciled unto them, and vouchſafe a plentiful meaſure of comfort and joy unto them.
Hence wee learn that the Lord doth never caſt his people ſo low by affliction, Doct. 3 The godly as they are caſt down, God will raiſe them up.but he will in time raiſe them up as high with comfort. They that ſow in tears ſhall reap in joy. It is ſpoken of the Churches return out of Captivity they went out weeping, and carrying pr…tous ſeed, but they ſhall return with joy, and bring their ſheaves with them. And this doth the Lord make clear by his Prophet, Pſ. 126.5, 6.when he ſaith. For a little time have I for ſ…ken thee, but with great compaſſion will I gather thee. Our light afflictions (ſaith Paul) which laſt but for a moment, Eſay 54.7, 8.bring unto us a far more excellent, even an eternall weight of glory.2 Cor. 4.17.
If the Lord ſhould alwaies dandle us as an indulgent Father his child, it were the way to make us wantons. And if he ſhould alwaies be beating us, as our ſins deſerve, wee could not ſerve him ſo cheerfully: But now he mixeth his frowns & favours together, that he might ſhew his hatred to our ſins; yet ſo as to love our perſons. Thus the Lord in his wiſe diſpenſation is pleaſed to carry us through the wilderneſſe of this world, as this people through the wilderneſſe, they travailed through: yet at laſt they came to Elim where they had fountains of water to refreſh them.
And if we looke for Examples of Gods dealing in this kind, we may ſee it in Job who was brought low even to the Dunghil, Iob 42.yet the Lord did reſtore him, that the latter end of Job was better then the beginning. Thus Dav…d, Daniel, yea, Chriſt himſelfe, were thus humbled, and layd full low, and then raiſed up againe with Comfort. According to that of David. Pſal. 34.19.Many are the troubles of the Righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of all.
The Lord is thus pleaſed to caſt his people many times full low, Reaſ. 1 and ſo againe to raiſe them up on high. Becauſe he is privy to our ſins, and to our wickedneſſe, as that he will not wink at our ſins, but will viſit our iniquities with the rod, and our ſins with ſcourges. So he hath alwaies compaſſion upon the weakneſſe, of his ſervants, for he knoweth whereof we are made he conſidereth that we are but duſt.
What Father will ſuffer his Childs Rebellion and diſobedience, but will correct him; and yet in his miſery will not pittie him, 1 Cor. 10.13.the Lord is much more good to his children, who will not ſuffer us to bee tempted aboue that we are are able.
In all the miſeries of Gods children, Reaſ. 2 Gods ears are alwayes open to their cryes, and is he even a ſpectator of their ſorrows. I have ſeen, I have ſeen, (ſayth the Lord) the troubles of my people, I alſo have heard their cry, and I will deliver them. So long then as the children of God have a tongue to call upon God, and a heart to ſigh, and groane unto him, why ſhould they doubt of deliverance?
Seeing the Lord deals thus with his people, Vſe 1 and keepes ſome proportion, in their afflictions and comforts, that their comforts ſhall be anſwerable to their ſorrowes, yea much greater, this may teach us this profitable leſſon to poſſeſs our ſouls with patience, in bearing afflictions and corrections, and not to gr…dg and repine at the Lords dealings, though he ſeem to load us with great and long calamities, as this people here, not to pine and murmur at his hand; but patiently to bear them becauſe here is comfort unto us, that if the Lord lay long & piercing ſorrows & afflictions upon us, yea, for many years together, yet he will make us amends at laſt, by giving us ſuch a meaſure of comfort as ſhall be proportionable and anſwerable unto them; if not in this world, which the Lord often doth, yet moſt certainly in the world to come. As Chriſt ſayth, Mar. 16.28.If any man forſake all for me, I will give him in this world a hundred fold, and in the world to come life everlaſting. That is comfort for ever.
Seeing that God doth thus often caſt downe his people low, Vſe 2 and then raiſes them up on high; As this may be a ground of patienceunto us in all our trials and miſeries: So we are hence inſtructed, not to judge of our condition according to our preſent comforts: But to have an eye to the end. Marke the upright man and behold the juſt, the latter end of that man is bleſſed. The end we ſay proves all things. Should the painfull and laborious Husbandman hope onelyonly upon his ſeed-time, which is ſo full of labour and toyle, wet and cold, and not to looke withall upon the Harveſt, it were able to make him heartleſſe to undergo his labour; But when he conſiders of that beautifull increaſe that he may reape, this makes him indure all weathers.
The godly in all their greateſt miſeries and ſufferings want not the grounds of joy, and when the Lord hath ſufficiently humbled them, and fitted them for comfort and deliverance, the Lord will not faile to come in to their ſuccour.
According to the days where in thou haſt afflictedius.
WHen once the days of ſorrowes and times of afflictions are over, gone, and paſt, Doct. 4 Afflictions paſt ſeeme but a few dayes. 2 Cor. 4 19. Pſ. 30.6.they ſeeme but a few dayes. According to the dayes. &c. The Apoſtle calls our afflictions light and momentary. And God indureth but a while in Anger. Heavineſſe may indure for a night, but joy commeth in the morning. And the reaſons why they eſteemed their affliction ſhort and but for a few dayes, are,
Was becauſe they had deſerved great and more tedious Calamities, Reaſ. 1 in regard of the greatneſſe of their ſins, and the Hainouſneſſe of their rebellions.
Though afflictions ſeem to be long whileſt we are under them, Reaſ. 2 it is the nature of preſent comfort, to ſwallow up the thoughts of them, as Jacob when he ſerved Laban ſ…aven years, when he injoyed his Rachel, they ſeemed unto him but a few dayes.
Which ſhould ſerve for our inſtruction, Vſe. that if the Lord lay many and great afflictions upon us, and that a long time together, to conſider that the Lord might have laid a thouſand times more for our ſins: and the joyes of their life to come will quickly ſwallow up the remembrance of them all, ſo as we are with one eye to looke unto Gods mercy, that our afflictions are no ſorer and that our comforts at laſt will ſurmount them all, as with the other eye to looke upon our preſent ſufferings how bitter ſoever.
And the yeares wherein we have ſeene evill.
No doubt herein Moſes had reſpect to the time of their affliction in Egypt, Exod. 1.wherein paſſed many yeares, even foure hundred and thirtie; and now againe, for the ſpace of fourty yeares in the wilderneſſe.
q.d. O Lord we have been a long time in miſery and ſore affliction, we beſeech thee now at laſt, let us receive comfort, proportionable and anſwerable thereto. Doct. 5
Whence we may further obſerve, We may pray for mercy anſwerable to our miſery.that we may and ought to pray, that God would beſtow mercy, anſwerable to our miſery. As we ſee a man that hath a great wound in his body, the plaſter muſt be made as large as the wound, or rather broader; ſo muſt we crave at Gods hand that our comforts may be not onelyonly as great as our miſeries, but, if the will of God be more plentifull. A man that hath beene many yeares in miſery and affliction, had need of a great meaſure of comfort, as a man that hath beene made weake by long ſickneſſe, ſo as his ſtrength is much decayed; he muſt have a time anſwerable to recover his ſtrength againe. So here a child of God that hath beene long humbled, and afflicted, by Gods hand, ſuch ſtand in need of a great meaſure of comfort to recover the health of their Souls againe.