Moses Prayer, Exposition · Verse 9
V. 9. For all our dayes are paſſed away in thy wrath, we ſpend our years as a tale that is told.
IN this Verſe Moſes proceeds to ſet forth, their miſerable condition now in the wilderneſſe, and how far unlike their eſtate and condition was unto other Nations and people in the world, in that their life was not onelyonly ſhort, but they were ſuddenly ſwept away in Gods wrath; ſo as the very Heathen themſelves that knew not God, ſeemed not to lie under the like miſery as they did.
We learn hence, Doct. 1 Godly ſuffers many times when the wicked flouriſh.that there is ground of ſorrow and humiliation to Gods people, when their eſtate and condition is worſe then Gods enemies, when the Lord ſhall be ſo far provoked by the ſins of his people, to lay his hand more heavy upon them, then upon the wicked; this wounds the godly at the heart, and fends them with complaints to God. See more of this ver. 7. the firſt Doctrine.
All our dayes.
MOſes and the people of God, do here acknowledge, that their miſeries and afflictions laſted not for a few dayes, or a few years, but All their dayes: Forty years together, whileſt they were in the wilderneſſe, after their coming out of Aegypt, they were miſerably waſted and conſumed in Gods wrath.
Hence obſerve:
That the afflictions of the Church and people of God, Doct. 2 Gods hand ſomtimes long upon his people.may, and do ſometimes laſt long, even All their dayes: for, ſay they, All our dayes are paſt away in thy wrath. Their miſeries and afflictions were not onelyonly great and ſharp, but long and laſting.
It was Jacobs caſe, that godly Patriarch, that wreſtled with the Angel, and would not let him go till he had a bleſſing, yet he looſed his thigh, that Jacob went halting all his dayes. It was a daughter of Abraham that was poſſeſſed of a Devil eighteen yeares; the poor woman in the Goſpel had an iſſue of blood many yeares together.
And this was the caſe and condition of the Church and people of God, they ſerved as bondſlaves in Aegypt four hundred yeares together; and their Captivity afterwards in Babylon was for the ſpace of ſeventy yeares. And that place in Zachary is clear; Then the Angel of the Lord anſwered and ſaid, O Lord of Hoſts, Zach. 1.12.how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jeruſalem, and on the Cities of Judah, againſt whom thou haſt had indignation theſe threeſcore years and ten!
Thus did thoſe ten general Perſecutions laſt upon the Church three hundred yeares, untill the Reign of Conſtantine. And if we look unto particular Examples we ſhall finde, that ſuch as have been near and dear unto God, have laine under piercing ſorrows, and ſore afflictions a long time together. As we may ſee in Job; of whom the Lord himſelf gives this teſtimony, That he was the juſteſt man upon the e…rth, yet exerciſed with ſuch ſore afflictions as that he complaineth in the bitterneſſe of his ſoul, that the arrows of the Almighty are in me, Iob 6.4.the venome whereof drinks up my ſpirit. And again, 13.26.Thou writeſt bitter things againſt me, 19.11.and makeſt me to poſſeſſe the iniquities of my youth. And, He hath kindled his wrath againſt me, and counted me as one of his enemies. The like we may ſee in David, that was a man after Gods own heart, yet exerciſed with ſore afflictions in his eſtate, body, minde, and conſcience, as that he hath often very ſad complaints, Pſal. 6.3.My ſoul is ſore troubled, but Lord, how long wilt thou delay? Thy indignation …ieth upon me, and tho… haſt vexed me with all thy waves. Will he Lord abſent himſelf for ever, …. 88.7.and will he ſhew no more favour? Pſ. 77.8.Hath God forgot…en to be gracious, and hath he ſhute… his loving kindneſſe in diſpleaſure? Nay, our Saviour Chriſt himſelf when he lived here what was his life, but a life of ſorrows and afflictions, even All his dayes, even from the Manger to the Croſſe, his whole life indeed was a continuall paſſion. So that the point is clear, that the afflictions of Gods Church and People, many times doe, and may, laſt long.
But how can this ſtand with thoſe places of Scripture, that ſay, Queſt. that our afflictions in this life are ſhort and momentany; 2 Cor. 4.17. Eſ. 54.7.Our light afflictions which are but for a moment; and again, for a ſmall moment have I forſaken thee?
