Midianits into thy hand lest Israel say my hand hath saved me Thus David when he was to encounter with Goliah The Lord saith he Saveth not with sword nor speare 1 Sam. 17.4.7 but the battle is the Lords That no flesh should rejoice in his presence 1 Cor. 1.19.31 But that he that rejoyceth should rejoyce in the Lord. And lastly Reas 4 because all power and might is with him to save and deliver the Churches cause is ever the Lords cause and the people are the Lords And to bring downe the wicked God can arme frogs and lice catterpillers and the smalest of his creatures and these being sent of him shall prevaile As Moses incourageth the people Exo. 14.14 the Lord shall fight for you therefore hold your peace Seeing that herein viz Vse 1 in the proction of Gods Church and people the work of God his power wisdome justice and providence doth appeare How may this stir up all Gods people to beg and intreat the Lord that his work may appeare to us at this time wherein so many are dayly plotting to undermine Religion the Gospell and ministery and all That God would now take care of his Church and people that we may at last see Sion in her beautie and that at last we may see the Church thoroughly purged all things which make for the beautie of the Church established Let all the Lords remembrancers give him no rest till he thus shew his work upon us and make Jerusalem the praise of the whole earth O that England might now see this worke of God when so many are wrastling against this worke Esa 62.6 7. Now Lord let thy worke appear and let thy power thy providence and mercy be seene in the defence and protection of thy Gospell and Church that all the world may see that thou art mind full of thy Church And let shame fall on them that be enmies to the work of the Lord amongst us That the Lord would regard the prayers of the destitute that it may be written for the generations to come Psal 102.18 that the people that shall be created may praise the Lord. Secondly Vse 2 this lets us see the happie priviledges of Gods Church and people above all the wicked in the world that have such a watchman and keeper that never slumbreth nor sleepeth Deut. 32.11 12. It is he that keeps them as the Apple of his eye that spreadeth abroad his wings and beareth them up as the Eagle her young ones And the ground of all is his people are his portion and Jacob is the lot of his inheritance O who would not bea member of his Church to whom these excellent priviledges belong and appertaine why should we not thus trust in him in the worst of times and in the sorest danger Nothing can stave off his mercy but sin let us be humbled for sin and meete him by unfeigned repentance let us awake him by our prayers as the Disciples did Christ and say Master save us lest we perish And last of all Vse 3 when the Lord shall declare his work and shall be pleased to send deliverance to his Church and people Zac. 3.2 that they are as a brand taken out of the fire It becometh the just to be thankfull and to looke up to the hils from whence our deliverance comes and to say with Mary He that is mighty hath done great things for me Lu. 1.49 and holy is his Name Many of us partake of many mercies and deliverances from God with those Nine Lepers but few returne thankes to God but hereby we may know whether any mercy or deliverance we receive from God bebest owed upon us in mercy or judgment by considering how our hearts stand affected in thankfulnesse to God after the same And thy glory unto their children HItherto we have heard their petition and that was for protection Now for their reasons to inforce their petition and they are two 1. If the Lord would be thus pleased graciously to heare them and protect them in their journey towards Canaan it would redound much to his glory For then should those Canaanites see and all the wicked of the world that there is a God that takes care of his Church and people and might be afraid to offend him 2. If the Lord would be thus pleased to prosper them and protect them then it should fare well with the Church and people of God for Ages to come His mercifull dealing towards them would be made knowne to their Children And thy glory to their Children The Lord had promised to give the land of Canaan to this people the seed and posteritie of Abraham The Lord had now begun to bring them onward of their journey thither and if the Lord should now have cast them off in the wildernesse then the glory of the Lord should have beene obscured and the ungodly Heathen would have blasphemed God and said that it was because he was not able to do it And therefore that the glory of God might not be thus obscured or dimmed or evill spoken of by their enemies they intreat the Lord to go before them to direct and protect them so as their enemies might have no cause to insult or they once to doubt of Gods promise From hence we learne Doct. 4 To plead Gods glory a good argument to move the Lord to pitty his Church That there is no greater argument to move the Lord to protect his Church and people in times of misery and distresse then this that it shall turne much to his owne glory Our Saviour teacheth us in this prayer left unto his Church as a pattern and platforme of all our prayers First to pray that his name may be hallowed and to conclude our pravers with for thine is the Kingdome power and glory To shew that we can use no better argument to move the Lord to grant us any thing we stand in need of Then