excited to seeke for heavenly blessings and spirituall graces VERSE II. When shall I come and appeare before God IT was Davids resolution One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seeke after Psal 27.4 that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life Here you see the performance thereof He doth not grieve for the losse of any outward benefit nor so much as mention his former estate but onely desireth to appeare before God whereby he hoped to obtaine that for which his soule thirsted It is true that God seeth us in all places Whither can I goe from thy face O Lord or whither can I flee from thy presence But his favour and loving countenance is chiefly revealed in the assembly of the Saints Cant. 6.2 My beloved is gone downe into his garden to the beds of spices God is present in the congregation where the prayers praises of his children are offered up as sweet odours before him In it selfe the presence of God may seeme a cause of horrour and feare to us sinners who are as stubble be him a consuming fire Wee know that the Israelites were afraid to come nigh Moses Exod. 34.30 unto whom the Lord had appeared Naturally we are ready to hide our selves from the presence of the Lord God â—en 3.8 But in Christ we have confidence and free accesse and having found him a loving Father we for ever pray Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us Psal 4 which wee desire above any good above all the good in the world The father in the parable said Luk. 15.31 Sonne thou art ever with mee and all that I have is thine So we by presenting our selves before the Lord come to be made partakers of all his blessings Thereby wee are gathered under his wings of providence and mercy Mat. 13.48 Thereby wee are within the compasse of the net and shall be taken with the good Thereby wee have communion with God and his Angels and one with another Then let us come and appeare before God The children of this world are wise in their generation If they have hope of benefite or advancement from any superior how diligent will they be in their attendance Oâ—arem ut oâ—â—endas me 〈◊〉 esse hominâ—â— non ingâ—atum Poâ—â—â— an Nâ—â— indignus quâ—m tu alâ—qâ—â—ndo respicâ—â— How desirous to bee ever in view How politicke in that which they give chusing some Present of use and remembrance Happy were we if wee were thus provident for our soules Then would we set our selves before the Sunne of Righteousnesse the light whereof would be sweet and pleasant unto our eyes Our darke understandings should be illuminated and we made glorious within But if wee neglect such precious means of salvation our danger is greater than that of Queene Esther Esther 4. shee feared to perish by a temporall death because shee went unto the King not being called We may feare to perish both body soule unlesse wee doe come unto the great King who hath so often called us who hath held out the golden scepter of his word unto us Absalom having lived two yeares in Ierusalem and not seene the King shewed the dutifull affection of a good sonne in this particular 2. Sam. 14.32 that hee had rather bee put to death if there were any iniquity in him than to bee any longer deprived of the sight of his father By which example wee may learne to value this royall priviledge that wee have in appearing before God And to count it more deare unto us than life it selfe And yet most men do not value this singular prerogative that God hath given them even the whole world abideth in this sinne There was a day Iob. 1. when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord but the sonnes of men care not for the seaventh day nor any other day wherein to present themselves before him Some there are that be worse than the three guests invited to the marriage Luk 14.18 for they pretended that they could not come these absolutely deny and say they will not come and before that they will come they will pay the earnest peny here and reserve the greatest payment untill the last For with what comfort can they expect to appeare before God in that great day who never cared to appear before him in their life yea rather than they would then appeare they wil call to the hils to cover them There be others that are so encumbred with the affaires of this life that they little thinke of appearing before God untill that hee doth punish them for that neglect As the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ by instruction Gal. 3.24 so the judgements due by the Law for our sinnes have beene as our Schoolemaster to bring us unto Christ by correction When wee have beene as wanton children addicted unto play and omitting that which wee ought most seriously to intend the Lord hath dealt with us as hee did by Lot and his wife being mercifull unto them Gen. 19.16 while they lingred and were backward in departing from Sodom God sent his Angels which layd hold on them and brought them forth While wee have beene unwilling to forsake our sinnes and ascend up into the holy mountaine God hath sent his Angels with their swords drawne some great plague which hath cut off many thousands in the way that could not then come and appeare before God and hath scourged others into the TeÌ„ple which before were carelesse in that duty though formerly wee would not say with Samuel Speake Lord for thy servant heareth then wee have beene enforced to say Heare Lord for thy servant speaketh Being poore wee have spoken supplications wee have humbled our soules in fasting and mourning and the Lord in wrath hath remembred his wonted mercies Some there bee that come abruptly without due preparation as if they were brought thither unawares by some greaâ— strong wind 1. King 19 â— but the Lord was not in that winde They looke for the same immediate and miraculous assistance of Gods spirit which the Apostles had who tooke no thought what to speake Mat. 10.19 for it was given them in the same houre So they take no thought what they heare nor how they heare thinking it shall bee given them in the same houre Their customary performance in the first entrance I cannot relate without indignation how rude and insufficient it is doth appeare unto all men Will God regard that prayer which thou thy selfe dost so little regard Whereas thy Soliloquie then though performed with the best reverence should be but as the Amen to thy private devotions that went before judge in your selves is it comely so to doe Holy David who so earnestly desired to appeare before God when hee had that liberty granted unto him did hee rashly and unadvisedly thrust himselfe into