The afflictions of Gods Church and People are ſhort, Anſw. 1 not ſimply of themſelves for ſo many times they laſt long; but in compariſon of the glory that is hereafter to be revealed, they are ſhort.
They are not ſhort to ſenſe, for ſo many times are they long; but to faith they are ſo which apprehends Gods favour, preſence, and grace, in the ſharpeſt trials and expects the accompliſhment of Gods promiſe in giving a happy iſſue unto them, ſo are they ſhort.
If we look unto this life; ſo are afflictions long; But if we look to eternity, and that glory that hereafter is to be revealed, ſo are they ſhort, and laſt but for a moment.
But what might be the Reaſons why Gods hand ſhould lye ſo heavy, Queſt. and that ſo long a time upon his children?
The firſt may be that of the Apoſtle, Anſ. Reaſ. 1 We are chaſtened of the Lord, that we might not be condemned with the world. 1 Cor. 11.32.Should not the Lord many times put this bridle upon us, by ſharp affliction, to keep us in and make us know ourſelves; the Prodigal would never think of returning home, nor Manaſſes know that God is the Lord. Were it not for the rod, many of Gods children would run riot, as the Prodigal did and kick againſt God, as Manaſſes did. But afflictions keep them in. And David can ſay, Pſ. 119.75.I know that thou of very faithfulneſſe haſt cauſed me to be afflicted. It is an argument of Gods anger and heavy diſpleaſure againſt the wicked, to ſuffer them to go on in ſin, without check or controlement, to fill up the meaſure of their iniquities. Hoſ. 4.14.I will not viſit your daughters for their whoredomes; that was a heavy judgement of God upon them. Thus doth God many times plague moſt, when he ſeems to ſpare moſt: Whereas of his own people the Lord ſpeaketh thus; Amos 3.2.You onelyonly have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore will I puniſh you for all your iniquities.
Gods glory is another main end of all Gods chaſtiſements and afflictions he layes upon his people. Reaſ. 2 He is the Author and Giver of all graces; and when theſe ſhall break out, ſhine and appear, the glory of their excellency ſhall moſt redound to God that gave them.
O how did the patience of Job, and his holy dependency ſtill upon God even in his ſharpeſt brunts and trials, (which Satan by Gods permiſſion brought upon him) ſhine and appear to the glory of Gods grace, that he could bleſſe God, Iob 1.12.and ſay, Though the …ord kill me, yet will I truſt in him. And when we can be content for Gods ſake, Pſ. 44.22To be killed all the day long, and with thoſe bleſſed Apoſtles, Rejoyce that we are accounted worthy to ſuffer for Chriſt.
Hereby Gods people are driven to God the onelyonly Refuge in times of miſery, Reaſ. 3 as the malefactor to the horns of the Altar. It was the depths of Davids miſery that cauſed him to ſend forth deep ſighs and groans to the Throne of Grace.
And laſtly, Reaſ. 4 hereby the Promiſes taſte the more ſweet. It was the famine that made the Prodigall to ſee the priviledge of Servants in his Fathers houſe.
And to procure unto us the ſounder comfort: the deeper the inciſion is made into the wound, the more perfect will the cure be. The Prophet cries out, My belly trembled, my lips …rok, rottenneſſe entred into my bones; but the end and iſſue was, Heb. 3.16that I might reſt in the day of trouble.
And herein the Lord provideth for his own glory, in bringing light out of darkneſſe, and by the humiliation of his children, brings their greateſt exaltation.
When Jacob muſt be bleſſed, he muſt firſt wreſtle for it, and when Joſeph ſhal be exalted, he muſt firſt to the Priſon. Thus God many times deals with us.
Seeing afflictions thus many times lye long upon Gods people: Uſe 1 This may ſerve for the juſt reproof of thoſe that judge of Gods favour and love towards themſelves and others, by their outward eſtate, and hence conclude thoſe moſt happy upon whom God beſtows moſt, and thoſe moſt miſerable that enjoy leaſt, and lye under affliction. Thus Jobs friends, though otherwiſe good men, yet when they ſaw the hand of God upon Job in that ſtrange manner, moſt uncharitably judged him for an hypocrite. Eccl. 9.1, 2.This is a falſe rule to go by: and this is to condemn the generation of the righteous. Pro. 3.12No man (ſaith Solomon) can judge of love or hatred by all that is before him. God many times plagues the wicked in ſparing them; and God loves his children, when moſt ſeverely he corrects them.