when it shall tend to his owne honour and glory for of all things the glory of God is most dear to him so as he is most tender of it and will part with it to no other Esa 42.8 I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give another It was our Saviours prayer and practise to seek his Fathers glory Jo. 12.28 Father glorifie thy name Joh. 8.49 50. and againe I seek not my owne glory but his that sent me Thus Moses was so set upon Gods glory Exod. 32.32 as that he preferr'd it before his own part in the book of life And thus those Seraphims cry one to another Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts Esa 6.3 the whole earth is full of his glory And those foure and twenty Elders say Rev. 4.11 thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and Honour and power c. And when this glory of God is set before our eyes and pleaded in our
this was Eliah called the Chariot and Horseman of Israel because his prayers were so powerfull with God Secondly Use 2 this lets people know what a high esteem they ought to have of faithfull Ministers Let men so account of us saith Paul as the Ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God They are the Josephs that God hath sent into the land to open the Lords granaries to preserve the souls of Gods people from spirituall famine Had it not been that God had had these Moses Aaron Phineas Jeremie and Daniel amongst us and such faithfull ones that had stood in the gap Englands sin had brought Englands ruine before this day How forcible were the prayers of Abraham to spare the Sodomites What had God done at his request if there had been but ten righteous found in those Cities How did Moses bind the hands of God by his prayers when his wrathfull displeasure was ready to break out against the people Surely our daies of Humiliation Exod. 32.10 and our seeking of God have not returned in vain But God hath heard us And for the sake of some few in this Land God hath deferred his wrath that England hath not been a Boachim a Land of mourning and desolation And what may England now expect when these that have been the Chariots and Horsemen of our Israel and have hitherto stood in the gap and for whose sake the Lord hath spared the Land When these I say shall be judged the troublers of Israel as they that are the greatest Enemies of Englands peace Surely this high contempt of the Ministry of England this day is that which prognosticates no good to England this day This may serve to mind us of the Ministry of a necessary duty that belongs unto our calling Use 3 viz. that wee be frequent and oft in this duty of prayer not onely at Sermon time to begin and end the same with prayer which the most do But even in private to bee earnest Solicitors to the Throne of grace in the behalfe of our people What blessing can wee look for from God upon that Sermon that God is not sought unto by prayer I am sure it is not the least comfort that many a Faithfull Minister of Christ reapes to himself his conscionable discharge of this duty of private prayer for his Flock When he receives but little comfort in his publick Ministry And that Minister that minds onely preaching and neglects this duty of prayer may well question his owne heart that hee aims more at his own glory then Gods And last of all this may serve for Exhortation Use 4 That seing prayer is such an essentiall Duty of a faithfull Ministry and such as are teachers of the people should pray for the people And that by this meanes many mercies have beene obtained and many judgments have been removed this should move us all that are the Ministers of the word to be much in prayer Es 62.2 to give the Lord no rest untill he have mercy upon Sion Let us that be the Lords Remembrancers and the Watchmen of the Lords Flock never give the Lord rest nor let him bee still till we see that hee shall in mercy remove his Judgments which lie heavy upon us for our sins Let us that are the Watch-men of Israel take heed that the Lord put not up against us that wofull complaint Eze. 22.30 I sought for a man that should have made up the hedge and stood in the gap before me for the Land that I might not destroy them But I found none therefore have I poured out my indignation upon them and consumed them with the fire of my wrath What shall then become of those that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap to stay the wrath of God That shall be hedge-breakers and open a gap by their sinns their negligence and carelesnesse their scandalous lives How fearfull will Gods anger be against such one day as wee may see in that Chapter A Prayer of Moses the man of God THE last particular in the title is the time when Moses composed this prayer The time when Moses made this prayer viz. when the Church and people of God were in great affliction and distress now in the Wilderness being almost wasted and consumed with the plague and pestilence and other Judgements of God upon them for their sins Now in asmuch as they make this their onely refuge to fly unto God by prayer Doct. 4 The time of affliction is the time of prayer The Doctrine is That the time of affliction is the the time of prayer This Moses and the people of God at this time make their onely Refuge to fly unto God to humble themselves before him and intreat the pardon of their sinns and that the Lord would turn away his wrath and return again in favour and mercy towards them and indeed this is the Argument of this Psalm And