with a speare purposing to haue nailed him to the wall suddenly which by Gods prouidence he auoided and after commanded Ionathan his sonne and other his seruants to murther him but God stirred vp the heart of Ionathan to affect Dauid so entirely that he reuealed vnto him his fathers malicious intention against the life of Dauid shewing thereby the wonderfull prouidence of God in preseruing his from most imminent dangers Dauid not yet secure for feare fled from Saul as not willing to tempt God by presuming vpon Gods deliuery and not to vse lawfull meanes to prouide for himselfe hid himselfe in the Mountaines where Saul his enemy with a great power pursued him suborning intelligencers to discouer Dauids abode wheresoeuer hee hid himselfe where may be noted the heat of the malice of an enemy and how ready some wicked wretches are to shew themselues officious to betray the innocent to please a Tyrant But note further the prouidence of God in finding secret vnexpected meanes to preserue the innocent for when Saul was in his most furious pursuit to kill Dauid his abode being discouered God found a meanes to put a Ring in Sauls nose in fauour of Dauid and for his owne glory inforcing him to retire from further following that innocent man and to hasten thâ— rescue and reléefe of his owne Territories which the Philistines had euen then by Gods prouidence inuaded and being sore beset with his enemies he desperatly fell on his own sword and died So it came to passe that when the wicked euen Dauids enemies and his foes came vpon him to eat vp his flesh namely to take away his lise they stumbled and fell God was euer with Dauid for Dauid alwaies depended on God which who so doth shall neuer stumble nor fall But euen his faith and integritie shall make his very enemâ—â—s to feare him As Saul feared Dauid because God was with him whose chiefe armour and weapons were his feare and trust in the name and assistance of Iehouah wherewith he fought diuers battels and slew with great slaughter many Philistines his enemies not onely before but after he was anointed King none preuailed against him but they that came vpon him stumbled and fell Séeing then that Faith and the feare of God and praier be approued of force so far to preuaile with God as to obtaine his helpe and defence against wicked enemies foes that when they assaile vs he causeth them to stumble and fall let vs imitate the faith and fight with that assurance that Dauid did for he is the same God still of the same power of the same prouidence and loue And we are not without like enemies as Dauid in his time had though without cause To relate all Dauids dangers troubles and deliueries battels and victories though profitable for our encouragement yet might séeme tedious not altogether impertinent because by them is the loue the power and prouidence of God séene in defending and reléeuing the faithfull and his iust iudgements against wicked enemies of their stumbling and fals Yet let his faâ—th and constancy moue all faithfull men to imitate his vertues not in that he was a King but in that hée was a godly King of whom God giues testimonie that hee was a man according to Gods owne heart not that he was so conformable by nature but so framed by the grace and good will of God For by nature he was no better in Gods acceptation than Saul who was also a King But God so seasoned Dauids heart of his owne frée mercy that he obeyed and conformed his actions according as God had wrought in his heart and left Saul to the corruption of his owne heart yet did not Dauid glory in any merit of his owne but gaue the praise to God saying Blessed is he whom thou choosest and causest to come vnto thee And againe The wicked are strangers from the wombe euen from the belly haue they erred Yet Saul after he was anointed King by Samuel was turned into another man and was numbred among the Prophets but no otherwise than Iudas among the Apostles God is the God of all that faithfully and constantly fly vnto him for succour For saluation belongeth vnto him alone not vnto the power of Kings bée they neuer so strong in multitudes of armed men with shipping or whatsoeuer military and warlike furniture but where Gods continuall blessing doth accompany a few they preuaile against many though sometimes God may suffer his owne dearest children to bée encountred and beaten by his owne and their enemies Especially when they presume to stand too much vpon their owne strength as vpon allies friends and multitudes preuailing with these God is not so glorified as when he by few ouercommeth a multitude As when Dauid by a few slew two and twentie thousand Aramites And Ioshua fiue combined Kings wherein yet he would not haue the whole victory to bée ascribed to Ioshuahs forces but was himselfe the principall in the ouerthrow not onely in aiding and directing Ioshuah but in powring downe haile-stones from heauen vpon his enemies wherby he slew more men than Ioshuahs Army did by the sword And sometimes hée taketh to himselfe the whole praise of the victory as when Senacherib came against good Hezekiah with a most inuincible supposed Army vnder the conduct of Tartan Rabsaris and Rabsakeh railing vpon and threatning Hezekiah and blaspheming God stiling himselfe the Great King of Ashur whom he thought God himselfe was not able to withstand flattering himselfe as proud Tyrants use to doe as wée haue seene that hée in despight of Hezekiahs God would depriue him of his Kingdome pretending that he came in the name of the Lord as some of late haue done Are wee come saith he or doe wee this without the Lord Whereat Hezekiah in déed according to humane frailtie was afraid But asking counsell of the Lord by faithfull praier the best refuge and defence in danger he became assured of Gods assistance and banisht feare And that night that God which that Tyrant blasphemed as not of power to resist him sent his destroying Angell and slew Senacheribs army one hundred foure score and fiue thousand men We may not forget our like deliueries fresh in our memories euen by the méere hand of God It is not superfluous to recount other famous Histories recorded in the Booke of God which for further confirmation of our Faith in God in like danger are plentifull Benadab that mightie King of Aram threatned Ahab King of Israel to depriue him not onely of his Kingdome but of all that hée had of his Siluer and Gold of his Women and faire children She wing hereby the insolency pride and securitie of Tyrants who by reason of their carnall strength force and multitudes will dispose of the lands and share the possessions of them whose Territories they thirst after and that before their arriuall as though the victory were theirs before the incounter As we with our eares haue
Pauls hope and patience aimed to heauenly not to earthly accomplishments not looking for the euent of his hope in this life How then may his hope of heauenly glory and Dauids hope to be defended and reléeued here in the land of the liuing concurre They may well stand together Euen as Christ by healing of corporall diseases made men heauenly minded and cleane by forgiuing their sinnes so Dauid praied not so simply for corporall deliuerie but he praied also for the light of the truth that he might dwell in the Temple of God for mercy and the like And although Paul séemed by his words to hope onely for heauenly glory necessaries for this life were necessarily included He that duly and truly praies for heauenly cannot be frustrate of earthly and he that praies faithfully for earthly cannot but therewith ioyne heauenly blessings for true and sincere hope includes both He therefore that through faith in Christ doth hope in the Lord and becommeth strong in him Hee will comfort his heart with the supply both of heauenly and earthly blessings As it is lawfull for vs to pray vnto God for corporall necessaries so are wée bound to hope and wait for them Without hope of victory Dauid would neuer haue entred the combat with Goliah Wée must therefore hope in the Lord and bee strong trusting in God and our hearts shall bee comforted We may not looke backe or about vs for helpe our helpe commeth from heauen therefore must we not hope and hope a hope partly from aboue and partly from beneath but our hope must bée in God alone yet not to contemne or despise the inferior meanes that God vseth here below as his Instruments for our good in whom wée may haue a kinde of hope as Dauid had in Ionathan that he would deale faithfully with him in the matter of Saul his father so may wée hope in man but our confidence must be in God alone What God hath promised in his Word he will assuredly performe to them that truly beléeue And that did Dauid finde euen when the Crowne was like to bée taken from his head Hee fainted not but held fast by the accustomed loue and help of God and became strong in faith euen when his enemies were in their fiercest fury against him He waited still vsing little or no other resistance against his enemies than feruent praier to God and his counsell and his expectation in patience was not in vaine for the Lord subdued his enemies without the great force of Dauid and thereupon he tooke courage he hoped in the Lord he was strong in faith and the Lord did comfort his heart He sought not as the wicked doe sinister and forbidden meanes to be deliuered For when Saul his mortall enemy pursued him with deadly malice to take away his life yet when Saul fell into his hands and had him twice in his power and might haue ended the quarrell and fréed himselfe of danger he would not doe it no though he might haue made present way for himselfe to the kingdome whose it was after Saul yet neither his owne perill wherein hée daily stood through the malice and fury of Saul nor his owne future right to the Crowne could moue him to touch the Lords anointed contrary to the minds of many ambitious men both of former and latter ages who are loth to let slip any opportunitie offered be it neuer so vniust to aduance their greatnesse But Dauid staid himselfe vpon hope that God who had so often deliuered him would still doe it without any vnlawfull meanes of his owne and in his time appointed would aduance him as he had promised and therefore waited the time with patience comforting his heart in the middest of his dangers And long it was not before he came lawfully to that which before he might and would not because hée hoped in God whom he knew he should haue offended if he had taken the counsel of some that aduised him There is no hope to that hope whereunto Dauid encourageth himselfe others no strength to that strength and no mans heart can bée truly comforted but by the comfort wherewith he affirmeth his heart was comforted therefore chéereth he vp his owne soule with this holy resolution to hope in the Lord with this heauenly strength to be strong in the Lord and with that comfort wherewith he was comforted of the Lord. There is a hope that is vaine a strength that is weake and a comfort that is but counterfeit Let vs then take hold of that hope that strength and that comfort that is of God and trust in him So shall we not néed to be afraid of enemies to faint in afflictions but shall be sure to finde comfort in all our troubles Salomon saith that hope that is deferred is the fainting of the heart but that is but to the faint-hearted For if we wait not it is no hope but if we abide with patience Gods appointed time we shall enioy what we hope for And when the desire commeth it is a tree of life And Dauid hauing often gathered the fruit of this trée and fed thereon when he fainted he giues here of the same fruit to others Hope saith he in the Lord bee strong be not faint-hearted though hope be deferred for comming the thing we hope for will tarry no longer than a conuenient time and then it will comfort the heart Hope groweth strong by the effects of Gods goodnesse formerly hoped for and had which Saint Paul affirmeth encouraging the Corinthians as Dauid did himselfe and others To hope to be strong to trust in the Lord and to lay hold vpon the hope that is set before vs which hope we haue as an anker of the soule sure and stedfast And this is the comfort of the heart that Dauid meaneth euen our faith in God whereby wée take hold of the assured performance of his promises not onely of temporall and corporall but of spirituall and celestiall blessings And the patient waiting for them is our Hope How then can it bee that God who hath promised vnto the faithfull the life to come that with patience in hope wait for it vnder the crosse should not consider regard their dangers troubles afflictions euen in this life For if he haue giuen his Sonne to die for our sinnes how should he not with him giue vs all things to enioy Though wée must wait his time he is not slacke as some men count slacknesse but is alwaies ready and at hand he that hath promised hee is faithfull and true Though the vnfaithfull will not take his word not his hand not his oath the faithfull know and are assured that he will neuer faile them nor forsake them Therefore hope in the Lord be strong and he will comfort thine heart And trust in the Lord. A Prayer for strength patience and hope in troubles O Father possessor of Heauen and Earth and the disposer and preseruer of them and of all things
of presumption though he were a King whose examples in some cases is not fit for inferiours to imitate But in matters concerning holy duties to God there ought to be no difference betweene Princes and people for God is no accepter of persons but hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse be he high or low rich or poore King or vassall is accepted of him And hee that commeth neerest in the imitation of the holy life of a godly King hee neerest resembleth the King of Kings who is holy and would haue all men without exception to become holy as hee is holy and to beare all troubles crosses and afflictions with a godly resolution for his sake that willingly suffered infinite miseries and torments for ours and hee that endureth most with most resolute and godly patience becommeth likest vnto Christ our Redeemer This consideration comming into my minde and feeling the heauy burthen of this worlds miseries crosses and afflictions of diuers kinds I could not but for mine owne satisfaction and comfort search the Scriptures the Register of things of old written for our learning where finding that all our holy fathers the dearest children of God in all ages from the beginning haue suffered and patiently vndergone infinite and grieuous troubles with most godly and constant resolution I tooke counsell and courage to imitate as farre as by the assistance of the same grace of God whereby they suffered I might some worthy preceding patterne of faith and constancy And among many most worthy I finde none in generall troubles and dangers for constant resolution faithfull prayer and patience more fit for imitation than godly Dauid whom although hee were a King and a man chosen after Gods owne heart yet was hee not without his variety of afflictions especially enemies both before hee came to his Kingdome by Saul and his vngodly instruments and after also not onely by forraine enemies as the Philistines the Amonites the Moabites the Amalakites the Edomites and others but by his owne subiects nay by them of his own house as by Ahitophel his owne priuy Councellor and Absolon his owne son He was enforced to flie and to hide himselfe in the Wildernesse in the time of Saul who sought his life and was discouered vnto Saul by faithlesse Doeg He suffered hunger and was denied to be refreshed by sottish Nabal His wiues were taken prisoners and with great danger he recouered them He was like to be stoned of his owâ—e people He was derided and mocked by Michâ—l his owne wife for praising God in a dance before the Arke His seruants were shamefully