bodily disease looked daily when his panting should have an end and would often say Quousque DomineÌ„ How long O Lord And some space before his death which was just in the same moment when the sunne did set his prayers were nothing else but an expression of his souls panting after the Lord. The death of Coma was thought to be very rare Intra pectâ—s incâ—usa aâ— mafiâ—â—m sâ— repeâ—â— c. Val. Maâ— lib 9. cap. 13. who dyed by his violent retaining holding in of his breath But now there is nothing more frequent than this kinde of death though not of the body yet of the soule in those men which doe never pant after the Lord. Wee thinke it bee the signe of a dying man when his breath growes cold And our coldnesse in seeking after the Lord doth discover that the soule doth languish and is voyd of the life of grace For if our soules were inflamed with zeale the Kingdome of heaven should suffer violence Mat. 11.12 and bee taken by force VERSE II. My soule thirsteth for God for the living God When shall I come and appeare before God IN that expression which David used of panting after the Lord wee may well observe that it was not a weake and faint desire but most strong and forcible Now that wee not thinke it to bee too violent to endure and to passe away as a sodain flame in his outward speech rather than to burn constantly in the holy disposition of his heart it pleaseth God to perfect his owne good work and to give him this heavenly thirst And nothing is more frequent than for these two Aeris alternos angustat pulmo meatus Rescâ—soque nocent suspiria dura palato Lâ—â—an Oraque retro sorbet anhela sitis Statius Panting and Thirst to accompany each other If we take them as perturbations of the body that may be said of them which is spoken of worldly sorrow that they drye the bones and cause death But as in this place being rich endowments of the soule they bring life and peace and joy By those the outward man doth perish by these the inward man is renewed daily There is a thirst which beginneth when we hang upon our Mothers breasts and continues in the strength and vigour of our lives and doth not leave us in the time of old age but even to the very end we hold a just proportion with this last age of the dying world Nec sitis est extincta prius quam vita bibendo Ovid in desiring wine and strong drinke that thereby our vitall heat and radicall moisture may be preserved So that through abuse this vice of intemperate drinking seemeth to have a speciall right in these dayes wherein wee live The uncleane drunkard thinketh there is no other thirst but onely that with which hee is possessed nor any better meanes whereby to obtaine health unto himselfe or to confer it upon others than by profound drinking whereunto he addresseth himselfe as if hee were to encounter with his greatest enemy Persae potum tanquam adversarium aggredâ—entes Aelian and doth more than fill himselfe with strong drinke inflaming wines and hot waters and though improperly drinking more than these only to kindle a desire of drinking more Vt Anglorum corpora in Barbarorum naturam degenerasse videntur Camden in Elizab. I affect antiquity herein and will not name that which I finde was never anciently named Hereby doth hee deprive himselfe of his reasonable soule and becomes voyd of sense and worse than the bruite beasts having no life left but onely that of the plants not being able to move and helpe himselfe And which I cannot mention without horrour how many are pierced with the dart of death as with the javelin of Phinehas in the act of wickednesse Iudg. 4.21 whose end is like unto that of Sisera after he had drunke at the same time to bee smitten in the head and deprived of life And whereas the death of a good man is called a sleepe the death of the drunkard is contrary whose senses being bound in the time of his life that hee could not use them by death hee is awakened Then doth hee see his estate to be miserable by the paines of losse and sense where againe hee thirsteth and cannot obtaine one drop of water to coole his tongue But why doe I speake to him who is not capable to heare whose case is most fearfull For whereas other sinners may bee convinced by reason he by the wilfull losse of understanding hath made himselfe a foole and is in danger of hell fire The contentious man thirsteth after the waters of Meribah and the cruell man for they must bee joyned thirsteth after bloud M. Anten vino gravis sitiebat tamen sanguinem Senec. Cyri caput in Val. Max. wherein is the life Nothing can satisfie him but the fall of his enemy But the bloudy minded man shall not live out halfe his dayes for though the divine vengeance should not overtake him as for the most part it doth with rancor and malice hee consumes himselfe and drinkes his owne bloud whose estate is worse than a Serpents for hee beareth about him such a poyson as doth destroy his owne life The covetous man is thirsty as the horse-leach Pro. 30 15. crying Give Give The adulterer refusing to drinke waters out of his owne cisterne desireth to drink stolne waters 9.17 which hee thinketh to bee sweet And the adulteresse thirsteth for that bitter water which causeth the thigh to rot a common judgement of these times Num 12.18.21 The swearer is so thirsty that he cannot speake without an oath in his mouth whose cursing shall come like water into his bowels Psal 109.18 and like oyle into his bones In a word every sinner thirsteth for the water of Marah which will be as gall in the belly and bitternesse in the later end Of all which I may speake as Samuel of the sons of Iesse The Lord hath not chosen these to obtaine a crowne of life But this holy thirst of the soule for God for the living God And whom should the soule thirst after but God alone For with thee is the Fountaine of life Psal 36.8.9 thou dost make me drinke of the river of thy pleasures 23.5 My cup runneth over 63.5 My soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse 65.9 Our gracious God doth visit the earth 104.11 and watereth the ridges thereof abundantly and giveth drinke to every beast of the field Doth God take care for oxen 1. Cor. 9 9. then much more for man 1. Tim. 5.23 to whom hee giveth liberty to use a little wine which makes glad the heart But most of all for the soule of man and therefore he calleth Ho Isai 55.1 every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and Iohn 4.14 whosoever drinketh of this water that