this is such a remedy as the Lord himself prescribes Ps 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee and deliver thee Where the Lord prescribes this as the chiefest remedy and refuge in times of calamity and distress To seek unto God by prayer This doth Moses and the people of God at this time of great affliction and distresse when they were almost wasted and consumed with the Plague and Pestilence they fly unto God as their onely Refuge in this time of distresse And this hath been the practice of Gods Church and people in all ages The Jewes in Hesters time when Haman had laid his plot utterly to destroy them Hest 4. they make God their Refuge Thus when Senacherib sent a mighty Host against Hezechiah and his people 2 Reg. 19.17 2 Cron. 20. He spreads his blasphemous letters before the Lord and makes an earnest prayer unto God Thus was it with good King Jehosophat when the Ammonits Moabits came up against them that hee and his people were at that straight that they knew not what to do or which way to turne themselves yet flying unto God by prayer were delivered And this the Lord himselfe doth witnesse unto when he saith Hos 5.14 I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon to the house of Judah c. till they acknowledge their offences and seek my face for in their affliction they will seek me early And so indeed they did for immediately they call on one another and provoke one another Come let us return unto the Lord Hos 6.1 for he hath wounded us and he will heale us And if wee look into particular Examples wee shall find that Gods servants in their greatest straights have still had recourse to God Jonas in the Whales belly Ion 2.1 2. Out of the belly of Hell cryed I and thou heardst my voice Manasses albeit in the time of his prosperity he forgat God 2 Chron. 33. yet in his
some sore labour and travail They that die in the Lord Rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 1 Thess 4.18 Let us comfort one another in these things Others take the words thus Thou over flowest them and they become as a dream All is to one effect both point out the marvellous frail estate of man that as a Dream doth vanish away presently Even so man is gone in the twinkling of an eye and in the turning of a hand To day a man to morrow none But even a piece of Clay to day living dust to morrow dying dust Which should teach us the same lesson never to be unprepared Use but alwaies in a readinesse lest dying in our sins we perish eternally But we passe that and come to the third similitude In the morning they are as grasse which groweth up Text. in the morning it flourisheth and groweth up in the evening it is cut down and withereth IN this last similitude the Prophet compares Man to Grasse that as Grasse hath a time of growing and a time of withering even so man is like unto Grasse for he hath also a time of growing and a time of withering In the morning they are as grasse which groweth up In which words Moses compares the former part of mans life which is the space of thirty three yeeres to the time of growing of Grasse and that is accounted the time of the perfection of mans strength and age at which age according to the course of Nature Man flourisheth as Grasse doth that is the time of a mans prime and flourishing estate But in the Evening That is when the Grasse is ripe and ready to be cut down It withereth Even so Man being once at his strength and ripest age doth not stand at a stay nor continueth long so but presently begins to decay and to wither away till old age come and he is cut down by the Syth of death Now in that Moses useth so many similitudes and all to shew how frail this life of man is we are taught That the frailty vanity Doct. 4 and shortnesse of mans life is such The life of man so frail as no exam ples can expresse as examples will scarcely shew it Death comes as a Flood violently and suddainly we are as a Sleep we are as Grasse our life is like a Dream we spend our daies as a Tale that is told verse 9 All these similitudes Moses hath in this Psalm as if he wanted words and examples how to expresse the vanity frailty and shortnesse thereof The similitudes used in the Scriptures to expresse the frailty vanity and brevity of mans life are very many and very significant When Pharaoh asked old Jacob of his age he answereth him thus Gen. Few and evill have the daies of my pilgrimage been Now a pilgrimage is not long in travelling till we come to our journeys end It is compared to the daies of an Hireling Iob 7.1 Are not my daies saith Job as the daies of an hireling which commonly are but few and withall full of labour Iob 20.8 To a Dream He shall flie away as a dream and shall not bfound he shall be chased away as a vision in the night Iob 8.9 But as Yesterday to a Post Iob 8.26 My daies saith Job are swifter then a Post they flie away they see no good They are passed away saith he as the swift Ships as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey David compares our life to a Shadow 1 Chr. 29.15 Our daies on earth are as a Shadow and there is no abiding A shadow we know hath no substance in it and is of no long continuance It is compared to a Vapeur Iam. 4.14 Iob 7.6 to a Cloud sudenly scattered by the winde And in a word to shut up all and in it to include all Ps 62.2 our life is called vanity The children of men are vanity lay them in a ballance they are lighter then vanity it selfe And besides this that our life is