intreated by Haman to whom hee sent them to congratulate him in loue Hee was forced to flie bare footed from Absolon his sonne He was railed on and causlesse cursed by wicked Shemey with many other extremities of all kinds yet fainted hee not but through faith hee tooke courage and comfort by his prayers vnto and dependance on GOD who neuer failed him noâ— forsooke him but alwaies and in all his perills deliuered him and returneth the praise and glory to God The example of this most worthy King among many other godly fore-fathers doe witnesse vnto vs that it is no new thing to see the dearest children of God afflicted in this life yea most worthy Kings and that not without the speciall prouidence and loue of God who will consecrate his owne through many troubles which yet deserueth not the glory which shall follow Dauid in all his troubles was neuer destitute of Gods assistance inward comfort for he depended vpon diuine prouidence in faithfull praier the strongest armour against enemies the safest Castle against dangers and the best assurance to obtaine whatsoeuer we need And therefore as Dauid beleeued in and prayed vnto this powerfull and preuailing God so may all Gods afflicted childreÌ„ imitate his faithfull and godly resolution in all their dangers with like patience and hope and they shall be safe as he plainly and plentifully testifieth in sundry most sweet and comfortable Psalmes especially in this 27. Psalme wherein being in the middest of his troubles he sheweth the force of his saith to bee such as though hee were in danger and forsaken of all his friends he was as fully assured to bee deliuered in due time as if he had beene euen then out of all danger This blessed example then of a liuely faith and the successe thereof laid thus before our eies cannot but stirre vp in vs if we haue any faith a holy desire to imitate him according to the measure of that spirit which guided this godly King and made him as it were the pen of a most diuine Scribe whose Scripture hath left vs such heauenly learning as may teach vs all things both for this life and that which is to come and happy is the man that truly followeth his worthy example MEDITATIONS and Prayers vpon the 27. PSALME VERSE 1. The Lord is my light and my saluation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I bee afraid AS God hath giuen vs outward and corporall eyes to see and behold the workes of his hands here below so hath he giuen vs inward and spirituall light to sée himselfe and spiritually to behold the wonderfull things hee hath done for our soules saluation therefore when we looke vpon his creatures with our corporall eies wee should lift vp the eyes of our mindes to behold him that hath made framed and preserued these visible things The Sunne is a visible creature by whose beames our bodily eies are enlightned for the eye it selfe giueth not but receiueth the light which the Sunne giueth for if of it selfe it gaue the light wee should apprehend â—no darknesse at all but take away outward light and the eye is darke So the eye of the minde the eye of the soule cannot of it selfe apprehend that spirituall light which is Christ that lighteth euery man that commeth into the world And without him the minde is darke and runneth and rusheth vpon diuers stumbling blocks of errors and dangers But he that is guided by that light which was Dauids light séeth and walketh the way of safety and saluation in that light Christ is the well of life he is the light in whom all the Elect sóe the true light and walke in it The ordinary meanes to apprehend Christ the light is the word which he taught and left vnto vs yet not of it selfe that light but onely sheweth it for euery man that heareth the word séeth not the light comprehended in the same but they onely whose inward eies the Lord openeth to behold Christ the light and they walke in the light Many saw Christ but not as hee was the light and their saluation for they delighted in darknes more than light working wickednesse euen against that light in whom and by whom and through whom they onely that truly séeke that light haue assured saluation neither is there safety or saluation in any
after he was coÌ„stituted also anointed King by Samuel by the malice of Saul who sought his death and continued many yéeres in continual troubles wherin being exercised he betooke himselfe to prayer to God liuing in hope that the time would come wherein hee should be fréed from Sauls tyranny and as hée was anointed so should he bée at length eustalled King hauing in many yéeres little or no breathing time or freedome from afflictions yet was his faith strong and his confidence in God firme as appeareth by the first second and third verses of this 27. Psalme wherein hée declareth the fauour of God towards him that he was his light and his saluation and his strength so that he feared not Saul nor whatsoeuer wicked enemies being assured that if they came vpon him to take away his life God would make them to stumble and fall as by his owne hands and Gods prouidence Goliah fell and after Saul his enemy by his owne sword so that in the first Uerse hée tooke courage through faith in God and sang In the time of trouble God shall hide me in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his Pauilion shall he hide me and set me vpon a Rocke And in this verse Now shall hee lift vp mine head aboue mine enemies round about me When Saul was dead his mighty enemy he tooke the Gouernment of his Kingdome but was not yet frée from enemies whereby wée may see that the death of one enemy is the life of another and to teach vs not to be secure at any time but when one danger is past to looke for another yet not without Hope though cast downe in the end to be lifted vp and raised againe For as the Moone wareth full and decreaseth and the Sea ebbeth and floweth and as the sky cleareth and cloudeth so doe the estates of men high and low rise and fall and fall and rise What a fall had Ioseph being the darling of his Father to be sold as a slaue to be falsely accused and to be strictly imprisoned and yet in the end to bée so highly aduanced Now saith Dauid shall he lift vp my head as if hée could limit God the time to raise him No doubt it was not his meaning to tie God to a certaine time but when Saul his Predecessor was dead the Crowne open sor him he might well say Now that is now hath God appointed the time to bring that to passe which long before he had promised Indéed when he was made King he might well say that God had lifted vp his head aboue his enemies round about him for he had many as before is shewed and net a few euen of Sauls followers after who when they saw Dauid exalted might enuy his aduancement being lifted vp so farre aboue them and had then power to recompence their wickednesse against him But he had no reuengefull spirit if he had had hée would haue reuenged himselfe vpon Shemey that railed on him and cursed him and vpon Doeg that discouered his abode to Saul Neither of these did he touch but as touching Shemey though he swore vnto him that hée would not slay him yet hée commanded Salomon that he should cause his hoare head to goe to the graue with bloud which it séemeth hée spake by the spirit of prophesie fore-séeing that he should die by the sword Thus Dauid deliuered from his enemies and lifted vp aboue them sheweth the wonderfull power of God in preseruing him and his prouidence and loue in aduancing him yet continued hée not long without his troubles and enemies to exercise him though he were now established in his Kingdome for he hauing peace security a while we find into what sinnes he fell though he were aduanced aboue his corporall enemies his spirituall foes grew stronger than he therefore it is good that the children of God though neuer so great in the world haue afflictions and troubles lest they forget God as this godly King for a time did yet vpon repentance God raised him againe Which example of sinning we must auoid and imitate his repentance By his assured confidence in God he still withstood and preuailed against all that rose vp against him none could make him afraid but rested still assured that God would now namely whensoeuer he was beset with danger lift vp his head aboue all his enemies round about him His enemies in their policies became fooles in their strength weake and all their deuices brought to nought So that Dauid might well sing this ioyfull Song The Lord hath lifted vp my head aboue all mine enemies round about me Nothing preuaileth without or against God None can be lifted vp to sit safely without God therefore the man that is wise being aduanced will-imitate Dauid in faith and a holy resolution then shall he mount that rocke that shall neuer bee moued God shall maintaine his lot so that troubles shall not dismay him enemies shall not hurt him neither shall any thing make him afraid None must yet stand in conceit that Dauids infirmities and falls should bée a priuilege for them to commit sinne but rather let his fall be a-motiue to them to bée watchfull ouer their waies for the preuenting of like danger and to beware of security For easie it is for a man to fall of himselfe as Dauid did but without God not to rise againe and repent as Dauid did Though he fell and was lifted vp Saul fell and neuer rose Peter fell and rose againe but Iudas fell and that finally Dauid had an eie vnto his waies and respect vnto his walkings to preuent a second fall so as his enemies could not preuaile yet hée confessed that it was the Lord that supported him and made him to abide in safety It was not his owne power or wit or policy but the mercy of God that preserued him and that lifted vp his head aboue his enemies He was constant and waited the Lords leisure he made not haste as hée might haue done hauing Saul twice within his power though he were anointed King yet would he lay no violent hands vpon him that was pre-anointed and inuested but waited his time as Ioseph did whose head was lifted vp aboue his enuious brethrer Mordochay and the Jewes likewise with patience waited the time and were lifted vp aboue Hâ—man but otherwise higher by the gallowes than they Many are lifted vp aboue their enemies in conceit and yet themselues lifted vp as enemies against themselues for the more man insulteth in pride ouer other men the more the mighty triumph ouer the weake the rich ouer the poore the glorious ouer the base and the more that they in authority abuse and tyrannize ouer them they gouerne so much the further off are they from the true lifting vp how high soeuer they cary their heads and so much the more enemies they are vnto themselues There is no true lifting vp without loue for God is loue he lifteth vp the heart and soule
and comfort in affliction 359 An effectuall Prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes 370 A Prayer for the morning with thanks for rest and safety 382 A Prayer to be vsed before a man goes to his rest 387 A MOTIVE to the Reader touching Meditation and Prayer First of Meditation MEditation is an inward action of the soule wherin the faithfull exercise themselues especially vpon the Word and promise of God vpon Heauen and heauenly things arising by the attentiue hearing or serious reading of the same Word deliberate consideration of the truth and infallibility of Gods promises contained therein and the assured performance of them touching their future blessed and glorious being after this life whereof the faithfull heart being assured through the testimony of Gods holy Spirit it delights in nothing so much as continually to thinke and meditate of the same according to the words of Christ Where our treasure is there are our hearts and thereof wee continually thinke DAVID had his heart set vpon his treasure hid with Christ aboue which made him to meditate cheerefully to sing O how loue I the Law of the Lord It is my continuall meditation yea I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies So did Salomon cry out Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel who spake with his mouth to Dauid my father and with his hand hath performed it 1 King 8. 15 16. All the promises of God in Scripture doe administer vnto the faithfull matter of continuall meditation and serious consideration and among many of his promises his promse of defence and deliuery of his in the time of danger trouble and affliction is to be often considered for that it concerneth especially the children of God that are most afflicted who considering the waies of God to be mercy and truth and that what he promiseth he will assuredly performe cannot but worke patience and patience hope and how can he bee without continuall holy Meditation whose heart is with God from whom he hopeth his helpe will come but in Gods owne time and therefore though wee hope we may not make haste though he promise to defend vs from danger deliuer vs in trouble he will not so answer our expectations as if wee knew the time when or the manner how to be releeued or defended better than he He will exercise his owne children awhile to proue their patience faith and obedience to cause vs to meditate and ponder his word and promise till hee haue sufficiently tried our constant assurance of his timely deliuery for it is his property to come to helpe his when they thinke hee hath most forgotten them How suffered he Dauid a man chosen after his owne heart to bee enuironed with infinite dangers in so much as he thought God had forsaken him altogether and forgotten him and therefore cries out How long wilt thou forget me Lord for euer and againe hee confessed that God had giuen him his hearts desire and that hee had not denied the request of his lips whereby appeareth that the sorce of liuely faith holy meditation and diuine prayer are able to make God offended God appeased suddenly to remoue sorrow and so bring ioy God hath promised to be a defence to the faithfull in whatsoeuer dangers yet if we wel weigh and consider the course of Gods dealing with his owne children and duly meditate of his power prouidence and wisdome wee shall finde that hee doth not alwaies come immediatly at the call of his dearest children DAVID was banished and persecuted long Ioseph was imprisoned long they both prayed for deliuery yet continued in a hard estate which was an argument in humane reason that God cared not for them and aboue them both was innocent Iob long and many waies afflicted God saw his miseries and heard his prayers but he left him yet to be an example to vs of like expectation of Gods timely releeuing vs and in his good time he made Dauid a King and Ioseph the chiefe vnder Pharaoh in Aegypt and restored Iob to his former yea to farre greater glory Thus doth God try his dearest children to occasion them to know and acknowledge that howsoeuer hee seeme to absent himselfe from them in their deepest dangers and to seeme deafe as it were vnto their prayers he yet hath an eie both on them and their enemies hee was a shelter vnto Dauid and curbed Saul he saw Ioseph in prison but with his liberty prepared his aduancement He saw Iobs afflictions but kept a hooke in Satans nosthrills that all that he did against Iob serued to his finall comfort Though therefore it happen the faithfull to be straited and enuironed with so many and mighty enemies and troopes of troubles that there appeareth no euasion no deliuery by any visible meanes yet there remaineth holy Meditation patient deliberation and serious consideration of Gods wonderfull deliuerances of his in all like dangers Consider Dauid and all his troubles and you shall finde hee fainted not but depended onely vpon the promises and prouidence of God with a godly resolution to wait the issue of his hope onely meditating on Gods promises and considering his waies and how he had before dealt with Abraham Izaak Iaacob Noah Lot Moses and other faithfull fathers before him the meditation and consideration of whose wonderfull deliueries cannot but work assurance in any beleeuing heart in like manner though by vnlike and hidden meanes in good time to be deliuered and therefore saith Dauid by way of meditation and confirmation of his and consequently our faith in God Our Fathers trusted in thee they called vpon thee and were heard they prayed vnto thee and thou deliueredst them out of all their troubles as if hee should say in himselfe by way of Meditation I finde by the Word of God that he hath deliuered many before my time that trusted in him called vpon him in greater dangers than I am in why then should I doubt or despaire of like deliuery I trust in him as these fathers trusted I call vpon and pray vnto him as they did therefore surely hee will heare me and helpe me in time conuenient thus did Dauid meditate in his troubles God commanded Iaacob to returne from Laban his Vncle into his countrie and Kindred from whom and whence he fled promising to doe him good Gen. 32. 9. Could Iaacob doe lesse than meditate and tâ—inke seriously of this command and promise of God considering hee was to returne to his desperatly malicious brother Esau who sought to murther him yet vpon due Meditation and consideration of Gods faithfull promise of defending him and doing him good hee ouercame feare by faithfull prayer and the Lord appeased his brothers malice towards him Examples of like nature are plentifull in holy Scriptures as of Mordecay and the Iewes Ester 7. of the Bethulians Iudith 7. and many others Holy meditation is most necessary and an especiall Motiue to faithfull prayer and prayer can neuer be so powerfull as vpon holy