So that outward proſperity is no infallible ſigne of Gods love, neither are afflictions croſſes and calamities, infallible ſignes of Gods diſpleaſure. Uſe 2
Secondly, this may admoniſh us, that if the Lord ſhall at any time thus deal with us, as with his people here, and ſend us long and tedious afflictions in our bodies, mindes or eſtates, by trouble of minde, ſickneſſe, poverty, loſſes, croſſes, or the like, we are not therefore to deſpair, or preſently to think that God loves us not, but hath caſt us off.
Shall we not drink of the cup that Chriſt himſelf drank off We pray, Thy will be done: Now if it be his will that we ſhall thus ſpend our daies in affliction and miſery, our very paſſive obedience in ſuffering Gods Will be to done upon us brings not leſſe glory to God, then when we actually doe his will. We are not to murmure, repine and complain, but poſſeſſe our ſouls by patience, Acts 14.22.for if we will be his Diſciples, we muſt through many tribulations enter into the Kingdome of Heaven.
But is it poſſible, Queſt. that the Lord ſhould thus ſuffer his own people to lie thus ſoaking in affliction ſo long? is not this an argument of his anger againſt them?
The Lord is never ſo diſpleaſed with his children, as to hate them, Anſ. neither are his ſharpeſt corrections ſent in his wrath, though he ſeemes at theſe times to be angry.
A Father, when he correcteth his Child, the Child thinks his Father is angry with him, yet even then he loves his Child dearly, when he doth moſt ſharply correct him. So when the Lord laies his Rod upon us, in the ſharpeſt manner, we think God is angry and wrathfully diſpleaſed with us; when he doth that which a Father doth, when he is angry. Thus doth the Lord ſeem to us, when notwithſtanding he hath the bowells of pitty & compaſſion even then towards then.
And laſt of all, Uſe 3 this ſerves to diſcover unto us, the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in all thoſe miſeries and afflictions that lie upon them; their ſufferings many times are alike.
But to the wicked, they are puniſhments indeed, and the beginning of Gods eternall wrath and diſpleaſure, which at laſt ſhall ſeize upon them in ſoul and body for ever.
But to ſuch as are in Chriſt, the malignity of the Croſſe is taken away, and laid upon Chriſt, and therefore not properly puniſhments unto them, but chaſtiſements and Fatherly corrections, inflicted upon them in Mercy, Ier. 10.24. 2 Sam. 7.14.and not in Judgment; and are as the rod of man for their Inſtruction, and not for their Deſtruction; they grow better by the rod, are humbled by their afflictions, provoked to prayer, and to ſeek unto God, with this people here.
Whereas wicked men, when Gods hand is upon them, they are not bettered by the rod, but grow worſe and worſe, more hard-hearted, more careleſſe, and more ſecure under afflictions, a fearfull ſigne, ſuch are none of Gods.
For all our daies are paſt away in thy wrath. Text.
HEnce we may obſerve, how terrible the effects of Gods anger and wrath for ſin is. That mans life being ſo ſhort of it ſelfe, by Gods anger and diſpleaſure for ſin, is made more ſhort. Note hence:
That when God is angry, Doct. 3 the effect of his anger is terrible. The effects of Gods anger, terrible.The infidelity and murmuring of this people, brought ruine and deſtruction upon many thouſands, who were miſerably waſted and conſumed, now that the wrath of God was kindled againſt them.
But herein we muſt be exceeding carefull, Anger of God what.that we conceive not amiſſe of God.
It is true, the Scriptures frequently make mention of Gods anger and wrath; but we muſt know, there is a great difference betwixt theſe ſinfull paſſions in our corrupt nature, and theſe eſſentiall properties that are in God.
He is angry and ſins not; but our anger and wrath is mixed with ſin and therefore evill.
Gods anger and wrath is as pure and holy as his mercy is, being nothing elſe, but the execution of his juſtice.