so frail short and vain this very short time that we continue here is subject to diversity of changes and alterations of estates as prosperity at some times so adversity at other times as health now so sicknesse then sometimes ease sometimes pain sometimes we are full at another time we want We have but one way to come into the world we have many waies to go out sometimes by a violent death and by such ficknesses and diseases many times as are loathsome both to the Eyes to behold and the Nostrills to smell and when breath is once departed so loathsome are these Carcases of ours that we dispatch them presently to the Grave out of sight as Abraham did the body of Sarah his Wife whom living he loved most dearly The Prophet Esay hath an excellent expression to this purpose to shew the frailty and vanity of man Es 40.6 The voice said Cry and he said What shall I cry All flesh is grasse and the glory thereof as the flower of the field the grasse withereth and the flower falleth away Surely the people is grasse Where the Prophet shewes that all those excellencies wherein we glory so much as Beautie Riches Honour Strength Carnall pleasures c. these are all but as the flowers of grasse which suddenly decay wither and fall away What is Beauty Beautic but as one of these flowers of the field how suddainly is it nipt and gone blasted on a suddain a daies sicknesse much abates it a weekes sicknesse doth quite deface it at least wise Time that rust of all things steals it quite away and so this flower is gone Honour Honour another flower of this field how many wormes lie at the root of it and how many East winds often blow it upon that causeth it to wither as Jona's Gourd How is the Crown withered this day and how many Noble Houses are tumbled down The envy of the ambitious are still undermining it Besides the danger that Envy and Malice exposeth Honour daily unto that this flower often fadeth Riches Riches another flower of this fleld How often do riches change their Masters He that at one time abounded at another time wanteth Lands and Possessions this year in the possession of one the next year in the possession of another Riches require pains to get them care to keep them and have their vexation to part with them They are of a flowing nature like water they have their wings and many times of a suddain flie away Physick Law-Suits Fire Water and the like are the moths that still consume them This flower fadeth away What shall we say to strength which is another flower of this field Strength How suddenly doth this flower fall away How short a time doth this remaine and abide with us the Agilitie and activitie of mans body is not to be gloried in that lasts so short a time A fewe fits of an Ague Fever or other disease
abates it suddenly and brings it downe that it is turned to weaknesse And therefore sayth the Lord Ier. 9.23 let not the strong man reioyce in his strength As Elihu said unto Job Iob 36.19 The Lord regardeth not them that excell in strength The strength of the strongest by sicknesse is weakened assoone many times as it comes it takes its leave and is gone this flower fadeth And lastly pleasures Pleasures these are one of the goodly flowers of mans life He that gave way to his owne heart and drunk his fill of all earthly Contentments and delights gives in his verdict that all was vanity and vexation of Spirit they vanish in the use The injoying of one pleasure is but a lusting after another and he that enjoyeth most hath no satietie in them How suddenly doth the pleasure of Eating and Drinking vanish away The pleasures of sports pastimes they end in a moment Musique is past and gone in the very hearing the most delectable playes and shewes that most affect us are gone in a moment So that of all earthly Comforts and Contentments this may be said and concluded of them all they are but as grasse or at the best but as the flower of the field that quickly fadeth and falleth away And the Reasons are In Regard of the uncertaintie of our lives that now possesse them Reas 1 we cannot long continue with them though they might somtime Continue with us we have bodies that have in them the Seeds of sicknesse Diseases and Death it selfe we are but as grasse and all our earthly comforts but as the flower of the field which quickly vanish and fade away As we our selves art but as grasse Reas 2 So all our glory and pompe and earthly felicities which men doe so much doat upon are but as the flower of the field of a withering and fading Nature There is nothing here belowe that is not subiect to mutabilitie and change Yea the very Heavens themselves are not freed from Alterations the Sun and the Moon have their eclipses kingdoms and states have their wanes The Crowne lasts not from generation to generation no man is to day that he was yesterday Our Bodies and our estates do daily shewe that we are but as grasse And all our glory and excellencies but as the flower of the field Seing then that the life of man is so fraile as no example can expresse it Use 1 O let us then see what a momentany interest we have both in our selves and in what we possesse All flesh is grasse that is our condition And the glory of man that is all his outward excellencies But as the flower of the field that is their condition why then should we set our affections on the earth or on any thing that is here belowe since our life is so momentany and the things of this life so transitory We should rather take