premeditation though short so it be serious for as rumination precedes digesture in cleane beasts so holy Meditation goes before effectuall prayer in Christians Seeing then that there is no kâ—nde of trouble danger misery or affliction that can befall Gods children but there are examples in the holy Booke of God wherein may bee seene Gods outward deliuery or inward comfort in euery kinde what need the faithfull to faint in any Search therfore the Scriptures meditate in them consider the ends and issues the patience and prayers of former godly men and let their faith patience and prayer be paternes for our imitation Then if our knowledge by reading and hearing of the Word our continuall meditation in the Word doe worke in vs through the same spirit that guided them like assurance and faith we cannot but adde preuailing prayer which being without doubting or wauering cannot but in force as it were at Gods hands who is absolutely powerfull like deliueries out of dangers and timely releefe or release in troubles And he that is a religious obseruer of Gods dealing for the defence of his and confounding his their enemies at this day cannot but see approue God to be the same God in power wil prouidence and readinesse to helpe his as he was in any former age to our fathfull fore-fathers Then search the Word meditate therein as Dauid did day and night pray zealously and faithfully and this God euen the euerliuing and all-sufficient God shall effectually performe in his good time whatsoeuer hee hath promised and we pray for Of Prayer THough faithfull prayer be powerfull to preuaile with God in and against all dangers perills troubles and an armour of tried defence against sin and Satan yet few there be that vse it especially as they ought some not at all Many there are that either say in their hearts there is no God as Psal. 53. 1. or that deny the power of God not acknowledging him to be God and so cannot glorifie him as God Rom. 1. 21. Some also are or haue beene so impious as they absolutely haue denied him as Pharaoh Exod. 5. 2. Senacherib 2 King 18. 13. to 30. Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. and others assuming as it were the name of Gods vnto themselues They praid to none but they as Gods were praid vnto whose examples are to be detested as abominable blasphemous and deuilish whose ends may onely serue to terrifie such though neuer so mighty preuailing in their tyranny awhile as either forsake the liuing God and trust in or pray vnto them or that that are no gods such are not to be feared of them that truly trust in and pray vnto the God of hosts as holy Dauid did whose example of faith prayer and holy resolution in all dangers may encourage all faithfull in all their troubles to imitate and practise the same The onely and chiefe refuge that this most godly King had and the principall weapons wherewith he resisted and ouercame his enemies was feruent prayer in a liuely faith Faithfull prayer to God is such a defence against whatsoeuer danger as no enemy be hee neuer so mighty malicious or carnally politike can preuaile against it for howsoeuer a man truly fearing God be beset with euen multitudes of enemies so as no visible helpe can haue accesse to rescue him or to deliuer him yet if hee send this Messenger faithfull prayer vnto God and wauer not in his assurance outward succour or inward comfort will assuredly and timely appeare It was Dauids refuge in euery danger when his perfidious Counseller Achitophel whose counsell was as it were the Oracle of God addressed his traiterous aduice to rebellious Absolom he only praied to frustrate it and his depest wisdome turned into folly 2 Sam. 15. 31. Hezekiah in danger of the King of Ashur vsed onely prayer to God and the Lord slew his enemies one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand in one night 2 King 19. Examples are infinite of the force and effect of prayer in so much as there is nothing that the faithfull want but Prayer if it be faithfull and feruent may obtaine if God in his wisdome thinke it fit for vs to receiue Prayer is it whereby we speake vnto God in a heauenly kinde of familiarity and whereby God is as it were inforced to cast away his rod and to alter his purpose of punishing Great is the force and efficacy of faithfull prayer and greater is the loue of God towards vs in admitting vs so freely and boldly to come vnto him with our petitions nay so louing he is that he allureth vs saying Call vpon mee in the day of trouble and I will heare thee and deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Here is sufficient warrant and encouragement for vs to flie vnto God by prayer in whatsoeuer trouble misery danger or affliction And the examples of deliuery and helpe in euery kinde are so infinite as who so is conuersant in the old and new Bookes of God cannot be ignorant of the force and effect of faithfull Prayer euen of such as haue beene subiect to like passions as we are Ioshua prayed and the Sunne and Moone stood still Iosh. 10. 12. Elisha prayed and his enemies were strucken with blindnesse 2 Kings 6. 18. Eliah prayed and fire fell from Heauen and destroyed them that came to take him 2 King 1. 10. Faithfull Prayer doth as it were ouercome God in somuch as when he hath a purpose to punish a people or a person he wil forbid the faithfull to pray for them lest he should be ouercome with their prayer and so be enforced to spare them Exod. 32. 10 11. If the prayer of one faithfull man may restraine God as it were from executing his iudgements vpon the wicked how much more may faithfull prayer preuaile for the good of a faithfull man What should then hinder our Prayer to God in our owne necessities and dangers Nothing but impatience and vnbeliefe for if in a true and liuely faith and holy intention wee present our humble supplications vnto God through Christ according to his will reuealed in his Word and wauer not Christ himselfe assureth vs to obtaine what wee pray for Whatsoeuer yee aske saith he the Father in my name hee will giue it you Iohn 16. 23. Let vs not then be cast downe in our spirits but let vs lift vp our hearts to him that seeth vs and taketh care for vs and hath both will and power to deliuer vs. Hee hath a time in his wisdome to humble vs and a time in his mercy to helpe vs a time to debase vs and a time to relieue vs in despight of Satan and his most malicious instruments he had his time to afflict Iob and Ioseph and Dauid and in his time againe he deliuered them Let vs therfore in all our trialls troubles and afflictions call vpon God in the Name of his Sonne and we shall finde that euen in our holy Meditations he will thinke vpon vs
other Therefore doth David ioyne light and saluation together because that without that light there is no saluation for light goeth with or before saluation for without the light of knowledge there can bee no faith and without faith no saluation Dauid through faith was bold to affirme that the Lord was his light and consequently his saluation and hee that would defend him from all his enemies and therefore resolueth not to feare what man could doe vnto him Our owne naturall light the light of our eyes is an especiall blessing of God yet for vnruiinesse it may bee compared to the tongue for as the tongue is an vnruly euill in setting as it were the whole world on fire so are the eyes extrauagant and set the heart on fire and therefore saith Dauid Turne away mine eies from regarding vanity for he found by wofull experience that the light of the eye doth administer vnto the minde diuers dangerous obiects as to himselfe the nakednesse of Bershaba with the sight of whom he was so enflamed with the fire of lust which first entred by the eie that he committed grieuous sinnes in the accomplishment thereof Yet was Dauid himselfe reputed as it were the light of Israel which hee assumed not vnto himselfe but attributed the true light that he had vnto the light of lights saying Surely thou art my light O Lord and the Lord will lighten my darknesse And againe the Lord is my light and my saluation By his owne naturall light hee could not sée his owne error of adultery and marther vntill hee was inwardly enlightned then hee could confesse it neither could he see and consider how the Lord had defended him but by that dim light which gaue him courage strength against the â—eare and the Lion the ouercomming of whom gaue him assurance of the victory against Goliah his experience of Gods fauour towards him grew daily more and more encouraging others also to depend on the power prouidence and loue of God by his example saying and assuring them that the Lord would be a sure refuge vnto them in their afflictions for hee faileth none that faithfully séeke him and how can we séeke him but by Prayer I will call vpon the Lord saith Dauid who is worthy to be praised so shall I bee safe from mine enemies though they haue many meanes to hurt yet God that is our light and our saluation hath many more meanes to helpe and to defend vs therefore saith Dauid whom should I feare the Lord is my rocke and my fortresse and hee that deliuereth mee my God and my strength in him will I trust my shield the horne also of my saluation and my refuge of whom shall I be afraid If I haue Iehouah on my side what can man doe vnto me If he be my light I shall liue in light and walke in light for in him is no darknesse at all he offereth light by his liuely Word and enlightneth our inward parts by the bright beames of his heauenly Spirit Being then inwardly armed howsoeuer outwardly endangered wée néed not feare but as Dauid did let vs cast our burthen vpon the Lord and hee shall defend vs and let vs commend our care vnto him for he careth for vs of whom or of what then need we to bee afraid Saluation commeth not of flesh nor by fleshly meanes as the true light is not of the world nor of worldly men Therefore séeke not thy light nor safety through the policy or strength of the flesh neither dreame of saluation by worldly meanes but breake through the walls of flesh and mount vp in true contemplation of that sauing light that shineth from aboue from thence commeth the strength against which no carnall force shall preuaile and beware of such as promise vnto themselues safety and saluation without this true light as the wise by their policies the rich by their wealth the mighty by their much strength and multitudes and as some by their owne workes All which are broken réeds vaine props and weake meanes to saue the outward man much lesse the inward soule How then can they say whom shall I feare of whom shall I bee afraid when indéed they cannot but bee afraid euen where no feare is Could Achitophels counsell Nebuchadnezzars greatnesse Pharaohs stoutnesse Goliahs strength Senacheribs mighty army Hasaels swiftnesse or the Pharisies workes saue them yet doth foolish flesh and bloud account this weake and feeble meanes their glory their life and their saluation But as Achitophel whose counsell was like the Oracle of God did hang himselfe as Nebuchadnezzar in his greatest pompe became as a beast of the field as Pharaoh in his hot pursuit was drowned and his army as Senacherib was slaine by his owne sons as Goliah for all his great strength was slaine with a small stone as Hazael for all his Roe-like swiftnesse was slaine in his running and as the Pharisies for all their workes were condemned by Christ the light So neither the wisest of the world the greatest and most glorious in the world the strongest in strength nor he that iustifieth himselfe most by his best workes worke not onely no saluation vnto themselues as of themselues but their owne destruction But the Lord of Hosts is my light my strength and my saluation therefore will I not bée afraid Consider well the benefit of thy light in the Lord embrace the Lord thy light and thy saluation embrace him in his Word for God is the Word the Word that light that light thy life and thy saluation Here then is the light that guideth the blinde and happy is the soule that hath this glorious light he needs not feare she secret practises of the wicked which this light discouereth nor the force of the mighty which this strength withstandeth for God is his saluation Feare not man then who killeth but the body feare not the fire that consumeth but the body feare not the Sea that drowneth but the body feare not sicknesse that toucheth but the body feare not the sword that pierceth but the body feare nothing that can preuaile but against the body for the Lord is thy light and thy saluation O feare this Lord and reuerence this light he séeth in darknesse feare him that can kill both body and soule and can cast both into vtter darknesse feare this great God feare none but him that can saue and kill that can cast downe and exalt that can with his Word worke what he will when he will and as he will feare him in loue and loue him in feare call vpon him despaire not in him he is thy saluation Feare not the world nor worldly things feare onely firme in the world and flie from euill which this true light hateth then feare not man for if a thousand assaile thee feare not but pray and beléeue and trust in the Lord thy saluation he will open the eyes of thy faith and thou shalt sée with Elisha millions of meanes to defend thée