my selfe by giving an answer to Davids demand before I come to the question which is VERSE V. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou dâ—squieted in me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance VVHerein hee makes further declaration of his sorrowfull and perplexed estate that his soule in this time of trouble did pant and thirst and was powred out and cast downe and disquieted not finding release from misery nor evasion out of these calamities Now if the light that is in thee be darknesse Mat. 6.23 how great is that darknesse and if the soule that is in thee be sorrowfull how great is that sorrow Pro. 12.25 When heavinesse in the heart of man maketh it stoupe yea to be cast down as Davids was And yet there is great cause that the soule bee lifted up with joy and not dejected with griefe if wee consider the originall of it Igneus est illis vigor coelestis origo Virgil. that it proceedeth from God himselfe Gen. 1.27 2.7 Psal 8.5 Mortalibus alti quantum coelicolae tantundem animalibus isti praecellunt cunctis Silius Eccles 3.21 12.7 who created us after his own image breathing into us the breath of life whereby wee became living soules So that wee who were made but a little lower than the Angels were made much higher than all other creatures For when the spirit of the beast goeth downeward to the earth our spirit shall returne to God that gave it Also there is cause of ioy unto the soule in regard of the body Deus dedit corpus animae ut illud in coelum eveneret Non dedita animam corpâ—ri ut c. God gave the body unto the soule that it might raise the body unto heaven Hee did not give the soule unto the body that it might presse the soule to the earth Admonet figura c. Boet Shall the body be erect towards heaven and the soule decline towards the earth Let us consider how helpfull the body is to the soule in the worship of God when our eyes wait upon him and our tongue is our glory to praise him and wee lift up pure hands and daily bow our knees before him when our feet doe carry us to his house and there wee prostrate our whole body in his presence Thus in our estate of grace there is an happy union and consent betweene them both But as Eve â—en 2.18 who was made a meete helpe proved a cause of the greatest woe and misery So the body which should assist the soule doth rebell against it and thereby becomes a great annoyance Like that kinde of torment when they did binde the dead and the living together Corpora ca daveribus ad versa adversis alligata Val. Max. So the soule that lives for ever and is willing to doe good is ioyned unto a body that is weake yea even dead to any holy duty And then the servant is upon an horse Ephes 2 5. Eccles 10 7. and the Prince doth walke as a servant upon the earth the hand-maide is advanced Eucherius ad Valeâ—ian and the mistresse brought downe to the foot-stoole The body doth bring the soule into captivity and make it of a king to become a servent Modo rex esâ— modo tyraâ—nus Sence oâ— else a tyrant Wherefore when wee finde a law in our members warring against the law of our minde wee must pray to be delivered froÌ„ this body of death Rom. 7. verse 23.24 It was observed that when the body sleepeth Anima dum corpori vires admâ—nistrat nequaquam vacat sibi c. Hippocrat the soule hath most liberty And wee know assuredly that when our bodies shall bee laid to sleepe in the grave our soules shall bee inlarged Terreno carcere resoluta caelum ibera petâ—â— Boet. and delivered from that earthly house wherein they were long pent and imprisoned Vt novus serpens pofitâ cum pelle senectâ c. Ovid. And as the serpent doth become young againe after it hath cast off the skinne so the soule shall bee clothed with maiesty and glory when this fraile body shall waxe old like a garment and bee folded up as a vesture untill the end of all things and then this vile body shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ and being reioyned unto the soule shall enter into the ioy of our Master If that father did so reioyce when he saw his sonne to be alive Gen. 46.30 whom hee thought to bee dead then how excellent shall our ioy bee when the body which was dead shall bee alive and they both being knit together shall live in blisse for evermore 29.20 Did those seven yeares seeme to bee but a few dayes 31.40 for the love that Iacob had to Rachel though hee suffered the drought in the day the frost by night and watched both day and night Then how wonderfull ought the love of the soule be to the body cheerfully serving the Lord patiently enduring all tryals and afflictions not being cast downe as if it were without hope but looking for the Saviour who shall unite both soule and body And wee shall be as the Angels of God in heaven Mat. 22.30 Let us now take notice of Davids examination of himselfe that wee thereby may learne to iudge ourselves and wee shall not bee iudged Formerly hee had with his whole heart sought unto the Lord to shew him the light of his countenance He had earnestly desired to appeare before God Hee had humbled himselfe in sorrow for his owne transgressions and the sins of other men Now God accepteth the will for the deed And they that mourne have a promise of comfort Mat. 6. Why then art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Psal 4.4 Also hee did commune with his owne heart and was no fugitive from it as many are who have greatest reason to bee sorrowfull and to feare lest their soules should bee cast downe lower than Davids was because they never looke home to examine and prove themselves and to know that Christ is in them 2. Cor. 13.5 except they bee reprobates But David did make diligent search in his owne heart Psal 77.6 and in all things desired the good and comfortable estate of it Then why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Remember the workes of old how graciously the Lord hath dealt with thee Say not within thy selfe that his mercy is clean gone for ever for thou dost stil enioy many blessings and his grace doth now keep thee from fainting Consider that in this chastisement the Lord dealeth with thee as with a childe and it is not his good pleasure that thou shouldest have sorrow upon sorrow but that this light affliction working for thy good may bring thee to an