out the lesson of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.31 to use the world as though we used it not to buy as though we possessed not because the fashion of the World passeth away It was the great Comendation of those primitive Christians that they lived here Heb. 11. but as pilgrims and strangers and sought a Citty having a foundation whose maker and builder was God It shall be our wisdom to looke out for a more sure 1 Pet. 1.3 and certaine estate and such as shall never decay nor change even that kingdom that is immortall fadeth not away God never gave us these earthly Cottages to that end our harts should be so taken up with them So as to neglect our seeking after a more durable inheritance What wise traveller will loyter and sit still in his way because he is in a faire Inn or take any great Contentment while he staies Since his stay is but short for a night and the next day he must leave all and come to a reckoning for that short time Here is our case we are in ourjourny the world is our Inn we have but a short time to stay in it away we must we know not how soone and we must be called to a reckoning for the time of our being here Secondly seeing our life is so short Use 2 so vain and so transitory as examples will scarce shew it compared to a day that is past to a Flood to Sleep to Grasse which suddainly growes up and as suddenly is cut down to a Flower of the field to a Tale that is told yea to vanity it selfe O then how doth it concern every one of us as we tender the everlasting welfare of our souls to provide for eternity and that life that shall never give place to death Let us consider that as our life is short so it is uncertain What assurance have we when we arise in the morning that we shall live till night or when we go to bed that we shall rise again Stewards we are here on earth and we do not know how soon our great Master will call us to an account we should lay up to provide for a certain estate that shall not fade nor decay We know what hapened to that rich man Luk. 12.19 20. that said to his soul Soul eat drink c. even the same night God said unto him Thou fool this night shall they take thy soul from thee This day is ours wherein the Lord calls upon us to convert repent and turn unto him Now he knocks and cries and calls how do we know whether he will ever knock more cry or call any more But that it may be our case Heb. 12. that was the case of Esau who found no place for repentance though he sought it with tears And lastly seeing Beauty Use 3 Honour Strength Pleasures and all other endowments of Nature are but as Grasse and as the Flower of the field we should esteem of them as they are but as Nosegaies for the present use as we do our flowers A Nosegay cannot long continue it will quickly fade and then we cast them away And so far as they may fit us for Gods service so to use them and not to make too high account of them Ver. 7. For we are consumed by thy anger and by thy wrath are we troubled MOSES the man of God having before shewed the common frailty of mankinde in generall that the Lord can and many times doth take them away suddenly as a Flood that they are as a Sleep and as Grasse that is suddenly cut down and withered This being the estate and condition of mankinde in generall In this verse he comes to applie this unto themselves and shewes that by reason of their sins they were in a far worse case and condition then other Men and other Nations and People for their life was not only short but they were hastily consumed by the Plague and Pestilence and other judgments of God upon them for their sins And in the next verse Moses proceeds to
a loving Husband his Wife So if thou be a true servant of God thou maist assure thy selfe that God will let his worke appear to protect and defend thee And this lets us see the happy priviledge of the faithfull above all wicked and ungodly men Vse 2 whereas the wicked lye open to all miseries and dangers have no rock of defence to fly unto for shelter the faithfull have a sure rock of defence to flye unto in time of need Hath God made this known to thy Soul that thou art one that God hath taken into covenant with himselfe O happy and blessed for ever is thy condition Psal 144 15. Happy be the people that be in such a case Blessed be those folke that have the Lord for their God others may bee more rich in regard of these outward things but none more happy The prophet concludes the happiness of such when he sayth Ps 84.11 The Lord is a Sun and a shield the Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that are upright 1. He will be a Sun to them that is as the Sun gives light and comfort so will God be all in all unto them 2. He will be a shield unto them nothing shall hurt them that are in covenant with him 3. He will give grace more to them then to all the world besides which is more worth then kingdomes 4. Glory I am thine sayth David O save me When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory 5. And lastly No good thing will he with-hold if he give the greater he will not deny the lesser If riches be good they shall have it If credit be good they shall have it if health peace prosperity c. if the Lord see them good for them they shall not want them But if afflictions povertie sicknesse c. be best they shall have them too See there what a portion they shall have that have the Lord for their God that are his servants and are in covenant with him All those