So that this anger and wrath in God, are not in God according to paſſions, whereunto God is not ſubject, but according to the effect. As when God chaſteneth for ſin, he ſeemeth unto us to be angry, and ſo we judge of God according to humane ſenſe.
The termes thus explained, we return to the Doctrine.
That the effects of Gods anger and wrath are very terrible; His anger is a conſuming anger, and his wrath devoures to deſtruction. Ier. 3.9. Pſ. 2.5. Heb. 12.29. Deut. 32.22.It is called a fierce wrath, ſore diſpleaſure, a conſuming fire. As Moſes hath it, For a fire is kindled in my anger, and ſhall burn to the loweſt hell.
The conſideration hereof made the Church to pray ſo earneſtly, Turn us, O God of our ſalvation, Pſal. 85.4, 5.and releaſe thy anger towards us for ever. Wilt thou prolong thy wrath from one generation to another?
How earneſtly do they beg and in treat to be diſcharged of Gods anger, and that they might enjoy his former favour and countenance again.
And if we look into thoſe examples in the Word whom God hath made ſpectacles of his anger and wrath for fin; who can but conclude, that the effects thereof are terrible.
In the caſting of the Angells out of Heaven.Iude 6.
In the deſtruction of the old World, Gen. 6.Sodome and Gomorrah.
In the example of Corah, Dathan, Num. 16.and Abiram, Herod.
The rejection of the Jewes &c.
Beſides Gods ſeverity towards his own people themſelves, when they provoked his anger againſt them, as we may ſee in Moſes, David, &c.
Becauſe it is the wrath of God, Reaſ. 1 and ſo the higheſt wrath, and the ſoreſt wrath. Now if the wrath of a King, a mortall creature is as the roaring of a Lion, O what is the wrath of God? the wrath of man can but reach to the bodies and eſtates of men, but the anger of God reacheth to the ſoul; the anger of men is finite, the anger of God is infinite, as himſelfe is.
Secondly, Reaſ. 2 the effects of the anger of God muſt needs be terrible, in regard his anger is as himſelfe is, infinite, Who knowes the power of thy wrath, ſaith Moſes? And the duplication of the word anger and wrath, denotes the heat and fury of his diſpleaſure; that Moſes and the Church apprehended deeply the ſenſe of Gods indignation againſt them for their ſins for God is angry at nothing in his creatures but ſin.
But do not the ſins of the godly ſo far provoke Gods wrath, Queſt. as utterly to deprive them of his love and favour?
No, Anſw. we muſt take heed of ſuch thoughts as theſe. What though the ſins of his people do deſerve his anger and wrath, yea, his everlaſting wrath and condemnation it ſelfe: yet his anger and diſpleaſure doth never exclude them out of his love.
He is angry, and ſins not, ſince he is only angry at ſin; as a Father that ſees a Serpent in his Childs boſome, he hates the Serpent, but loves the Child: So here, God is not angry with his children to deſtroy them, but with their ſins to ſave them.
And howſoever the ſins of his Choſen may ſo far provoke the Lord to wrath, as to turn his ſmiles into frownes, which God many times doth by their ſins; and thoſe fruits of his love, are many times turned into the effects of his hatred, in outward appearance; yet then, even then, are they beloved of him, and the Lord is about to do them good. God never hates any, whom he once loved in Chriſt.
Neither can any ſin of any of Gods Elect, cauſe the Lord to reject them, though the Lord hates ſin in them; yet he ſtill holds a fatherly affection towards them.
Let us apply this.
Seeing the effects of Gods anger and wrath are ſo terrible, Uſe 1 we may hence obſerve the difference betwixt the anger of God, and the anger and wrath of man.
Mans anger and wrath proceeds from corruption within, which is quickly provoked to any thing that croſſeth it.
But Gods anger and wrath is ever at ſin, which is ſo contrary to that holy and pure nature of his, that he will not fail to correct, even in his own children. O how happy were we, if we could bring our hearts to this, to be angry, Eph; 4.26.and ſin not, to make ſin the object of our anger and wrath in our ſelves and others: As Moſes, though he were the meekeſt man living, yet when the people had made the golden Calfe, he cauſed the ſame to be grownd to powder, and made the people in a holy anger and indignation to lick up the duſt thereof.