causes doth the Hart desire the water But our reason to pant after the Lord the fountaine of life is much greater which doth not only cleanse us from the outward leprosie of the body as Iordane did Naaman healing all our diseases but from the inward leprosie of the soule purifying us from all our sinnes and corruptions Neither can wee pretend that this precious water is hidden and sealed up from us Veteres ad purificationâ—m non quavis aqua contentos sed vivam c. Tuâ—neb For this Fountaine is open for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in And the water thereof is stirred not by one alone but by many Angels And that not at certaine seasons onely Iohn 5.4 but as well out of season as in season That so not onely he that steppeth in first but how many so ever shall step in may be healed of whatsoever diseases they have Wee are often called upon by the preaching of the Word to wash and be cleane And the danger is great if wee neglect it Iohn 13. â— For unlesse wee bee thus washed we have no part with Christ Then let us cleanse not our feet and hands onely as in ancient times they did daily being made uncleane by labour nor as Peter addeth our feet Brachia crura quotidie abluebant Senec. our hands and head all which are ready instruments of unrighteousnesse therefore have great need to bee purged Isay 1.6.16 But seeing from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot there is no soundnesse in us let us wash the whole man and make us cleane not with the Pharisee the outside onely but as Christ came by water and by bloud so both the outward inward part must bee made cleane Nunquam difficilius obsequantes aegrotos habuêre olim medici quam c. Causabâ—n It was a great complaint of Physitians that they never found their Patients more opposite and impatient than when they did forbid them the use of baths so great was the delight and contentment that they received therby though pernicious unto them But here being a fountaine able to save us make us sound if we will come unto it and yet how few there bee that will make use thereof Are we not more strange and unwilling than ever that Leper was to obey the Prophet that badde him wash seven times Like those which wallowed in the burning sand Nâ—â—â— non tepiâ—â—is conâ—olâ—e 〈◊〉 corpus areuiâ— Sammoâ—â— c. Ensâ— lat 10. or walked naked in the sun to drye up the moysture of their bodies we had rather bee scorched and inflamed by the heare of our lusts than thus to bee cleansed from all sinne and pollution In the old Law a fountaine wherein there was plenty of water should coÌ„tinue clean though any uncleane thing did fall thereinto Levit. 1â— 36. Surely this Fountaine doth not onely continue holy and pure but will alsâ— make our sinfull soules to bâ—â— cleane if they be washed therein Then leade us O Lorâ— to this living fountaine and wash us throughly from our iniquities that wee may bee presented before thee without spot and blemish The resemblance which is here used is very fit in regard of that warre and hatred betweene the Hart and the Serpent Gen. 3. The first and greatest wound wee ever received was by the Serpent the poyson whereof doth still abide within us Since which time there hath beene and ever shall be enmity betweene us and the Serpent Satan himselfe And the seed of the Serpent both wicked men which are his spawne and our sinnes and vices which come from him and are as dangerous to the soule as the biting of Serpents was to the gainsaying Israelites Numb 21.6 bringing men to that fire which never can be quenched In this estate of our warfare we are to pant after the Lord and if our heele bee bruised as in the originall of the Gospel wee are forewarned to expect it If that wicked one doth touch us and wee bee hurt by the malice and subtilty of that old Serpent we are to crie unto the Lord to deliver us from this body of death Rom. 7. and if wee overcome we must give thankes unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. The reasons are divers why David or any faithfull man may be compared unto the Hart Gen. 1.30 This creature doth continue in the use of that meate which was given unto it in the beginning eating every greene herbe And a Christian hath the same heavenly food and nourishment for his soule which Adam had in the estate of innocencie it is his meate to doe the will of his heavenly Father and to contemplate his glorious workes Metusone congregaâ— Stat. Agmina cervi Pulverulenta fuga glomerant Virgil. The Harts keepe together in herds not alone like beasts that devoure the prey and are helpefull to one another in swimming Maria tranant capiâ—a imponentes precedentium clunibuâ— Plini So there is a communion betweene those that are godly who seeke not their owne good but the good of others bearing one anothers burthen and being spirituall they restore such as are overtaken in any fault The Hart hath alwayes beene the emblem of speed So a Christian doth make haste unto the Lord In volucri tonuis fictucia cursu Star and desireth to runne the race that hee may obtaine the price The Hart Cornibus armatur trepidandis quis tamen illum c. Natal Comes though hee be armed yet doth not use the same either for to harme other creatures or to defend himselfe So a Christian though he hath strength and power yet he had rather suffer than offer an injury and being smitten hee will not turne againe unlesse it bee in obedience as he is commanded that by patient enduring hee may heape coales upon his enemies head Nunquid oâ—â—s lupum perequitur The Hart is pursued and followed so a Christian is persecuted oppression is as the Genius of piety which ever attends upon it But our comfort is wee know the world hated Christ before it hated us and he was tempted that hee might succour us in all our temptations whereof this is none of the least There is no beast that hath more enemies than the Hart Sic Cerva leonem Ovid. Star Ceu tigride cerva Hâ—rcana cum pressa tremit Sil. Ital Cerva cruentis circumventa lupis Statius Livi l. 10. Omnium bestiarum inimâ—cisâ—imus homo Iul. Scal. in Arist For beside the Serpents the Lion the Tigre the Wolfe and Dogs and the like seeke to destroy it and a more cruell enemy than all these Man So a Christian hath many enemies that compasse him about and rise up against him And as the Hart is not killed like the sheepe that is led to the slaughter but there is much sport and pleasure in the death thereof So there is great delight and contentment to the wicked