gratious promises that God hath made in his word belong to thee And I tell thee that one promise is more worth then all thou hast in the world besides and will last longer and do thee more good yea more thou hast now to leave to thy posterity a promise that God will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee which is more worth then all the portion thou canst leave them Let thy works be seene q. d. O Lord let all the world see and know that thou art a mercifull deliverer of thy people that thou art their mighty Protector so that it seemes they speake of some singular work and protection of God of his Church and people Hence we learne That of all the workes of God Doct. 3 there is none more excellent then this No work more excellent then Gods protecting his Church viz. the protection of his church people for this in a way of excellency is called the peculiar worke of God It is true indeed when the Lord doth punish the stubbornnesse and rebellion of his people their infidelity murmurings and unthank fullnesse c. then appears the power of God the truth Justice of God But in nothing more doth the Lord shew his power then in protecting of his Church and people against the face of their cruell and bloody enemies And this Moses here shews when he calls this in a way of excellency The worke of God Let thy worke in protecting and delivering us thy Church and people Appeare wherein Moses doth prefer this worke of God in taking care of his Church in protecting defending and delivering of it to all other the works of God whereby he makes his power knowne then by any other token of his besides As we may see in Pharaoh when did the Lord ever get himselfe a greater name then in delivering his people out of Egypt and over his armies at the red Sea Exod. 1. Come let us work wisely saith Pharaoh but the Lord let him see that there is neither wisdome nor counsell against him but the more he sought to suppresse the Church the more it multiplyed and increased Hamans plot against the Church was very dangerous and damnable Hest 3.7.9 but the plot that he contrived the Lord disappointed and himselfe fell into that pit that he had digged for others Zac. 12.3 The Church of God is such a heavy stone that never any lifted at it but was crushed in peeces So that of the Church the Lord speaketh thus Esa 59.16 I wondred that there was no intercessor therefore his arme brought Salvation unto him and his righteousnesse it sustained him What though the Church of God be but as a garden in comparison of the rest of the world yet it is a well fenced garden and though the godly in themselves are but few weake simple and so more shiftlesse then others yet they are strangely kept 2 Reg. 6.10 and strongly preserved and have more with them then those that are against them Not that the Church and people of God are free from perils and dangers It is enough that they are preserved in them and at last shal be delivered from them as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.8 We are afflicted on every side yet are we not in distresse in poverty but not overcome persecuted but not forsaken c. Now that of all the workes of God there is none more excellent then the protection of his Church these Reasons further shew First Reas 1 because this shewes that God is still present with his Church and is ready to succour them in time of danger Gather together on heapes ye people and ye shall be broken in peeces Zeph. 3.14 The reason is there given for God is with us and againe rejoyce O Daughter of Sion be joyfull O Israel for the Lord thy God is in the middest of thee The Lord indeed is present every where but in a speciall manner he is present in his Church He walketh in the middest of the seaven golden Candlesticks that is the Churches Secondly Reas 2 in regard his Church and people are most deare unto him He loveth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob. Ps 87.2 Es 43.4 And Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honorable aod I have loved thee And hence is it that the Church is called Esay 49 22. The beautie of the whole earth The fairest amongst women c. Cant. 14.13 All shewing the high esteeme that God hath of his Church and people Thirdly Rea. 3 the Lord is pleased thus to work for his Churches safety protection and deliverance for his owne glory that his power might and stretched out arme might appeare As the Lord said to Gideon Iudg. 7.2 the people that are with thee are too many for me to give the
so much as a star in comparison of the Sun in respect of him And in those spirituall indowments of the soul and sanctified graces of his spirit humility meekness faith patience love feare of God c. If thou wantest this inward and spirituall beauty though thou wert as faire as Absalom or the fairest woman in the world alas thou art but a deformed and filthy creature in the sight of God It is the white rayment of Jesus Christ that thou must be cloathed withall that thy filthy nakednesse do not appeare Revel 3.18 That must make thee truly beautifull in his sight Seeing the Church is thus deformed Vse 3 till the Lord set his owne beauty The beauty of the Lord upon it Then when the beauty of the Church is observed as at this day by sects and heresies and for want of order and discipline which is the greatest blemish to a Church Then it is time high time and more then time to beg hard at the Throne of grace that the beauty of the Lord may be upon his Church that