Thus was the zeal of Phineas kindled againſt Zimri and Coſbi, and executing judgment upon them, Gods wrath was appeaſed.
Secondly, Uſe 2 ſeeing the effects of Gods wrath for ſin are ſo terrible what then is ſin, the cauſe of Gods diſpleaſure? In all diſeaſes, we ſay, the cauſe is worſe then the effect. Now all the plagues and judgments that God executeth in the World, are but the effects of ſin. We have ſeen in our times the great alterations that have been in Church and State; the Crown it ſelfe is withered, many Noble Families and Houſes brought down and laid in the duſt, Inheritances tranſlated to others, the Sword hath begot a new tenure, confuſion in the Church, Sects and Hereſies abound in every corner, the Ordinances of God contemned and deſpiſed, the Miniſtry ſlighted and diſeſteemed, as if it were uſeleſſe and might be ſpared: never more open prophaneneſſe, nor aparent ſignes of Gods anger and wrath againſt a people, then God hath manifeſted againſt us, with his unwonted judgmēts, and ſtrange viſitations, by unwonted ſickneſſes and diſeaſes. Surely, in the midſt of them all, we are to juſtifie God, ſince England's ſin hath cauſed all our plagues upon us this day; and we are to confeſſe with the lamenting Church, that it is the Lords mercy we are not quite laid waſt: That it might be ſaid of England, that we were a people that kept not Covenant with God.
And when we ſhall ſee Religion advanced, diſcipline and order in our Church, Sects and Hereſies diſcountenanced, Piety encouraged, and Prophaneneſſe ſuppreſſed; then, and not till then, may we hope that God will remove his wrath, and turn away his anger from us.
And laſt of all, Vſe 3 this may ſerve for Exhortation, to admoniſh all to take heed of ſin; we ſhall never eſcape Gods anger nor diſpleaſure, whilſt we are guilty of ſin; ſin laies us naked and open to all judgments.
But eſpecially this concerns Magiſtrates, that as they deſire to keep off Gods judgments from a Land and Nation, that they ſee that ſin be duly puniſhed: When Phineas executed judgment, the Plague ceaſed.
And this care ought Parents and Heads of Families to have, that as they deſire protection from God, and to ſee his bleſſing upon their Families, that they ſuffer not an Achan under their roof, Pſ. 101. Zach. 5.4. Pr. 3.33.but purge their houſe, as David did his. For certain it is, the curſe of God is upthe habitation of the wicked, whereas the habitation of the righteous ſhall proſper.
There is one thing more to be obſerved, that as the effects of Gods anger and wrath are terrible:
So it is the ſight of ſin, Doct. 4 Sight of ſin, and ſenſe of Gods diſpleaſure for ſin, ground of repentance.and …ious conſideration of Gods anger and diſpleaſure againſt ſin, that is the ground-work and foundation of true repentance.
There are many excellent fruits of godly ſorrow and true repentance manifeſted by this people, from verſe 12. to the end; yet, if we obſerve well theſe two verſes, 8, 9. we ſhall ſee it was the ſight of their ſins, and the apprehenſion of Gods anger and diſpleaſure for ſin, that ſet them upon their repentance.
The fight of ſin, and the apprehenſion of Gods anger and diſpleaſure for ſin, ever goes before true repentance. This Church and people acknowledge, that God had ſet their their iniquities before him, &c. And withall had a deep ſenſe of Gods anger and diſpleaſure▪ before they addreſſe themſelves for pardon.
And ſurely this is Gods order of working, in the great work of Repentance and Salvation; firſt, to caſt down through the ſight of ſin, and apprehenſion of Gods diſpleaſure for ſin and then to raiſe up in the apprehenſion of mercy in Chriſt.
Never did any truly repent, but firſt apprehended the curſe, and Gods indignation againſt ſin before. Let this be duly thought upon as a moſt certain ground of truth, that thoſe whom the Lord intends to ſave, he will firſt diſcover unto them their ſin, and Gods wrath due unto them, even the curſe of the Law, which is eternal death of Soul and Body for ever, before he ever give them the ſweet apprehenſion of his favour and love in Chriſt.