if pouerty or want oppresse thée as it did sometimes Dauid feare not he will reléeue thée for hée preserueth with little as with much hée fed many thousands with little meanes and when they were all well filled there was taken vp in the remainder more then was before they had eaten He increased the Oile and Meale of the poore Widow that she fed her selfe and hers and paid her debts with the remainder Hee brought water out of the stones and out of the dry Jaw-bone of an Asse Hée fed his children with Bread from Heauen and sent them Quailes in the hungry Wildernesse He sent abundance of wheat extraordinarily vnto distressed Samaria This is he euen that great God that is the sustainer of my life my light and my saluation and not mine alone but the God of all that faithfully séek him in their distresse Should I then feare though I be enuironed with enemies though I were in distresse nay should I feare though I were in penury and want though I were imprisoned for the constant profession of Christs truth did he not breake the fetters and opened he not the very iron gates and cast the watchmen in a slumber to fetch Peter out of prison did he not giue Ioseph and Paul fauour with their Jailors of whom or of what then may the faithfull bee afraid what crosses what troubles what afflictions what threats of tyrants can make Gods children afraid though the seas rage and rose though the world be in confused combustion though the mountains cleaue in sunder though the heauens melt though he that made all consume all I will not feare The Lord high mighty he is the strength of my life nay he is to mee life it selfe who then or what can without him force my death If he take away this life he hath prouided for me a better and permanent whom or what shall I be afraid of then Shall I be afraid of Hell or Satan Hée my Lord in Christ my light and my saluation hath conquered both Satan and Hell what néed I feare A Prayer that God will be our light and our saluation in all our troubles and dangers O Lord who art the light that neuer goeth out whereby thou guidest and gouernest those that acknowledge their owne darknesse thou art the strength that neuer groweth weake whereby thou sauest defendest thine from the hands of all that hate them Bee thou my light O Lord and lighten my darknesse that I may walke in that light and neuer goe astray for there is no agreement betweene error and thy truth giue mee therefore heauenly knowledge and I shall not be ignorant of that which I ought to know and assist me with thy diuine grace and I shall practise that which thou hast taught me to know Be thou my strength then whom need I to feare stand thou on my side and then of whom should I be afraid Stretch forth thy hand and hold me vp thou hast a mighty arme and strong is thy right hand in thee therefore I trust and will not feare what man can doe vnto me Be not farre from mee O my God for thou seest my troubles and knowest my dangers neglect me not but hasten to helpe me giue care vnto me and saue me and let not mine enemies haue their desires against mee nor triumph ouer me though they be many and in shew far too mighty for me yet in comparison of thy strength they are weake and of no strength they trust in their Chariots munition and multitudes but I trust in thee and in thy strength alone only praying thee to blesse vnto me the ordinary and lawfull meanes which it shall please thee to raise vp in thy wisdome for my defence Though I doe know and doe acknowledge that as a horse of it selfe is a vaine helpe to deliuer his rider by his great strength or swiftnesse so are all outward visible and carnall meanes vnable to defend mee without thee and vnlesse thou blesse the vse of them and dispose and manage them in thy wisdome for my defence they are also vaine Therefore come I vnto thee my God my strength my light and my saluation who hast promised and art able to send euen from Heauen to saue me Thou canst command an host of Angels to campe about mee though enuironed with many and mighty aduersaries yet hauing thee on my side I know there shall be more with mee than with them while I am vnder thy protecting wings I am safe I will not feare Giue thine Angels charge of me therefore O Lord to keepe defend me shew thy power in my weaknesse and the weaknes of mine enemies by thy strength then though an host pitch against me my heart shall not bee afraid though war be raised against me I will trust in thee my Lord my light my strength and my saluation VERSE 2. and 3. 2. When the wicked euen mine enemies and my foes came vpon mee to eat vp my flesh they stumbled and fell 3. If an host pitched against me my heart should not be afraid though warre be raised against me I will trust in thee IN all actions Experience is as the mother of knowledge and knowledge the ground of Assurance which made Dauid strong in his resolution to encounter Goliah hauing formerly found that God assisted him in two seuerall dangers the one in killing a Beare the other in ouercomming a Lion two strong fierce and deuouring beasts and that when he was but young and a Shepherd yet it seemeth he had learned to feare God and to trust in him for that he acknowledged that he ouercame them not by his owne proper power but by the power of God which two conquests wrought in him-assurance that by the same aid hee should vanquish that monster of men Goliah though his vgly presence and furniture of armes amazed the whole host of Israel Dauid yet not daunted hauing a strong faith in God vndertooke the combat and preuailed though that monster scorned him and threatning that hee would giue his flesh to be deuoured of the Fowles of the aire and wilde beasts of the field which by the aid of him in whom Dauid trusted came contrarily to passe for Dauid tooke off his head and disarmed him and left his carkasse to the Fowles of the aire whereby he more and more increased in faith strength and courage and bold to assure himselfe that as this monster stumbled and fell at his flying stone that would haue eaten vp his flesh so should all his wicked enemies and foes when they should come vpon him to eat vp his flesh namely to take away his life they should euen so stumble and fall as by experience he after found that God still defended him so that to the praise of God hee sung When the wicked euen mine enemies and my foes came vpon me to eat vp my flesh they stumbled and fell When Saul a mighty King sought Dauids life to destroy it first by his owne hand
heard that our enemies haue boasted through the false and forged benediction of him that is a deceiuer and yet taketh the falsly conceiued authority from heauen But our God laughed their pride insolency and security to scorne taking our cause into his owne hand confounded their deuices daunted their hearts weakned their armes abandoned their Nauies by his owne power euen as he gaue proud Benadab into Ahabs power though a wicked King and an Idolater therefore not for Ahabs sake but for his owne Names seke and his owne peoples safety And to shew his Omnipotent power in defending his owne and confounding his and their enemies So that the truly faithful in God being threatned beset and besieged by wicked multitudes néed not to be afraid for though war be raised against them that God that defended Dauid Hezekias and all that haue truly called vpon him in like danger will as hée hath euer hitherunto defend vs. They that haue the God of Hosts on their side néed not to feare though Kings combine and people rage as if they would eat vp their flesh Onely let them liue godly pray faithfully and vse ordinary meanes lawfully then if an Host pitch against them their hearts néed not be afraid though warre be raised against them let them trust in him and they shall sée the saluation of God They that fight against Gods people fight euen against God himselfe as Paul persecuting his children persecuted Christ. If therefore a mighty Host inuade vs we may boldly though in seeming weaknesse encounter them for there are more with the children of God though not séene than with the wicked God neuer faileth nor forsaketh his vnlesse they forsake him he leaueth them not vnlesse they leaue him Infinite are the examples hereof in holy Scriptures which might be also produced further to confirme our assurance And were it néedfull there might be inserted not a few examples of Gods like deliueries recorded in our owne Chronicles and in our own remembrances But where Gods Spirit speaketh by the pens of Gods owne Secretaries there néed no humane testimonies but onely to shew that God is still the same He is Alpha and Omega the same yesterday to day and for euer therefore may the man that is godly assure himselfe with holy Dauid If an Host of enemies pitch against him his heart need not bee afraid though war be raised against him he may trust in this That when the wicked euen his enemies and his foes come vpon him to eat vp his flesh they shall stumble and fall A Praier to God that he will defend vs from our Enemies O Holy and most mightie God of Hosts who dwellest in the heauens and yet art thou absolute also in the earth gouerning guiding directing and protecting those that feare thy name so that they need not feare the power or malice of whatsoeuer aduersaries for saluation belongeth vnto thee alone and thy blessing is euermore vpon them that faithfully depend vpon thee Therefore Lord though we be weake in power ignorant in carnall policies destitute of humane aid and beset with enemies who raise deadly warre against vs confirme our faith in thee and we shall be strong yea stronger than our enemies and wiser than our most politicke and subtill aduersaries and shall be either able to withstand their violence or escape their mischiefes though we haue no other defence but thy prouidence no other armour but thy loue no other weapons but true faith and a holy feare of thy name yet in this defence will we trust and in this saluation will we reioyce In this confidence Lord come we vnto thee powring out our hearts before thee not because thou knowest them not but because thou knowest them therefore come we vnto thee that thou maist bee pleased to remoue our feare and ease our griefe and to be strengthned and confirmed in a liuely assurance of our safetie and saluation in thee and of thy defence against these our enemies for there is none besides thee that can deliuer vs. Remember Lord thy goodnesse which thou vouchsafedst to our faithfull fore-fathers of old how thou deliueredst them from their enemies when they cried vnto thee Heare vs we pray thee O Lord and helpe vs for vaine is the helpe of man Turne our feare into assurance of thy fauour and helpe our mourning into reioycing in thee Loose our sorrowes and gird vs againe with gladnesse let not our sinnes hinder thy mercies wherein wee pray thee to turne the counsell of our wicked aduersaries into foolishnesse their strength into weaknesse and their hope into despaire Thou art the Lord of hosts high and mightie louing vnto those that feare thee helpfull vnto those that trust in thee and a terrible God vnto them that despise thee or thine What Tyrant can stand before thee What King can encounter thee or take thy children out of thy hands Pharaoh could not detaine Israell when thou wouldest transplant them Saul could not hurt Dauid thou defending him Senacherib could not haue his desire against Hezâ—kias thou fighting for him our enemies could not hurt vs thou curbing them O shew thy selfe now as thou hast euer done our defender With speed O'Lord reforme all our imperfections couer the multitude of our grosse and fearefull sins which call for enemies and other punishments in thy iustice to be inflicted vpon vs Turne thou vnto vs and we shall returne vnto thee Let our repentance appeare by the mortification of our sinfull desires Humble vs and we shall be humbled then shalt thou in compassion pardon vs and in thy fauour compasse vs about as with a shield Thou shalt bee our refuge in our greatest danger for there is no God besides thee no help but of thee Thou alone art able to command an Hoste of Angels from heauen to attend and guard vs Twentie thousand thousand Angels canst thou send from heauen to defend vs thy selfe the chiefe Leader of that celestiall army whereof one of them is sufficient to confound a million of thine and our wicked enemies when they assaile vs to cat vp our flesh thou in a moment canst make them to stumble and fall What then is man Or what is the force of Princes when thou takest part against them in the behalfe of them whom thou wilt defend Therefore cast we our burden and care vpon thee for thou hast promised to care for vs. O send therefore from heauen and saue vs haue mercy vpon vs O God haue mercy vpon vs for we trust in thee And vnder the shadow of thy wings will wee shelter our selues vntill our enemies bee either conuerted or confounded Then shall we praise thy name O Lord for that thou hast not left vs as a prey vnto the will of our enemies and though we walke in the midst of troubles yet we know and are assured that thou wilt take a conuenient time to finish the worke of our absolute deliuery For thy mercy and thy truth and thy power endure from
generation to generation Preserue vs therefore O God from these cruell men and the praise and glory shall bee thine the comfort ours And the example of thy so fatherly protecting vs shall be a motiue to others in like danger to call vpon thee So be it VERSE 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his temple GReat is the difference betwéene the worldling the true Christian betwéene a carnall and a spirituall minded man The one coueteth to dwell and to haue his continuall abode here below the other soareth and aspireth vpward the one resembleth the Swine the other the Eagle the one is neuer satisfied with earthly and carnall things for hee hath as many desires as he hath senses and euery pleasing thing that offereth it selfe to any of them he coueteth for euery sense hath its particular delights as many senses so many fantasies numberlesse yet neither of them can be satisfied for the heart of a carual man ingrosseth them all and the more vanities it apprehendeth the more desire increaseth for the eye is neuer satisfied with seeing nor the care with hearing pleasing things But the spirituall minded desireth onely one thing namely to be assured of his saluation and the glory to come And therefore holy Dauid desired as all true Christians ought this one thing for this only one thing is necessary Bershaba the wife of Dauid and mother of Salomon desired but one thing of her sonne and hee promised her faire but performed it not according to her desire But Dauid the father of Salomon desired one thing which hée longed for of a King greater than Salomon and a matter of far greater moment than was Bershabaes and his Petition was accepted both their Petitions séemed to procéed of loue but the difference of their issues was great the one procured hatred and death the other a most blessed successe Shée made her request to man in whom to put confidence is vaine He made his request to God the holy one of Israel in whom there is mercy and truth To whom also Salomon made one especiall request only for wisdome and obtained it and with it many earthly blessings which he asked not So bountifull is God as if wée aske that one thing necessary namely the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof he will also adde blessing vpon blessing though we aske them not Dauids only Petition was y t he might dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of his life A blessed yet a strange request of a King in the opinion of worldly men who might thinke Dauid not to be so wise as some ambitious and carnall polititians are at this day who had rather be in Kings Courts to take their pleasures than to bee restrained in a Temple for a day And Dauid being a King might haue retired himselfe in his Palace and haue taken what pleasure and delight hee would hauing a Kingdome to supply whatsoeuer might haue pleased any of his senses But these delights hée found not answerable to his affection which was seasoned from aboue hauing tasted so swéetly of the loue of Iehouah who of a Shepherd made him a King and who had so often deliuered him from his enemies he had rather bée conuersant with him in his house one day than a thousand in the Court of Saul or in his owne Court among his Gallants Nay he would choose rather to be a doorekéeper in the house of God than to command an earthly kingdome and to be depriued of his heauenly exercises in the house of God It is a most glorious estate indéed to be a King but farre more glorious to be a godly King He is Gods Uice-gerent in that part of the earth wherein God in his prouidence hath set