thirst for the living God and shall thy soule thirst for many gods for dead gods for idols that are no Gods but the works of mens hands Shall he thirst for God who doth satisfie us with all good things and wilt thou desire that thirst whereby thou canst never be satisfied Abstemious men without question For when God hath commanded to keepe a feast they will keepe a fast When God hath given unto all the cup of blessing yet they will refuse it as counting themselves unworthy of so great salvation What can they merit by this their abstinence even to drink of that cup in the hand of the Lord Psal 75.8 which he powreth out for them If they shall plead that the use of the cup is freely given to some of them yet then there must bee a miracle in the change which among the Heathens themselves was thought to bee prodigious Insusum paterae Xerxis vinum in sanguinem conversum est Val. Max. But were not that woman drunken with bloud Revel 17 6. shee could not think that to be bloud which shee drinks 2. King 3. â—3 But now both shee and her followers by thinking that to bee bloud which is not as the Moabites did they run upon their own destruction Now if any shall object that David might well thirst after God who had dealt so bountifully with him who looked upon his poore estate and exalted him when hee was of low degree unto the highest dignity who gave him victory over all his enemies and made a way for him to escape out of the greatest dangers So that it had beene unthankefulnesse in him to have done otherwise As for themselves they desire first to compose their outward affairs settle their estates that they may not appeare to be worse than Infidels and then afterward to devote the remainder of their lives to the service of God Whereunto let mee answer That thy petition is the same with Balaams Let me dye the death of the righteous Thou art therefore unexcusable O man who in thy Testament dost in the first place commit thy soule to God and then dispose of thy estate But in the former part of thy life by a confusion without any good order thy chiefe care hath beene about thy worldly possessions and now in thine end it is not the love of God but the love of thy selfe that constraineth thee to take care of thy soule Whereas such as have alwayes used a cloke of covetousnesse a garment well knowne to Iudas but never worne by S. Paul how can they ever expect to put on the Lord Iesus 1. Thes 2.5 or to be clad with the rich robes of his righteousnesse No that thine unsatiable greedinesse will in the end bee as deadly uncomfortable unto thee as the Babylonish garment was unto Achan Iosh 7 11. And such as addict themselves to voluptuousnesse rejoycing in their youth Eccles 11 9. walking in the wayes of their owne heart and in the sight of their eies but intending to rejoyce in the Lord that their soules shall thirst for the living God in the time of age and trouble when they can find no rellish in vaine delights At last when God doth bring them to judgement can they expect to heare that comfortable saying Well done thou good and faithfull servant enter into thy Masters joy No Luke 16.25 they may feare to bee told that in their life time they received their good things but now there remaines no comfort for them Also such as are ambitious to make themselves a name laying a sure ground-worke as they thinke of honours and titles here upon earth intending with those foolish builders which had begun that they could not finish that the top of their tower should reach up to heaven hoping at last to obtaine a crowne of glory But that their Babel will prove their confusion Gen. 11. for they invert the order of Christ who hath commanded us in the first place to seeke the Kingdome of heaven And as in the creation Gen. 1.1 heaven is named before earth so our best endeavours should be to obtaine that estate of happines not casting our anchor of hope upon earth Heb. 6.19 but into heaven as David here did whose soule thirsted for the living God who did not then begin to serve God when he had received many outward blessings from him Such an objection came from Satan Iob 1. Doth Iob feare God for nought For who ever feared God for nought wee being lesse than the least of all his mercies De antiquâ—s illustrissimus quisque pastor erat Varrâ— But in his first estate in that most ancient kinde of life made famous by so many worthyes as Abel Iacob Moses and the like hee put his whole confidence in the Lord who delivered him out of the paw of the Lion 1 Sam. 17.37 and out of the the paw of the Beare which he remembred with thankesgiving 16.16 And having that leasure which shepheards have Pastor otiosâ—s Otium voluptatis ac lasciviae pater In Scal. he did not abuse it to wantonnesse and folly as they were wont for the most part to doe but being a cunning player on the Harp and a divine Poet Videtur autem modulatâ—o in pastroâ—â—b inventa prâ—mum Id. that art of poetry having its beginning from shepheards as the song of Moses doth testifie who formerly had led the flocke of Iethro Exod. 3.1 who at that time led the people like a flocke Hee composed most heavenly and melodious pastorals in praise of his Creator After that being lifted up by the right of the Almighty who loveth a cheerefull giver and not by his owne pride whereof hee was unjustly taxed by Eliab who foresaw that the elder must serve the younger he kept in tune still and did more excell the best of his nobles in gratitude and zeale than in regall dignity And here in his distresse a time of sufficient triall you see with what patience hee endured the cursing of Shimei and what confidence hee placed in God Hee doth not aske the life of his enemies you know the charge hee gave to the contrary and how hee was blamed for too much love of them 2. Sam. 1â— 6 Hee doth not aske long life that hee might bee restored unto his Kingdome and many yeares added unto his reigne But having a wise and understanding heart hee seeketh for God himselfe his soule thirsted for the living God hee knew if his prayer were acceptable God would give him more than hee asked as hee did afterward to Salomon 1. King 3. â—3 And if God gave himself he would give all things also Wherefore let us bee followers of him as hee was of God Phillip 3.8 And with S. Paul suffer the losse of all that wee may winne Christ It will be our best advantage and greatest gaine by any outward losse or imminent danger to be