The Scriptures are clear and plain in this point; Come, let us return unto the Lord, Hoſ. 6.1.for he hath wounded us: Where we ſee the Lords order firſt to wound, and then to binde up. Thus dealt he with thoſe Jewes, Act. 2.37who had imbrued their hands in the blood of the Lord Jeſus, they were firſt brought to ſee their ſins by the Miniſtry of Peter, and apprehend Gods wrath due for the ſame, and then they cry out to the Apoſtles, Men and Brethren, what ſhall we do to be ſaved. The Lord deals with a pure ſoul, whom he intends to ſave, as he ſaid to Moſes, Deut. 28.66.Thy life ſhall hang in doubt before thee, and thou ſhalt fear day and night. Now it is with a ſoul in this plight, as it was with Balſhazar in his cups, Dan. 5.when he ſaw the hand writing, the joynts of his knees ſmote together: thus doth the Lord ſtrike the ſoul with amazement and fear, whileſt he ſhall ſee before him nothing but death, hell, and condemnation; thus the Lord ordinarily breaks the heart, and humbles the …oul, before he fills it with mercy.
Baloved, let us not flatter our ſelves, to think, that repentance and reconciliation with God were a matter ſo eaſily got: No, no, the Lord will have us into the furnace firſt, and the Lord will make us to ſee our ſins, and to feel the waight and burthen of them, Mat. 9.13 Eſ. 55.1. Joh. 7.37.with the ſence of his anger and wrath againſt ſin, before we can look for mercy. The Scriptures are full in this particular. And the Reaſons are:
God hath ſo appointed it, Reaſ. 1 that all the Elect ſhould thus be brought home to him, Ioh. 16.8I will ſend you the Comforter (ſaith Chriſt) and he ſhall rebuke the world of ſin and of righteouſneſſe. Firſt of ſin, unto condemnation, and then of righteouſneſſe, viz. the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt unto ſalvation. And thus the Prophet brings in Chriſt, ſpeaking thus, Eſ. 61.1.The ſpirit of the Lord is on me, and the Lord hath annointed me, and ſent me to preach good tidings to the poor, to binde up the broken hearted, to preach liberty to the captive, &c. Here you ſee to whom Chriſt is ſent, and here is a ſoul qualified for mercy; not all and every one that lives under the Goſpell, that hath been Baptized, and goes under the name of a Chriſtian; but ſuch only as are ſenſible at their ſpirituall miſery and thraldome by reaſon of ſin. I came (ſaith Chriſt) to ſeek and to ſave that was loſt. Miſerable creature thou, Luk. 19.10.if thou be not one that Chriſt came to ſeek and to ſave: But if thou be not a loſt creature, a poor, wretched, damned creature in thy own apprehenſion, thou wilt never have Chriſt to ſave thee.
Secondly, till we thus ſee ſin, Reaſ. 2 and are ſenſible of Gods wrath and diſpleaſure for ſin, we ſhall never prize Chriſt, neither are fit to receive any comfort from Chriſt. When a poor ſoul comes truly to ſee fin, and the wrath of God due for ſin, and that ſin is a burthen, too heavy for that ſoul to bear, Chriſt will never be pretious to the ſoul, The full ſoul loatheth the hony comb.
But take a poor wounded ſoul, whoſe heart is truly humbled, it is like a ſmitten Hart; O, to the ſoyle it flyeth, Pſ. 42.1.As the Hart brayeth after the Rivers of water, ſo longeth my ſoul after thee, O God.
Let ſuch a ſoul have all the treaſure in the world preſented unto him on the one hand, and the leaſt drop of the blood of Chriſt on the other hand: O, it is Chriſts blood that he priſeth above all. As Rachel ſaid to Jacob, Give me Children, or elſe I die; ſo ſaith a poor ſoul, Give me Chriſt for the pardon of my ſins, or elſe I die, and ſhall periſh for ever.
This ſerves to diſcover unto us what is Gods manner of dealing in the work of mans Converſion and Salvation; Uſe 1 the Lord works by contraries, God brings men to joy by ſorrow; to bleſſedneſſe, by the ſenſe of our curſedneſſe: as at the firſt Creation, God brought light out of darkneſſe, ſo doth God now, bring life out of death; and out of our deep apprehenſion of Gods anger and diſpleaſure, God founds and grounds our greateſt comfort.