him yet must he looke to haue some discontents mixt with his greatnesse and necessary too otherwise greatnesse might cause forgetfulnes that he is a man as former examples haue discouered And therefore did God visit Dauid chosen after his own heart with many troubles to the end he should not be vnmindfull what he was whence and from what estate God had raised him to that place of eminence and that hée should serue the Lord and maintaine his lawes and defend his people cherishing the good and chastising the euill And therefore was Dauid to forward in calling his people to serue the Lord and himselfe to be the leader of them to the Temple of God to which he had so sincere a desire that hée requested of the Lord that hee might dwell therein all the daies of his life or at least haue frée liberty often to visit it to the praise of God and exercise of prayer This desire is commonly the last and least in great men for the most part though no doubt they desire as Balaam did to die when necessity requireth the death of the righteous and greater glory would it be vnto them if they would practice while they haue time the life of the righteous as they seldome doe yet few or none of whatsoeuer quality are so irreligious in shew but they will looke into the house of God peraduenture once it may be twice in a Sabbath And peraduenture thinke it long as loth to spare their pleasures delights or profits to liue a whole day in the Temple of God with fasting and prayer Some would thinke it as hard a taske as the bondage of Aegypt or the captiuity of Babylon But blessed bée God some there are that haue Dauids desire though not to dwell really in the Temple yet to bee comfortably conuersant among Gods people in hearing God speake vnto them and they to speake vnto God This is that that great men should principally desire for their example in well doing much moueth inferiours to imitation for it is commonly obserued that example doth draw more to good or euill than documents or dehortations The godly life of a great man is as a Towre séene a far and many especially his followers will imitate his steps at least in shew and euen that shew of a godly life is a good motiue to others to liue godly indéed and as a good life giues comfort encouragement to others to be good so the president of euill makes many euill If greatnesse and goodnes goe together it is the swéetest consort y t a mortall man can make in this life 〈◊〉 the contrary as harsh hellish This holy desire of Dauid was not for a day for hée speakes of the time past I desired which implies a continuall inward Petition and argues his constancy in desiring though he were often in such straits and distresses as he could not visit the materiall temple as he desired yet wheresoeuer he was driuen by the malice and rage of his enemies he euen there found Bethel the house of God in the
measure or in like degrée so is euery man comforted or cast down according to the measure of his faintnesse or faith for many men may bée equall partakers of one and the same trouble yet not of equall resolution to beare it Some men haue great afflictions and beare them with great patience some small and yet cry out vnder the burthen of them some men haue many troubles and yet account them few some few and yet account them many some haue fearefull afflictions yet they repute them fauourable some very fauourable crosses yet esteeme them very fierce and cruell some haue long and tedious afflictions yet supposed short some very short yet conceiued long and cumbersome This ariseth onely of the difference of mens faith and frailty The first is bold and strong able to beare and vndergoe whatsoeuer it pleaseth God to lay vpon them saying with faithfull Dauid God is my hope and strength and my portion The second is weake and sinketh vnder the burthen of most easie trialls because they cannot say in their hearts as Dauid did the Lord is my rocke and my saluation nor assure themselues y t God will hide them in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his pauilion And what is this hiding of his Saints but his continuall watchfulnesse ouer them and his prouidence in keeping and defending them hee sets them vpon a rocke namely hée taketh them into his owne protection and none is able to take them out of his hands therefore are they constant in all their troubles let them lose their children let them be robbed of their goods afflicted in their bodies vpbraided of their enemies condemned for Hypocrites persecuted as Heretikes or brought to extreme pouerty let them endure all these and more troubles with holy Iob yet will they retaine their constancy confidence in God still knowing that hée in whom they trust is faithfull in his promises and his power is absolute and that in the time of their trouble hee will hide them in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his pauilion hee will hide them and set them vpon a rocke There is no trouble triall or affliction of what kinde soeuer but the dearest and most beloued of God haue béene partakers of them Abel was murdered by Cain his wicked brother for his sincere worship of God Faithfull Abraham was not free from troubles from doubting and feare he was commanded to offer his dearest sonne Isaak in sacrifice in whose séede the generall blessing was promised being afraid of his life for his wiues sake was twice driuen to faine vntruths both to Pharaoh in Aegypt and Abimelech King of Gerar Hée had trouble by Lot his brother he had griefe for the destruction of Sodome besides many other troubles Isaak likewise for feare of his life for Rebeccah his wife by his vntruth exposed her chastity to the will of a heathen King he was afflicted by the Philistines he was crossed in his desire of preferring Esau before Iaakoh in the blessing Iaakob was forced to flie out of his owne Country and from his friends and to be a seruant in a strange land for feare of his brother Esau that threatned to kill him being enuied by Labans his Uncles sonnes he fled with his wiues and children he was pursued by Laban hée was encountred by an Angel that wrestled with him all the night shooke him fearefully and lamed him he marched in great feare and perplexity with his wiues children and droues towards his offended brother Esau who came against him with foure hundred men he was miserably tormented for the supposed death of his dearest sonne Ioseph and much perplexed for his sonnes murthering his neighbour Seehemites Ioseph was guiltlesly accused and wrongfully imprisoned Moses was like to haue béene slaine by the Angell in the Inne for not circumcising his sonne preuented by Zipporah his wife who after circumcised him and cast the fore skinne of her sonne at Moses féet saying Thou art indeed a bloudy husband vnto me many other troubles he had for the disobedience of the people of Israel Not one of Gods children haue béene frée from troubles therefore let none refuse to take vp the Crosse of Christ who in his owne person suffered many reproaches ignominies and at last the death of the crosse for vs None of his Apostles escaped most cruell torments some were stoned to death some slaine with the sword euery of them had their troubles and torments and all the Fathers of the Primitiue Church had their seuerall miserable ends for Christ and yet tenderly be loued of God Shall wée then that haue the like and the same benefit by the death of Christ be ashamed of his Crosse Shall we thinke to enioy his glory and shall we suffer none of his disgrace We are his members and he is our head and shall our head suffer and wée liue at ease Satan is malicious hée can endure none that liueth vprightly but hée will vse his instruments to molest them if hée cannot induce them to sinne against God with a high hand hée will procure them troubles and such as wherewith if it were possible he would so weaken their faith in God that they should vse any vngodly meanes to frée themselues and will perswade them that God punisheth none but such as he hath no loue vnto but the truly faithfull know that he is a lier from the beginning and therefore will not giue eare vnto his false suggestions and therefore when any afflictions doe befall them they will take them as indéed they are Gods louing corrections and wholsome preseruatiues to kéepe them from all things that may offend God and will in their troubles séeke no other refuge but as the little Chiekens flye to the wings of the Hen so they runne and hide-themselues in Gods protecting Tabernacle who is ready to receiue them into his sauing pauilion and to set them vpon the rocke of his saluation Experience hath found it a dangerous thing to liue in carnall security and without trouble as long as Dauid was pursued by his enemies as long as he was visited with troubles he could séeke the Lord he was exercised in continuall prayer and finding God ready to helpe him he could say I will goe forward in the strength of the Lord then he could declare that God was his defence and that he should neuer bée confounded But when he had no enemies and all his troubles were remoued he forgat that euer hée was in danger hée liued at ease tooke his pleasure and delights walking without feare on the top of his house securely delighting himselfe in his pleasant prospects and behold a woman bathing her selfe then his heart which was before set vpon God was set on fire of lust committed grieuous sins without remorse vntill God sent Nathan to put him in minde of that which hee had forgotten a whole yeere together then was he stricken with another kinde of feare not of humane enemies but of Gods iustice
through faith aboue the outward man euen to haue their conuersation in heauen This is the true and swéetest aduancement this is the glorious lifting vp of the head And thus was Dauid also lifted vp spiritually together with his outward lifting vp aboue his corporall enemies Many good men are aduanced to honor and office To what end Not onely not to gaine earthly glory thereby or to enrich themselues by sinister meanes thereby and to abuse their places and wrong their lifter and lifting vp but as Dauid being lifted vp did acknowledge it to be the Lords doing and as he was aduanced by him so did he séeke by all meanes to aduance his glory and though he were lifted vp aboue his enemies he insulted not ouer them but gaue God the praise that his enemies triumphed not ouer him Praise and thanksgiuing are due vnto God for euery benefit and blessing hée bestoweth vpon vs and hée requireth it especially of them whom he lifteth vp aboue their enemies and that they be lowly in their owne eies and louing to all euen to their enemies And to learne also of Paul in a low estate to be patient and being lifted vp to be thankfull neither to be grieued at the one nor to glory too much in the other In the one pray to be constant in the other giue glory to God Dauid when he knew by his anointing that he should be King after Sauls death continued yet humble and was yet contented to kéepe his fathers shéepe a meane office for a man anointed to be a King and thought it no disparagement And when he was indéed exalted hée set not out his glory by outward vanities neither was hée guarded with swaggering swearing Drunkards and with vile and vitious persons though with sufficient noble attendants his Worthies abandoning his house of the knowne wicked and retained such into his seruice as he found to feare God And in stead of worldly vain-glory he went into the Temple of God and there offered the sacrifices of prayer and praise and not himselfe alone but called the people together and with them went not once but many times into the house of the Lord He was not ashamed being a King to be the formost in the seruice of God And let vs praise God for his like mercy vouchsafed vnto vs and let vs imitate godly examples Here is a liuely patterne of a thankfull heart to God for his aduancement contrary to the course of many who being lifted vp not aboue their enemies but aboue their equals of whom many giue rather thankes to their owne wit and policy and to inferior meanes friends or money But such their aduancement is but as the building of Babel though their language be not confounded but many times changed their manners often altered They rise without God and oftentimes we sée them fall of themselues If therefore thou be exalted remember Dauid by whom and by what meanes he was lifted vp He praied and the Lord heard him and he gaue the whole glory to God Whatsoeuer thou art bée thou neuer so eminent think not praier and praising God to be base exercises or things indifferent They are the works of Gods Saints and therein they exercise themselues day and night But woe to them that onely make their praiers and suits vnto men forgetting God and that being lifted vp offer the sacrifice of praise vnto men to their own deuices to their Siluer and Gold c. Forget not God that can winke at ambitious mens lifting vp and laugh at their fals But when God affordeth lawfull means to lift vp any he giueth theÌ„ assurance of his approbation and if they pray for good successe they shall prosper and profit the place they execute and the place shall iustifie their integritie for as without him nothing can come to good effect So to whatsoeuer action he setteth his helping hand it cannot but prosper And he that is by him lifted vp let him not forget to pray and to praise God lest he hurle him downe againe and his latter end proue worse than the beginning A Praier with thanksgiuing to God for defence from enemies in that they haue not preuailed against vs. O Eternall most wise most louing and most powerfull Lord God who guidest gouernest and disposest all things for all men according to thine owne will and knowest what is meet necessarie and expedient for all those that are thine Grant that whatsoeuer befalleth me here in this mortall life be it pouertie or riches prosperitie or aduersitie trouble or peace yea if enemies rise vp against me all may be for my good for as much as nothing commeth to passe but by thy prouidence in loue Pouerty thou suppliest with plentie if thou seest it good for me troubles thou canst remoue if expedient canst send me quietnesse and comfort enemies thou canst restraine and howsoeuer they seeme to insult ouer me thou canst lift vp my head aboue them And though I bee brought low and for a time endure disgrace ignominy shame euen among my familiars yet as long as it pleaseth thee to accept and retaine me in thy fauour I shall not be discouraged being assured that thou canst and wilt in thy good time shew thy selfe the God of my saluation thou wilt giue mee fauour againe euen of those that now scoffe and deride mee for my miseries they shall againe receiue mee in loue seeing thy fatherly respect vnto me For I know that I seeking helpe and comfort of thee shall againe reioyce and be glad in thee for though I be poore and needy though troubles abouâ—d and enemies rage against me thou thinkest on me and according to thy promise wilt neuer leaue me nor forsake me therefore if all the world disdaine me be thou fauourable vnto me O helpe me and deliuer me from them that afflict me and saue me for I trust in thee and none that trusteth in thee shall bee cast downe for euer I powre out my whole desire before thee my sorrowes and my sighes are not hid from thee and though I seeme to faint and my heart to faile me because my louers and my friends leaue me by reason of my miseries yet I wait on thee for comming I know thy helpe will come for thou art an vpright Iudge though thou haue brought me low I know thou canst and wilt lift me vp againe and they that thinke thou hast vtterly forsaken me shall see that there is a God that hath a care of his deiected people though they say now Where is thy God in whom thou seemest so much to trust Doth he helpe thee or releeue thee thou callest vpon him but he heareth thee not thou seemest to seeke him but findest no helpe at his hands O grieuous tentation to a weake-minde but it daunteth me not I am confident in thy mercies I faint not at these reproaches for they vpbraid not me but thee saying as it were in their hearts it is bootlesse for the