and spirituall wickednesse in high places But then wee must take heed to observe the manner here prescribed which is to powre out the soule to confesse all our sinnes to purge out the old leaven Wee cannot thinke to possesse our vessels in holinesse 1. Thes 4.4 if wee suffer any dregs of uncleannesse to remaine in them And as the sent tast of the first liquor will continue a long time in a vessell after it be emptied Quo semel est imbuta â—â—cens servab â—odorem Testa diu So though wee have sincerely repented of all our sinnes yet that originall corruption remaining will make us cry unto the Lord to deliver us from this body of death But such as are indulgent to themselves may feare that their presumptuous sinnes will get the victory over them Wherefore as it is more commodious in the first making and digging of a garden to have it once well weeded when the bad roots may bee taken out than many times afterward So if thou wouldest bee like that paradise wherein God walked like that garden into which Christ delighted to come Cant. 5.1 6.2 then search every corner of thine heart in the time of humiliation that there may not be any roote bringing forth gall and wormewood Deut. 29.18 Wee know that the least childe remaining in the house doth hinder in giving state And how can God take possession of thy body to be his Temple when there is any sinne reigning therein If wee sinne we have an Advocate with the Father And as that client is like to speed ill in the triall who giveth advantage to his adversary in concealing the worst of his case from the Councell So hee shall bee confounded in the day of judgement that hath sought to hide his sinne For Satan thine accuser will discover that which thou didst hope should have beene for ever buried Then learne of Him that thus humbled himselfe to acknowledge all thy transgressions Hee is a foole in worldly affaires that powreth out all at once But it is heavenly wisedome in confession of sinne Pro. 29.11 to powre out all at once and not to keepe it in untill afterward David saith I powre out my soule in mee His prayer was sincere before God and it was inward and hidden from the world There was a time when hee cryed unto the Lord Psal 22.1.2 Why art thou so farre from the words of my roaring But now the greatnesse of his sorrow for his grievous sinnes and the calamities waiting upon them made him stand amazed as not being able to speak And doubtlesse there is great benefit in the use both of secret and open prayer As Paul became all things to all men that hee might winne some so wee may use every kinde that wee may receive a gracious answer Sometime to cry aloud lifting up both heart and voyce to shew our fervency and importunity and it shall bee opened unto us that knocke Sometime to shew our reverence by a still voyce that God may therein reveale himselfe unto us Sometime praying with the spirit and with understanding speaking in the heart onely not daring to use our tongues to call upon his name seeing wee have dishonoured him thereby Hâ—miles preces in excelsa porâ—â—gite Boet. And those our humble prayers will ascend into heaven Though wee shut both the doore of our closet and the doore of our lips when wee pray being wholly spirituall therein our Father seeth in secret and is well pleased with such a sacrifice If wee desire to make our tongue to be our glory therein yet the sound of our words may bee submissive and rather a gentle noyse than a voyce They that doe thus they speake softly Qui Deum precantes susurrant tacitè loquuntur atque intus clamant but inwardly they cry aloud Hannah when shee prayed did move her lips but her voyce was not heard yet shee found such comfort that her countenance was no more sad VERSE IIII. For I had gone with the multitude HIs present misery is increased by comparing the same with his former comfortable estate wherein hee served the Lord And the sorrow for the losse of his perfect freedome doth exceed the griefe of worldly men in their crosses as much as the gladnesse in his heart Psal 4. had formerly beene more than the joy which they received by the increase of corne and wine Outward benefits are deceitfull and vaine Riches and the like may betake themselves to their wings and fly away But heavenly blessings are unchangeable did not wee by our disobedience stop the course of Gods mercies and cause his judgements and curses to fall upon us Wherefore when our destruction doth come from our selves when by our rebellion wee shall pull downe Gods anger InfelicissimuÌ„ genus est infortunii fuisse felicem Boet. Then the remembrance of our former happinesse is the greatest aggravation of our present wretchednesse and woe Also we may observe that hee was not satisfied with that good which he had formerly done neither did hee rest contented therein But his chiefe desire was ever to continue in those holy exercises From whence wee receive this instruction that wee ought to forget those things which are behind Phil. 3.13 and reach forth unto those things which are before pressing toward the marke having set our hand to the plough not to looke backe nor to spare and favour our selves during the time of our pilgrimage Such as desire to worship the Lord unto the end of their lives and are constant unto death they shall receive a crowne of life and an everlasting inheritance But ungodly men that forsake their first love like those foolish Galatians bewitched by that evill spirit and with Demas doe embrace this present world 2. Tim. 4.10 they shall undergoe the fierce anger of the Almighty And as Iordan divided the tribes of Reuben and Gad from the rest of Israel who Num. 32. allured with the fertility of the countrey did set themselves downe and take up their habitation before they came to the land of promise So there shall be a great gulfe to separate the wicked who like sluggards fold their armes together as if they had wrought sufficiently from those that abide in the place of blessednesse Whereas hee speaketh of himselfe that hee had gone with the multitude it will not bee impertinent to consider his twofold regiment Over the Priests 1. Cron. 15. verse 17. Rex Anius â—ex idem homâ—num Pâ—aeb que sacerdos Vittis c. Virg. and the people For at this time when hee blessed the people hee had put on a linnen Ephod over his kingly robe Also his sonne Salomon succeeded him therein who was called the Preacher This was observed by many nations that their Kings were Priests Gen. 14.18 So Melchizedek was King of Salem and Priest of the most high God So was Numa the second King of the Romanes Livi. lib.