the Lord would take from us that shame and reproach that at this day we lie under Eze. 36.26 amongst other reformed Churches That the Lord would be pleased to adorne Sion and deck his Church with her perfect beauty That the Lord would take away his Churches mourning-weed and put upon her her beautifull attire fit for the Spouse of Christ that all Heresies at last may be abandoned the Gospâ—ll truly preached the Sacraments duly administred and Discipline executed herein stands the beauty of a Church which beauty of the Lord Lord let it be upon us Stablish thou the work of our hands upon us HEre we have the second thing they crave at Gods hand That as before they desired his glory in the first place so now they pray that the Lord would so order direct guide and prosper them in their worke and enterperize that they had in hand that all might be for his glory Hence we learne that nothing that men take in hand can prosper Doct. 2 Nothing can prosper without Gods blessing Ps 127. and come to good effect unlesse the Lord give a blessing to it and prosper the same Except the Lord build the House they labour but in vaine that build it Except the Lord keepe the Citty the watchman waketh but in vaine It is vaine to rise up early to sit up late to eate the Bread of sorrowes for so he giveth his beloved sleepe wherein the Prophet sheweth that whatsoever is attempted or taken in hand either in family or Citty either for the good of one or another cannot be succeâ—sfull without the blessing of God When Nehemiah and the Jewes were about to reedifie the wals of Jerusalem how were the people disheartned discouraged by Sanbâ—â—â—â—d and Tâ—bâ—ah Neh. 6.16 yet because the worke was of God the Text saith Pro. 10.22 That the enemies of Gods people were afraid and their courage failed them for they knew that the work was wrought by God The blessing of the Lord saith Solomon maketh us rich And where this blessing of God is wanting men put their money in a broken bag as the Prophet hath it Ye have sowen much and bring in little ye eate and have not enough ye drink and are not filled you cloath you and are not warme and he that earneth wages putteth it into a broken bag Meaning indeed that there can be no successe in any of our labours or indevours that we take in hand without Gods blessing And hence it is that the servants of God in all their enterprises that they have taken in hand especially such as have been of weight and importance have ever first had recourse to God for a blessing Abrahams servants being sent to provide a wife for his Masters Son Gen. 24.12 begins first with prayer to God O Lord God say he of my Master Abraham I pray thee send me good speed this day and shew kindnesse unto my Master Abraham Thus good Nehemiah when he heard of the desolation of Jerusalem and intending to beg help of the king his master Neh. 1.11 he betakes himself to prayer and desires the Lord to prosper him therein and to give him favour in his sight Thus Paul before he went to Sea and undertooke his voyage he kneeles down upon the shore and calls upon God so that if we desire to have the worke of our hands to prosper and to see a blessing upon our labours trades and occupations O then begin with prayer to God without whose blessing we cannot prosper See the reasons First in regard of that propriety that God hath in all his creatures Reas 1 The Gold is mine c. sayth God Hag. 1.9 Psal 50. And the Beasts upon a thousand Hills are mine He is the soveraigne Lord of all things and it is he that gives them to the children of men to some more to some less And to him they must one day be accomptable for their receipts and expences He onely is wise Reas 2 with him is wisedome and strength Iob 12.13 Counsell and understanding He knowes best when where and how to bestow his help and blessing and therefore our dependency must be upon him And lastly Reas 3 because without his blessing even that which we have and enjoy can doe us no good Psal 78. 2 Reg. 7. VVhilest the meate was in their mouthes the wrath of God fell upon them And the prince of Samaria saw the plenty that was prophecied of but did not taste of it For men to eate and drink and rejoyce in their labours sayth Solomon I find that this is the gife of God So that in the getting and inioying of all earthly comforts God is to be sought unto for his blessing without whom no creature can doe us good This shewes the wickednesse madnesse and folly Vse 1 of many wicked and ungodly men that seeke so earnestly to increase their Substance by unlawfull meanes as by lying Stealing oppression usury by deceite false measure c. Here is their misery they cannot seek to God by prayer for a blessing upon such gettings but may rather looke for a curse upon their substance and many times God doth visit the sins of the Father upon their children that such goods doth seldome prosper but carry the curse of God along with them Bâ—sides here is the misery of such wicked men they cannot thank God for their riches What thank God for thy substance thou hast gotten wickedly and deceifully what is this but to make God a partner in thy sin Now God is not the author of sin nor partner with any in sin but his curse rather shall pursue such to destruction Seeing that nothing we take in hand can prosper Vse 2 without Gods blessing this may mind us of our duty continually to seeke unto him for his blessing that he would direct us and blesse our labours and indevours or else be our