distressed to trust in thee O consider this my God and permit mee not though sore oppressed to giue ouer calling continually and faithfully vpon thee for with thee there is mercy and with thee is timely redemption though thou seeme to tarry long and to giue no eare vnto my prayers which maketh those that are ignorant of thy waies to thinke thou hast vtterly forsaken me yet I know and am assured that thou forgettest me not neither dost thou so leaue mee but that thou wilt returne vnto me again and in the multitude of thy mercies lift me vp againe and then shall they that thus haue censured me finde and confesse that indeed I haue not trusted in thee in vaine and that thou art a God indeed powerfull able and louing willing and ready to helpe thine in the time of most need I am thine O Lord for in all my troubles I haue hitherunto found thee my God my helper and my refuge though there be that haue said there is no helpe for me in thee I haue found them lyers for thou hast neuer failed me nor forsaken mee hitherunto neither wilt thou faile me or forsake me for euer Thou hast euer beene my rocke and fortresse and hast euer deliuered mee therefore art thou worthy to be praised yea I will praise thee for I was left vnto thee as soone as I was borne and thou hast euer beene a louing father vnto me though as a father thou hast gently corrected me yet thy louing kindnes thou hast neuer withholden from me but when in my greatest troubles and afflictions I haue beene like to perish thou hast not left mee to the will of mine enemies and when they they thought to reioyce most at my miseries thou hast lifted vp my head aboue mine aduersaries in thee therefore will I trust and not be afraid what man can doe vnto me Haste thee to help me O God of my saluation and praised bee thy holy name for euer Amen VERSE 7. Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry haue mercy also vpon me and heare me THese words of Dauid import a most earnest praier vnto God though séeming short yet coÌ„taineth matter of good consideration euen of vs y t in all our necessities we should cry vnto God teacheth vs that when we are in distresse wée may not lie still thinke that God will helpe vs if we call not vpon him and againe we may call and cry and not bée heard As Dauids enemies when they were deseruedly ouercome cryed for helpe at God but he neglected them and reiected them because they cried being a wicked people in their distresse for helpe at Gods hands whom they before despised But contrarily the children of Israel the people of God cried vnto him in their distresse and the Lord heard them and deliuered them 1. Sam. 12. 10 11. There are vocall cries and there are cries that none heare but God as the guiltlesse bloud of Abel yet cryeth vnto God for vengeance Likewise the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorrah cryed vnto God for iudgement as sin and murther daily doe these are wofull cries silent and yet God heareth them in displeasure whereby wée may learne that sinne and chiefely the murther of Innocents be it neuer so secret doe cry and shall be reuealed and though neuer so séeming to be grounded vpon pretended deuotion zeale it crieth to God for vengeance Dauids cry was of another kinde for where the former cries were the cries of the sinnes of the wicked against their wils for reuenge against their owne impieties Dauids tended to the glory of God and his owne succour and safetie and therefore said he Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry Which teacheth vs not to bée mute when any occasion of feare or affliction may moue vs to séeke the helpe of God We must cry vnto God not vnto dumb stocks and stones nor to any dead creature or Angell whom they are fondly framed to represent but vnto the liuing God he onely can heare be our praiers neuer so secret and silent He heard Moses and Anna onely mouing their lips without sound So that it is not the loudnesse of the voice but the affection of the heart that maketh the cry where unto God giues eare many no doubt can and doe cry Lord Lord and that loud enough and yet they are not heard because they cry not in faith And therefore Dauid did not onely say Lord hearken vnto my cry but withall craued that God would haue mercy vpon him for men may cry long enough and loud enough and not be heard vnlesse GOD shew mercy Therefore saith Dauid Hearken vnto my voice when I cry haue mercy also vpon me heare me for God heareth no mans prayer but in his mercy and therfore is mercy in the first place so be sought but by faith for he y t trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compasse him about though we be in neuer so great misery or danger if wee cry faithfully vnto God he will heare vs and in his mercy helpe vs As Dauid complained vnto God saying I am in a wonderfull strait let vs now fall into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and let vs not fall into the hands of men God sheweth mercy vnto thousands that loue him and kéepe his Commandements and heareth them but the wicked and such as contemne his Word he will not heare for they cry not in saith they cry onely for their owne necessities not referring the end of their desires to Gods glory they cry of themselues with the lips only they come in their owne names and respect onely themselues and their owne outward wants and féele not nor acknowledge their inward defects they are sinners and repent them not they aske therefore and receiue not They cry vnto mee saith God but I will not heare them because they pray without faith and repentance Therefore when affliction anguish shall fall vpon them they shall call vpon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me but shall not finde me But the faithfull afflicted he heareth and such as depart from their sinnes and walke righteously before him he considereth as Dauid himselfe confesseth I cried vnto the Lord saith he and hee heard mee and deliuered mee out of all my feare and trouble They that feare the Lord néed feare no trouble for mercy compasseth them about on euery side Gods prouidence attendeth them they no sooner cal vpon God but hée heareth nay before they cry he is ready to helpe them for his eie is euer vpon them euen at an instant to preuent whatsoeuer danger therefore may the faithfull goe comfortably forward in the strength of the Lord trusting in him and they shall neuer be ashamed he is our strength and saluation and our defence let vs powre out â—ur hearts before him and say Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry haue mercy also vpon me and heare me Then will he assuredly
set thy glory aboue the heauens where he sitteth and séeth the troubles and afflictions of his and is néere them when they call vpon him he turneth his face and louing countenance towards them to cheare them and comfort them as for the wicked he beholdeth them a farre off I haue set the Lord saith Dauid alwaies before me for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide As if he had said I sée the face of God continually and hée it is that preserueth me from danger so that mine heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth my flesh also doth rest in hope The tongue of men or Angels cannot sufficiently expresse what God is onely the heauens doe shew vnto vs his glory the Sunne the Moone and Starres fixed in the Firmament the Earth the Sea and all that are therein all being the works of his hands This God did Dauid séeke to this God did Dauid pray and hée turned his face vnto him and deliuered him out of all his feare To him I will pray A Praier that God will neuer hide his face from vs. THY fauour O Lord which thou shewest vnto vs weake and vnworthy creatures is as an vnfathomable Sea of loue who becommest as it were a suter vnto vs to come to seeke and to see thy face Thou the most beloued seemest to make loue vnto vs Thou the most mighty creator callest vs vnto thee thy weake creatures And shall we hatefull deformed and vile wretches stand therefore in conceit that wee are louely and beautifull because thou great Iehouah absolute in all perfection doest thus intreat vs Thou saiest Seeke my face And what is it but as if thou saidst Come and see me come and receiue me come and dwell with me It seemeth to be rather the voice of a familiar friend than of the Creator of heauen and earth But when I consider thy greatnesse thy Maiesty and glory thy power and omnipotency I cannot but feare considering what I am and rather desire to hide me from thee as Adam did than to intrude my selfe into thy presence in my deformities and to couer my nakednesse of all goodnesse with the fig leaues of shamefull absence than to come into thy presence being naked of all spirituall vertues Should I come into thy presence O most powerfull and holy Lord God in the bespotted garments of mine owne corruptions Then maist thou well stand with the burning sword of thy fury to keepe me from the sweet Paradice of thy louing and amiable presence amiable in deed to them whom thou makest worthy but most fearefull vnto such as haue not on the wedding garment of the righteousnesse of IESVS CHRIST If thou obserue the selfe-deseruings of the best men and deale with them accordingly who can see thy face and liue Who dare to seeke thy face as of himselfe worthy But sith it pleaseth thee to call me though vnworthy and to accept me as worthy how can I but giue all diligence to attend thy call Should I stand consulting with flesh and bloud whether I should seeke thy face and liue or remaine out of thy fauour and perish eternally Thou saist Seeke my face O that my heart could truly answer and faithfully performe the seeking of thy face for I cannot say of my owne power I will seeke thy face Though my spirituall part bee willing my carnall part is weake I desire yet to seeke and to finde thee for with thee is the well of life Thine eies are vpon them that feare thee and thine eares open vnto their cry Shew me therefore the light of thy countenance and turne thy face towards me that I may see it in thy fauour and louing kindnesse Thy face is no way so liuely to be seene as in the Image of thy Sonne who although he were here in the earth in the forme of a seruant he had the inuisible forme of thine owne Essence and is now ascended and glorified in the heauens endowed with that absolute glory which hee had from the beginning with thee whose visible forme cannot bee seene with mortall eyes whose face yet shineth more gloriously than it did vpon the holy Mount which Peter Iames and Iohn to their vnspeakable comfort beheld with their eies that visible glory of his cannot bee here seene it is hid from vs vntill the time but he vouchsafeth vnto vs his Word wherein we see him through faith O seeke his face euermore my soule seeke his Word beleeue his promises obserue his Will Grant Lord that I may flie sinne and embrace righteousnesse that I may pray continually loue all men beare with the weake bee patient in troubles and thankfull vnto thee for all thy mercies and grant Lord that I may seeke thee while it is to day let mee omit no time in seeking thy face thou saist Seeke my face let me cast off all impediments and clogs of worldly occasions and cast my care vpon thee for thou hast promised to care for mee what thou hast said is true what thou hast promised is Yea and Amen as sure as if I were possessed of what I aske I am in danger I will seeke thy face as Dauid did who found it in the Wildernesse pursued by Saul I haue enemies I will seeke thy face as Eliah did being threatned by Iezabel If I bee in prison I will seeke thy face as Ioseph did who was deliuered and aduanced what misery or danger trouble or affliction soeuer it shall please thee to inflict vpon mee I will seeke thy face so shall I not bee confounded in the perilous time and in whatsoeuer calamity I am be thou neere vnto me and saue me VERSE 9. Hide not thy face from mee nor cast thy seruant away in displeasure thou hast beene my succour leaue me not neither forsake me O God of my saluation BY this prayer of Dauid it may appeare that God sometimes hideth his face from his dearest children and séemeth as if hée had cast them away in his anger which yet though it be fearefull it is not small for he continueth not long in his displeasure though the weaknesse of men bée they neuer so sanctified will many times shew it selfe and produce such corrupt fruits as may incense God to displeasure and inforce him to absent himselfe from them for a time in so much as he may seeme to haue left them quite to their owne corrupt wills as it séemeth holy Dauid felt some alteration as it were of Gods dealing towards him that he cried out hide not thy face from me wherby it séemeth Dauid had not that comfort of Gods presence as in times past he had especially when hée was afraid that God had cast him away in displeasure It may be the weaknesse of Dauids faith which is not at all times alike strong could not so well apprehend Gods mercies as before or that he felt his owne infirmities to grow stronger and his spirituall powers weaker so that in the combat betwéene the flesh and
slightly regard for so we may indéed turne his fatherly displeasure into iust reuenge let vs obserue in wisdome the Lords waies how indéed he neuer winketh long at our least sinne for many little sinnes make a great cry and when God heareth their clamour hée turneth away his face as a thing loathsome vnto him as he did from Dauid for a time who féeling it ranne crying againe vnto God O hide not thy face from me O Lord nor cast thy seruant away in displeasure Thou hast beene my succour saith Dauid leaue mee not neither forsake mee O God of my saluation though Dauid found that God had hid his face from him and séemed displeased with him yet he tooke a godly courage through saith to put God in minde of his former fauours towards him saying Thou hast beene my succour and thou changest not thou art still the same and whom thou hast once chosen thou neuer forsakest He may be angry with his dearest children for a time but he endureth not long in his displeasure but when he with rebukes doth chastise a man for his sinne his beauty consumeth and all carnall delights are as it were irkesome vnto him in respect of the losse of Gods fauour Though Dauid séemed much to bee troubled that God did hide his face from him and to withhold his helping hand against his enemies yet he had hope to redéeme his fauour againe because he was before his succour which no doubt hee in his heart acknowledged not to procéed of his owne deseruing but of the meere and frée mercy of God And therfore as hee first fréely chose him without his desert he would not cast him off in regard of his humane frailties incident to all men euen to y e best men but would rather renew maintaine and confirme those diuine graces which it had pleased God before to plant in him and so would returne againe vnto him in loue and turne his face towards him againe and not vtterly to leaue him nor forsake him and why because he was assured that as God had promised to be so he was and would be the God of his saluation for euer for he neuer faileth the performance of his promises to a thousand generations And his gifts and callings are without repentance Therefore if we be chosen of God we cleaue vnto God if we cleaue vnto God God is faithfull to succour vs will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs. Though he seeme to hide his face from vs a little as he did from Dauid and to be displeased with vs as he seemed to be with him we may with like boldnesse build our assurance of his future