Well then, would you know how it fares between God and your ſouls; call to minde your ſins paſt, the ſins of your youth, the ſins of your middle age, and the ſins of your riper years, and ſee how your hearts ſtand affected towards them: Can you think of them without griefe of heart? have you as yet never felt the terrours of the Almighty for ſin? You never felt ſuch a weight and burthen of ſin, that you were ready to ſink under it. O, deceive not your own ſouls, the foundation of grace and ſalvation is not yet laid.
But now, if upon examination, you finde the terrours of the Lord, your hearts wounded, that the remembrance of your ſins is grievous unto you, and that the burthen of them is intollerable; here is a good mark, that God intends much good to ſuch a ſoul.
Seeing this is Gods manner of dealing in the work of Repentance and converſion to God, Uſe 2 to work in the ſoul an apprehenſion of Gods anger and diſpleaſure for ſin.
Here is matter of mourning and lamentation, in regard of the great ſecurity of this age wherein we live; there is little fear or dread of Gods anger and wrath for ſin amongſt men; a clear argument, that men are far from this grace of true repentance.
The Lord be mercifull to a world of men that live amongſt us, even in the boſome of the Church, if we had a fountain of tears with Jeremy, we might weep them out, to ſee the miſery of the greateſt part of the world, that though they live in the boſome of the Church, and partake daily of the Word, yet are not wrought upon.
How many have we, that are ſo far from grieving for their ſins, that it is their grief they cannot ſin more freely? Men cannot endure to meet with any check or controlment in their ſinfull courſes.
You that know the world, and you that know the ſtate of this place, cannot but know, how many we have that ſit upon their Ale-bench, and there deſpite the Spirit of grace, glorying in their ſin: O that ſuch would but conſider that dreadfull place of the Apoſtle, 2 Theſſ. 2.13.That all might be damned that took pleuſure in unrighteouſneſſe; yet fear not damnation: But the damnation of ſuch doth not ſleep.
And laſt of all, Uſe 3 here is matter of admirable comfort and conſolation to ſuch, upon whoſe hearts God hath been at work, that have been under the Spirit of bondage, and have layne under the threats of the Law, have ſeen ſin and have apprehended Gods diſpleaſure in their ſouls for ſin: I may ſay to ſuch a one, as it was ſaid to blind Bartimaeus, Behold, Chriſt calleth thee; who for this ſpirit of heavineſſe will give thee the ſpirit of gladneſſe: ſorrow may endure for a night, but joy commeth in the morning; and, Mat. 5.4.Bleſſed are they that mourn, for they ſhall rejoyce.
O, Object. but if I were ſure that my ſorrow were right, I might have comfort; but I fear my trouble is not ſo much for offending God by my ſins, as for fear of Hell and of wrath; which ſorrow even a wicked man may have, and yet periſh at laſt?
Even this fear of Gods wrath, Anſ. of hell and damnation, may be at the firſt in us, and as a needle make way for the threed of godly ſorrow: thus much is intimated by that of Paul, Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage to fear again; Ro. 8.15.which word implyeth thus much, that even the very godly themſelves, had at firſt in them the ſpirit of bondage to fear God for his wrath, hell and damnation. A degree of grace, if I may ſo call it, that, for ought I know, all Gods children at firſt, in ſome meaſure or other paſſe under.
But how ſhall I know, Queſt. that it is not my caſe at this preſent?
True ſight of ſin and humiliation of the ſoul that ſhall finde comfort, Anſw. hath principally theſe three properties.
Firſt, when the heart is carried againſt ſin with ſuch an indignation, as that there is a heart-riſing againſt a mans moſt ſecret corruptions, 2 Cor. 7.11.What indignation (ſaith Paul) hath it wrought in you? A heart-riſing againſt our moſt ſecret corruptions, ſtirring in us, is a good ſigne our ſorrow for ſin is ſound.
It may again be known by that full purpoſe of heart that is in us, not to ſin again, as thoſe godly Converts mentioned in the Scripture, Paul, Zacheus, Mary Magdalen, Peter, &c. fell not into their ſins again.
Thirdly, it may be known by the bleſſed victory that the ſoul gets daily againſt ſin, when corruption weakens daily, and grace growes more vigorous in the ſoul, theſe may comfort the heart, that ſuch a ſoul is qualified for mercy.