but hee went with the multitude VERSE IIII. I went with them to the house of God BEcause the greatest number doe goe in the broad way that leadeth to destruction Mat. 7.13 and wee are forbidden to follow a multitude to doe evill Exod. 23.2 therefore upon the first mention he presently addeth the place whither hee went with them which was to the house of God Hee was not occasioned thus to doe in imitation of others which did the like though it were to bee wished that wee had attained thus farre that wee would be followers together of him Psal 3.17 and marke those which walke after this ensample But as it is more blessed to give than to receive Act. 20 35. so it is a greater happinesse to give this good example unto others than to take it from them Thus David shined as a Light in the world Phil. 2.15 that the people being illuminated by this pillar of fire might come to the estate of blessednesse And thus wee Vt sidera contrarium mundo iter intendunt ita sapiens Senec. Et qui exemplo aliis esse debetis aliorum exemplo peccetis potius quam alii vestro recte sacitis Livi. lib. 3. if wee desire to shine as the stars whose motion is contrary to the world wee should labour to rectifie others rather than to bee depraved with their vices Though wee faile of this holy ambition or want meanes and ability to bee as Leaders in this noble army yet wee may bee drawne by the example of the multitude which for the most part use to bee very powerfull to joyne with the assembly in all heavenly duties And not to do like unto those which stand convicted because they will not goe with the flocke to heare the voyce of the shepheard Nor yet like those which discover their backwardnesse by comming after the multitude to the house of God Whereas it were more commendable to goe with them or before them Such may feare to receive a curse in the end for their negligent sloth Occupet extremum scabies Horat. rather than the blessing in the conclusion In Carvans which goe unto the Temple at Ierusalem Sandys the hindermost are exposed unto the greatest danger of the free-booters And in this passage to the house of God they that are last may soone bee surprised by the enemy and hindered in their dull proceeding Whereas if wee were indued with the Spirit like those Worthies which brake through the hoste of the Philistims 2. Sam. 23. to draw water wee would overcome all impediments that wee may obtaine the water of life And as the chaines did fall from the hands of Peter so we should cast off all incumbrances wherewith our feete are bound that wee may runne the wayes of thy commandements Yea then wee would thinke Gods house to be like Goshen inlightened by his gracious countenance And to be debarred from it more grievous than all the plagues and judgements of Egypt There the frogges came into the house and chamber of Pharaoh Exod. 8.3 And thou hast noysome lusts and uncleane thoughts in thine heart which should bee the throne of the great King They had thick darkenes which might bee felt 1â— 2â— so that no man rose from his place But thy grosse darkenesse which hath overspread the whole man is the more fearefull because thou hast no feeling thereof whereby thou dost continue in the estate of wrath as at the first There was the death of the first-borne in whom pâ—rents seem to live even when they are dead â—2 29. And thou destroyest thine owne soule which in the beginning did give life to thy body and by which the righteous shall live for ever in blisse happinesse And yet though Gods judgements be so great and terrible upon those that want or neglect this meanes of perfect freedome and the mercy and deliverance so rich and plenteous that is offered thereby how foolish and carelesse are most men in their contemptuons vilifiing and disdainfull reiecting of this blessed liberty Mention is made of one that was slaine by the people which trode upon him in the gate 2 King â— ver 17. when with greedy violence they strove for their bodily sustenance but there is no such violence offered in seeking for that heavenly food and yet we live not by bread but by the Word which is exhibited unto us in the house of God And in the time of famine of warre 1. King 8. ver 37 38. of pestilence and any other calamity wee finde release by the prayers and supplications which are offered up unto the Lord. Come then and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob He will teach us of his waies Isai 2.3 and wee shall walke in his paths One day in his courts is better than a thousand How glad was David when they said unto him Psal 84.10 122 1â— Let us goe into the house of the Lord As here he testifieth that when hee went into the house of God it was VERSE IIII. With the voyce of joy and praise AND now wee would thinke that the whole world should follow him Omnes cendunt ad gaudium Senec. for what man is there that doth not labour for ioy But as some have put out the element of fire affirming that there is no other but this grosse terrestriall fire which wee use So most men thinke there is no other ioy but this which they find in their sensuall delights True it is that there may bee a confused sound of ioy in earthly pleasures but the voyce of ioy is onely in heavenly things And as that excellent musick of the voyce is to bee preferred before the harmony of instruments without life whether pipe or harpe though they give a distinction in their sounds So this ioy doth farre transcend all those vaine and empty delights which wee finde here upon earth It is reported of some that they have beene able to containe their greatest ioy within themselves Metellus summum gaudium intrase cont insit Val. Max. that none could take notice thereof Nec sunt grata tibi gaudia siqua atent Martial but Davids ioy was so great that out of the abundance of his heart hee could not forbeare to speake with his mouth And ever since in our best mirth and reioycing wee seeke to imitate the voyce of David in singing of Psalmes Iam. 5.13 whereby wee endeavour to bee composed and prepared for that life when wee shall alwayes bee lauding the name of the Lord Psal 108.1 2â— And as David saith I my selfe will awake early I will sing and give praise even with my glory Soe we that are dead in Christ shall then rise first out of those beds where wee have slept and rested that wee may for ever sing praises unto the Lord. These two Ioy and Praise are so ioyned togethâ—r
everlasting weight of glory wherefore acknowledge this to bee thine infirmity rebuke and smite thy selfe saying Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in mee It must not bee denied that the soule is sometime disquieted when wee are not able to give any reason of it But then it behoveth us to make strict inquisition into our selves and to see if there bee any root of evill Iosh 7. like Achans wedge which is the cause of our trouble If there bee any Ionas lurking in the bottome which may be sufficient not only to cast downe the soule but also to cast away the soule by a tempest of Gods wrath When we find our selves to bee innocent from great offences and acquitted from regarding iniquity wee must with patience wait upon the Lord How unsearchable are his iudgements Rom. 11. verse 33.34 and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord Iob. 11. Loe hee goeth by me and I see him not Hee passeth on also but I perceive him not Behold hee taketh away Deut. 32.39 who can hinder him Hee woundeth and hee healeth hee bringeth low and hee lifteth up Shall wee receive good at the hand of the Lord Iob 2.10 and shall wee not receive evill Have wee learned to abound and be full of spirituall comfort Phil. 4.11 and have we not learned to suffer need and be abased in the sense of our wants and confession of our unworthinesse who are lesse than the least of all his mercies God will have us to see that wee are not able to merit any of his blessings which are wholly in his own disposing It is not in man that walketh Ier. 10 23. to direct his steps There may bee many devices in his heart neverthelesse the counsell of the Lord that shall stand Pro. 19.21 Also wee must know that wee are now in our passage through the vast wildernesse of this troublesome world unto the heavenly Canaan And we were of all men most miserable if our greatest comforts were not reserved for a better life God doth first cast us downe and then raise us up to a glorious estate Though wee walke in the midst of trouble hee will revive us Light is sowne for the righteous Psal 138.7 97.11 and gladnesse for the upright in heart That which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye first 1. Cor. 15. verse 36. So although wee seeme to be without the life of ioy yet we hope to reape everlasting consolation As sorrowfull wee alwayes reioyce 2. Cor. 6.10 There is an outward apparence of griefe There is an inward substance of true ioy But I may well desist from speaking of this sadnesse whereof wee can give no reason when there are so many causes of heavinesse whether we looke upon the sinnes of other men with charitable compassion or upon our own offences with sorrowfull compunction Psal 119.136 How did David lament for the transgressions of the people And may not we take up the complaint of the Prophet Isai 1.6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundnesse in it How great is the number of them that have sold themselves to worke wickednesse and never thinke of their redemption by Him who paid the ransome for us Quibus contra naturam corpus voluptati anima oneri fuit Salust whose bodies serve them for pleasure and their soules are as a burthen such a burthen as will bee greater than they can beare ready to sinke them to the pit of destruction Yet who doth repent of his wickednesse saying What have I done Every one turned to his course Ier. 8.6 as the horse rusheth into the battell Which of them doth search their heart by the light of the Word as with a candle and say as justly they may inverting these words of David Why art thou not cast down O my soule and why art thou not disquieted within mee Wherefore leaving them unto this examination let us reflect upon our selves and as the Circle Circulus fortitudinâ— atque capacitate caeteris figuris praecedit Clavius which doth returne upon it selfe is the strongest and most capacious figure and may bee resembled by the shape of a mans body Vmbilicum esse centrum c. Iul. Scal. So if wee doe returne unto our selves and search our owne hearts wee shall become more strong and capable of grace The opinion of Aristotle is to bee preferred before that of Plato The one held Visio fit recipiendo Arist Emittendo spiritum animalem Plato Keckerm that our sight was by receiving the image of the object into the eye The other by sending out those opticke rayes unto the object It will be our wisedome to keepe within our owne bounds and to looke into our selves rather than to exceed in curiosity to discover the blemishes of other men Like her whom they feigned to have used her sight onely when shee went abroad Lamia in vimineum cophinum oculos exemptiles inâ—iciâ—bat Erasmus but not when shee returned to her owne house Wee ought rather to look into our selves with David who seemeth here to strike his hand upon his breast saying Why art thou full of heavinesse O my soule God onely knoweth the hearts of all the children of men but by this private search 2. Chron. 6.38 1. King 8.38 every man may know the sore and the griefe and the plague of his owne heart and may find that his foule is cast downe when it is surcharged with thorny cares which choke the good seed O curvae in terris animae coelestâ—um inanes Persius and maketh him to become unfruitfull Can that souldier fight the good fight of faith who intangleth himselfe with the things of this life Habak 2.6 Woe to him that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay Such a man may in vaine beate the ayre but hee cannot runne with patience unto the race that is set before him Heb 12.1 unlesse hee doth cast aside every weight that may hinder him therein At the time of death wee see how dangerous and offensive it is by clamour to interrupt the soule in its departure from the body O that wee could as heedfully practise this during our whole life 1. Cor. 15.31 Every good man with Saint Paul doth dye daily being at all times ready to yeeld up his spirit How prudent should wee bee to avoyd all meanes of disturbance that our soule may not bee vexed and disquieted within us as it is oftentimes through distrust and infidelity when there is an inward combat betweene the flesh and the spirit the one lusting against the other Gal. 5.17 and being contrary the one to the other Gen. 25.22 like Iacob and Esau strugling in the wombe Whereas if Christ did dwell in our hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 wee should overcome the world and bee delivered from this vexation