helpe as Dauid did by his former succouring of vs And as Dauid held it as an argument of Gods neuer failing help in that hee was ence his succour how much more may such as haue often found him their defence and succour assure themselues that though he hide his face for a while he will neuer faile them nor forsake them But that he will establish his according to his promise y t they may yet liue not be disappointed of his louing fauour again howsoeuer they seeme to be forsaken Hee that trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compasse him about on euery side A Prayer that God will be alwaies neere vnto vs in our afflictions and not to hide his face and fauour from vs. O Lord hide not thy face from me and cast mee not away in thy displeasure Thou diddest not in the beginning choose mee for my worthinesse O cast me not off for my weaknesse thou knewest before whereof I was made and that in me neither was nor is any goodnesse at all and therefore if thou shouldest hide thy face from me I could not iustly accuse thee of leuity or lightnesse soone to loue and as soone to reiect but condemne my selfe in that I haue cast away thy feare and haue forgotten and neglected thy due praises for thy former succour and goodnesse towards me I haue runne too farre in the way of sinne and vanity by a lewd law that is in my members rebelling against the law of thy Spirit incensing thee to displeasure against mee wherein thou seemest to hide thy face from me as if thou hadst neuer knowne me to be one of thine yet Lord I know thee and doe acknowledge that thou hast beene my succour thou hast beene a gracious God vnto mee when I haue called vpon thee thou hast heard mee when I haue sought thee thou hast turned thy louing countenance towards me thou hast not left me nor forsaken me therefore Lord forsake me not for euer giue mee not ouer leaue mee not vnto my selfe but keepe mee vnder the shadow of thine owne wings shew me the light of thy countenance againe and as thou hast beene formerly my succour leaue me not now nor forsake me O God of my saluation If thou turn from me altogether I shall altogether perish Remember that I am thine and the worke of thine owne hands destroy me not therefore ô my God that which thy selfe hast made for there is none that can plead or maintaine my cause against thee but as sinne hath cast mee downe thy grace can raise mee vp I haue falne through frailty I may rise againe by faith in thee I haue lost the view of thine amiable countenance by turning my face vnto vanity I may finde it againe if it please thee to turne me to thee and thy face to me I haue beene too negligent when thou saidst Seeke my face I gaue not such eare vnto thy words nor such eye vnto the beauty of thy face as I ought But be thou pleased now to be found when I seek thee I pray thee heare mee now I intreat thee And cast mee not away in displeasure though I haue displeased thee As long as I see thy face I am safe but as soone as thou turnest thy face from me I am troubled When thou leauest me I am left without spirituall hope or helpe and busie my selfe in things that profit not And therefore I cannot but confesse indeed that thou maiest turne away thy face from me a sinner but remember then I became a sinner when thou didst hide thy face from mee Yet haue not I forsaken thee O God neither can I goe from thee wheresoeuer I should couet to hide my selfe No I will not onely not couer to hide my selfe but I come euen as Dauid to Saul to discouer my selfe vnto thee Alas to discouer my selfe when I cannot hide my selfe from thee Though thou mayst hide thy face from me I cannot hide my waies from thee No Lord I seeke thee let mee finde thee Leaue me not nor forsake mee O God of my saluation nor cast me thy poorest and meanest seruant away in thy displeasure But as thou hast euer beene my succour sustaining me releeuing me defending me and comforting me So gracious Lord God in Iesus Christ continue my louing and helping father still And then
though his errors no way concerne the matter in controuersie betwéene them but méerely his frailty falling as a naturall man whereof Dauid being afraid he prayeth vnto God that he would teach him his way which is vncorrupt and to leade him in an vpright path not onely in his ordinary calling but in the sincerity of his religion and profession lest his enemies that are alwaies watchfull should haue cause to accuse him of some grosse sinne and so draw him into the censure and condemnation of the world Dauid was a man chosen of God but by nature apt and inclined to sinne like other men who all haue their peculiar faults No man liueth so sincerely but if his life in all points at all times be narrowly obserued and examined by his owne conscience he may be taxed or tax himselfe either for committing things which God hath forbidden or omitting things which God hath commanded And therefore as Dauid here prayeth God to teach him his way and to lead him in a right path and as Moses before him prayed vnto God saying If I haue found fauour in thy sight shew me now thy way that I may know thee and that I may finde grace in thy sight So ought euery Christian to pray that God would not onely teach him but lead him also not onely because of his enemies whose slanders hée feareth which yet is necessary but because God should not be dishonoured by his corrupt conuersation and sinne There is no man especially Gods children but haue enemies not onely corporall but spirituall among whom the subtillest and strongest is Satan who looketh not so much into what a man doth as into the inclination of his heart by the things hee doth for by his workes he findeth what is in man for thoughts are hid and by his outward actions he can collect whereunto hée is inclined and vpon that he workes and laies his plots accordingly and most commonly he obserueth in euery man some sinne that raigneth and ruleth aboue all other sinnes which he hugs as it were in his bosome there doth Satan apply his greatest battery knowing that if he vanquish him in it and sée him to continue in it it is as much as if he had inticed him to a thousand sins and therefore hee laieth baits according to a cunning Fowler or Fisherman that hath one especiall bait for each kinde of Fowle or Fish according to the desire of that peculiar sin wherein a man most delighteth entertaining euery occasion or fit opportunity to féed his desire which Satan finding vseth his instruments to féed him with varieties Euery raigning or rather raging sinne in man may be compared to the disease in mans body called the Wolfe which if it be not continually fed with some kinde of satisfactory matter will soone deuoure the very flesh of y t part of the body wherupon it hath seized so that sinne that a man holdeth so deare to which hee cannot but yeeld vpon euery opportunity afforded must be fed with the satisfying of those corrupt desires which best agree with the nature of that woluish disease otherwise it will euen eat vp their senses and they will become as mad men when they are restrained from what that sinne desireth As for example take game from the couetous man hee will become euen cut of his wits barre the drunkard of his liquor and he will rage like a shéebeare robbed of her whelps preuent the lasciuious man of his Harlots he will swagger sweare and aduenture his life to haue them and so of the rest If therefore a man fall into any of these dominant sinnes and liue in it what an aduantage is it vnto his enemies It is a double aduantage first it makes him scandalous in the world whose good opinion with the vertuous and religious hée loseth It offends GOD whose hand is alwaies ouer the righteous to defend them against the wicked to confound them How sottish then are these men that will giue entertainment at the first to such seruants as at last shall become their masters Sinne in the beginning is weake and with ease may be subdued but when it hath beene cherished and nursed vp awhile in our brests as beloued and fed as it will require it beconuneth predominant facing as it were a man and as if it should say I haue thus long ouerruled thée I will yet make thée my slaue O fearefull estate yet not a few liue in this miserable seruility and doth not that enemy Satan triumph to obserue his vassals thus subiected and doth he not stirre vp enemies to vpbraid them some to mocke and scorne them some to reproach and reuile them and finally doth hee not laugh at their destruction Had not holy Dauid thē good cause to be afraid to be thus carried away with the violence of his owne corrupt nature which no doubt hée felt something inclinable rather to goe astray than to goe on y e way the Lord taught him had he not good cause as eueryman hath instantly to pray vnto God Teach me thy way O Lord and leade me in thy right path because of mine enemies Where it appeareth that it is not enough to know the way of God vnlesse wee walke in it and what power haue we of our selues to walke aright vnlesse the spirit of God leade vs we may thinke wee are right when wee are cleane out of the way as many deceiued silly soules doe that thinke themselues right and others out of the way when indéed they walke in darknesse and haue no light at all Enemies are alwaies enuious against the prosperity good that the godly receiue and reioyce when any disgrace misery or misfortune befalls them When my foot slipt saith Dauid mine enemies reioyced So doth Satan and his instruments who neuer rest day nor night seeking to draw if it were possible Gods owne children into the waies of the wicked and then againe to moue and instigate the wicked to reproach vs for our sinnes so that wée must not looke to liue here securely euen in our séeming most quiet estate for when wée thinke of none and deserue least disgrace Satan will raise vp one railing and reuiling Shemei some one traiterous Iudas or one trecherous Achithophel or another to trouble vs. And if wee haue committed any knowne sin be it neuer so small whether in our place conuersation or profession wee shall be sure to heare it Let vs liue neuer so warily neuer so ciuily neuer so sincerely we haue enemies enow to espy out our secretest actions to heare our most priuate speech for in the most godly little sinnes seeme great and are soone discouered and great sinnes in the wicked séeme no sinnes therefore haue the wicked few enemies whom they feare to sée their waies but the godly many It is no disgrace to a wicked man to bée wicked it is his profession as it is no blemish to the beauty of an Aethiopian to be blacke it is his naturall
no feare of thee before mine eies deliuer me out of their hands O Lord out of the hands of euill and cruell men and from their slanderous and false tongues that are set on fire against the innocent They hate them that offend them not they persecute them that resist them not let them haue no iust cause to condemne my waies Thou hast set before vs a blessing and a curse a blessing for them that walke vprightly in thy waies and a curse to them that wilfully fotsake the way which thou hast appointed thy children to walke in O shew mee the good and right way and euermore leade me therein Giue me grace to take heed of that way which seemeth right the end whereof is death Draw me O Lord out of this way and leade me by thy right hand so shall I abandon this way full of carnall pleasures and sinfull delights Teach me thy waies the waies of obedience and repentance the waies of righteousnesse and peace which tend to eternall life It is not in my power or wisdome to finde out or walke in this way It is hid from humane vnderstanding and therefore euen Moses though otherwise of deepe knowledge being by nature ignorant of this way sought to be and was instructed by thee therein How much more good Father need I to intreat thee to learne me this way for I haue beene long lead awry be mine owne corrupt affections not knowing the way of truth and righteousnesse wherein I beseech thee to guide and leade mee now at the last and for euer because of mine enemies O Lord my God my guide and my Redeemer Amen VERSE 12. Giue me not ouer to the lust of mine enemies for there are false witnesses risen vp against mee and such as speake cruelly WHat man is he that liueth is frée from enemies Of what estate condition or quality soeuer If he be good the wicked will hate him the world will disfauour him and the Deuill will maligne him If he be euill the vertuous will dislike him the godly cannot affect him God cannot blesse him yet ought euery man to endeuour to be godly howsoeuer Satan will doe what he can to raise enemies against him as he did against godly Dauid and against all the holy men of God from the beginning as first against Abel against Iob and aboue all against Christ himselfe whose enemies séemed to haue their full lust fulfilled against him neuer leauing him vntill they had crucified him And yet then were they néerest to their owne confusion when they had their wils of him Dauid in this Psalme séemeth to haue béene much troubled with enemies and yet sheweth in the second verse of the same that when his enemies and his foes came vpon him to eat vp his flesh they stumbled and fell In the third verse hee sheweth such faith and confidence in God that though an Host pitched against him his heart should not be afraid Yet in this twelfth verse he séemeth to feare againe lest his enemies might yet preuaile against him and therefore praieth that God would not giue him ouer to the lust of his enemies which may teach vs that when we thinke our selues most frée from and as it were out of the reach of all enemies not to be secure for a reconciled enemy may harbour secret mischiefe which although hée will not for his counterfeit promise sake execute by his owne publike violence yet he may suborne such secretly as may renew either the open quarrell againe or falsly accuse the innocent party And this as it séemeth did Dauid finde for when hée thought all his enemies were at peace with him he obserued some secret practises against him By false witnesses which were risen against him who accused him afresh and procured him new or moued his old Aduersaries against him which séemeth to afright him more than before an Host of enemies could doe For now hée praieth that God would not giue him ouer to the lust of them that before he feared not which sheweth that a second danger is more fearefull than a former And which also sheweth our too much securitie after our deliuery from a danger as though we néed no more to feare another to follow But if we obserue well the course of the waies of wicked men we shal see that they seldome giue ouer to prosecute them they once desired to persecute And God hath likewise such an eie vnto his owne children that he will not haue them idle hee will exercise them as long as they liue heere they must bee partakers of his crosses they must haue enemies as hee had they must suffer pouertie ignominy and disgrace in the world as hee did Though he being Lord of all and could command all hée was poore yet all the world and the things in the world were his when he was hungry he could haue plentifully supplied his hunger being disgraced by the reprobaâ—e Jewes he could haue done as Peter did with Annanias and Saphira haue spoken but the word and his enemies should haue fallen dead at his foot But he patiently suffered all to teach vs that are but seruants to imitate him that is our master and Lord. If they called him Belsabub and he suffered them why should we take scorne to bée despised reproached and ill intreated and our enemies to insult ouer vs and to haue their lust fulfilled against vs euen to take away our liues We are but seruants hée was our Lord yet he endured and shall we thinke our selues better or deserue to be more frée than he that was guiltie of no offence against them that thus abused him We being culpable of a thousand sinnes against him and yet hath fréed vs from the guilt and punishment of all Yet it behooueth vs to pray as Dauid did Giue mee not ouer vnto the lust of mine Aduersaries For as there were against Christ so there are false Witnesses risen vp against vs and such also as speake cruelly Cruell and wicked men haue commonly attending them such as will speake and practise what they will haue them for gaine if they will haue them to accuse any man falsly they can coine matter This man said If they did destroy the Temple of Ierusalem which was made with hands he would build it in three daies without hands Whereas indéed hée said that if they did destroy the Temple of his body hee would raise it againe in three daies as he did But by this may be obserued the cunning and subtilty of the Deuill that can and doth prompt his wicked Instruments how they may peruert the words and actions of the innocent to a sense cleane contrary to their meaning and make so false a Glosse vpon it as if it were truth it selfe and will set such an audacious face vpon it as if God deale not with the falsly accused as hée did for the defence of innocent Susanna they will haue their lust of them Such a false witnesse was perfidious Ziba against
Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan Sauls sonne who accused him most falsly to Dauid perswading him that Mephibosheth went about to take from Dauid the kingdome onely to get Mephibosheths patrimony as it is commonly the end of all the testimonies false witnesses giue to gaine outward reward thereby As the Iewes hired and suborned false witnesses against that most sanctified man Stephen to put him to death The like against innocent Naboth by wicked Iezabel who was likewise stoned to fulfill the lust of enemies It is a dangerous thing for the most innocent man in the world to fall vnder the testimony of false witnesses The accused seldome escapes vnlesse there be a Daniel to examine circumstances to finde out the truth A false witnesse is one of the six things that God himselfe abhorreth for of all men he is the most dangerous and therefore no maruell that Dauid hauing such enemies as made no conscience of whatsoeuer deuillish inuention to betray him and to haue their lust of him did pray Giue me not ouer to the lust of mine enemies for there are false witnesses risen vp against mee and such as speake cruelly Dauid feared more false witnesses than the open force of his enemies who when they came vpon him they stumbled and fell and therefore was not dismaied if an Host pitched against him Secret false combinations of enemies accompanied with false witnesses who can withstand or auoid The tongue which God made in the beginning good and to be a faithfull witnesse of the heart the Deuill hath made the instrument of falshood and lies For now in many the heart the tongue are so estranged as the one vttereth what y e other thinks not the other thinks what y e other vtters not The tongue becomes an instrument to deceiue which was made to explaine the true meaning of the heart But where the tongue speakes falsly the heart cannot be right and where the heart is corrupt the tongue cannot be sound There was once a confusion of tongues not of that part which moueth to frame the voice for the tongue it selfe remained as before it was but inforced to alter the language but now there séemeth to be a confusion betwéene the tongue and the heart which should be as one Both which being so farre disioyned in consent now as it séemeth to be another confusion of our language One knew not what another said when that one language became so changed and who vnderstands now what another speakes when he speakes what he meanes not How then can hee bee truly vnderstood what hée speakes Men indéed are become as it were false witnesses against themselues when the tongue beares witnesse against the heart and the heart against the tongue If then we become so confounded in our language when we call for one thing we bee offered another all good men had néed to craue a diuine Interpreter who knoweth the heart for by the tongue we cannot truly vnderstand what some men meane And that is the reason so many are at this day deceiued and vniustly many times condemned and therefore not vnfit for euery man though he obserue to haue no professed enemy as Dauid seemed to haue to pray as Dauid did vnto God the searcher and disposer of all hearts and she restrainer of all false tongues O giue me not ouer to the lust of mine enemies for there are false witnesses risen vp against mee and such as speake cruelly A Prayer that God will preserue vs from our enemies that they preuaile not against vs and to preuent vs of false witnesses O Most mighty God Defender of the faithfull the Protector of them that betake themselues vnder thy protecting hand the mightiest among men cannot hurt the least whom thou protectest the subtillest cannot circumuent them whom thou guidest in thine owne waies Saul could not hurt Dauid though he pursued him with deadly hatred pursuing him to take away his life Thou neuer leftest him to the lust of his enemies Thou art powerfull and in respect of thee my most powerfull and politickest Aduersaries are weake and foolish O let them not haue their wished desires against me though they suborne false witnesses against me let their false tongues falter in their mouthes Let their lying lips be shut vp with shame and let all those that take malicious counsell against me and combine together to hurt or to destroy me be turned enemies one to the other and let them doe each to other as they intend to doe vnto me Let their tongues wherewith they thinke to speake falsly against me cleaue to the roofes of their mouthes For thou hearest how proudly hatefully and disdainfully they speake against me falsly as if I were their enemy But thou art a righteous Iudge and markest theirs and my waies their thoughts and their practises and policies and my simplicitie None of their inward inuentions none of their wicked proiects policies and secret practises are hid from thee and therefore Lord leaue me not vnto their lust Confirme my faith in thee powre thy grace and holy spirit into the inward parts of my soule that I sincerely seruing thee may either win their vnfained friendship or that thou wilt preuent their malicious deuices against me and that I may possesse mine owne in peace Although they now stand vpon the open stage of the world and sound out the Trumpets of their enuious and slanderous tongues of reproach against me And although they suborne false witnesses against me let my vprightnesse approue them lyers Let my course of life so contrary to their false reports try and approue proue them false witnesses risen vp against me Though I cannot but confesse against my selfe not onely vnto thee in secret but vnto them openly that I come short of some duties that I ought to performe yet consider my willing minde to performe them without reproofe Lord I am weake in strength I am not wise enough to deale with the Politicians of this world I cannot withstand nor finde out the practises that mine enemies contriue against mee who haue a strong desire to haue their wills to execute their lust especially false witnesses being suborned against mee but giue me not ouer to the lust of mine aduersaries that speake so cruelly against me falsifying the cause of their hatred as if I had done them iniury extenuating their owne malice and mischiefe as if their wicked deuices were lawfull and grounded vpon Iustice and their violence rather charitable than malicious what they haue done and what they intend thou knowest and how vniustly they afflict me thou seest who art a God that iudgest right Rise vp therefore O Lord and take my cause into thine owne hand make their wicked counsells as Achithophels for haue they not said in their hearts Come let vs cut them off from being a people and let their name bee no more had in remembrance In so much as many of them say There is no helpe for me in thee Yet
Lord I dismay not for thou art my defence and in thine appointed time wilt lift vp my head againe for saluation belongeth vnto thee O God and thou wilt destroy the bloudy and deceitful men But blessed and preserued shall they bee that truly feare and trust in thee thy power is seene in weaknesse and thy helpe in affliction therefore O Lord let not mine enemies haue their lust of me I know thou wilt performe thy promise of my defence in thy good time therefore will I rest in hope I will patiently wait for yet a little while and these wicked men shall not appeare In the meane time I will commit my cause vnto thee my Lord my God my strength and my Redeemer VERSE 13. I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of thee in the land of the liuing ENemies troubles and afflictions are heauy to bee borne of such as are weake in faith and haue not perfect patience to beare them as may appeare by godly Dauid himselfe who acknowledgeth that himselfe though he were a man chosen after Gods owne heart should haue fainted vnder the malice and fury of his enemies and other afflictions but y t he beléeued to sée the goodnes of God namely his timely deliuery in the land of the liuing euen here before the sonnes of men where if hée had not found the goodnesse of God towards him all men would haue thought as his enemies did that God had vtterly forsaken him for euer and therfore prayed God in a liuely faith that his defence might here appeare before he were taken hence no more to be séene although he knew that after this life hée should bee in a farre more happy and blessed estate than his enemies but that hee might finde Gods fauour here to the end that other godly afflicted men séeing the mercies of God towards him in deliuering him out of his troubles might by his faith and patience take like godly resolution to depend vpon the power and prouidence of God for their like deliuery Why art thou cast downe O my soule saith Dauid in his troubles and so vnquiet within mee which argueth that troubles and afflictions euen to a faithfull man doe at the first much disquiet his heart like as they that first are committed to prison they are much disquieted their hearts faint and are much cast downe vntill they haue béene for a time enured to their restraint and then come by little and little to themselues againe so doe they that vpon a sudden fall into any affliction as Dauid did but hauing a little considered that it is the Lords doing hee could then say vnto his sad soule Wait on God for I will yet giue him thanks for the helpe of his presence This sheweth the strong faith and confidence of Dauid who although his troubles were so many and heauy euen at the present that he was ready to faint vnder them yet hee waited with a firme assurance that the time would come wherein hee should reioyce againe and praise God againe for his helpe and certaine deliuery which hee knew was not farre off This teacheth euery faithfull man in his afflictions and troubles to repaire vnto God in prayer not to bée daunted or dismaid nor to disquiet himselfe but in patience to possesse his soule waiting the time wherein God hath appointed to deliuer him for it is a vaine thing and vnprofitable for a man in affliction to goe before the Lords prouidence strugling and striuing by sinister and vncommanded meanes to frée himselfe he doth by that meanes the more intangle himselfe as the Bird in the Net warranted meanes hee may vse and those with faithfull prayer vnto GOD to blesse the meanes for lawfull meanes profit not vnlesse they be also lawfully done and that is when and where God is made not onely a party but the principall in the meanes It was a very weake weapon that Dauid vsed against Goliah who was compleatly armed from the foot to the head there was but one small part of his whole body vnarmed and that was the fore part of his head but God so directed the stone that came out of his sling that it found that open way to cast that monster of men to the earth If God had not added strength to Dauids armes and by his prouidence carried the stone aright Dauids aime might haue failed the marke so whatsoeuer means we vse either in preuenting or easing our selues in any kinde of affliction if our hearts be not seasoned with faith in God ioined with praier we may misse of our hope and so faint in the expectation of our deliuery and therefore saith Dauid I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord. Except I had depended on his prouidence for my deliuery from mine enemies and had taken hold and beene assured of the true performance of his promises to ease me of mine afflictions I should haue sunke vnder the burthen of my troubles God who is our Father is goodnesse it selfe of whom and from whom wee obtaine all things through faith in his Sonne by him we liue moue and haue our being and therefore there is none in whom or by whom wée should séeke helpe in troubles but in God alone He is our hope and strength and helpe in troubles ready to bee found Therefore saith Dauid I will neither faint nor feare and againe my defence is in God who preserueth the vpright in heart He is God and none besides he is mighty and none else Why then should we faint in any troubles Why should wee bee daunted though enemies rise vp against vs Séeing this God is our God whose goodnesse helpe and deliuery if we beléeue we shall sée and our very enemies shall sée it euen here here in this vale of misery amongst the sons of men he shall be our guide and defence vnto death Unbeléefe is a most dangerous disease in the heart of man nothing succeedeth comfortably vnto them that beléeue not in God good things vnto vnbeléeuers turne to euill As vnto a raw crude a stomack ouercome with superfluous humors the best meat turnes to increase their disease so to an vnfaithfull man all things worke together to the increase of Gods iudgements against him As to the sonnes in law of Lot in Sodome who would not beléeue the Word of God declared by Lot for the confusion of the City perished So the children of Israel to whom God had promised to giue the Land of Canaan in their iourney towards it did not onely not beléeue the Lord but murmured against him saying Who shall giue vs flesh to eat would God we had died in the land of Aegyt or in this Wildernesse would God wee were dead were it not better for vs to turne into Aegypt With many such reproachful murmurous faithlesse obiurgations as well against God himselfe as against Moses and Aaron but for their infidelity faintings murmurings God answered their impious
and where before hee continually besought God to hide him from his enemies now he cryeth Haue mercy vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies put away mine iniquities I know my iniquities and my sin is euer before me Sinne we see is the fruit of security and by that godly mans example it appeareth that some troubles are better than a quiet and secure estate as appeareth also by Hezekiah who being magnified in the sight of all Nations and was free from feare of trouble he became proud his heart was lifted vp but when God had sent him an enemy Senacherib to rouse him by threats sicknes to afflict him then he became humble then he fel to his prayers to God and God then did hide him in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his pauilion did he hide him in his sicknes set him again vpon the rocke of health Gods owne children are knowne by his fatherly correcting them and they that come into no troubles in this life liue they neuer so carnally contented may suspect themselues and may be suspected to be none of his and therefore faith Eliphaz to Iob Blessed is the man whom God correcteth and afflicteth here If then affliction and troubles be the way to become blessed or at least an argument of Gods fauour with what patience should we endure them nay with what ioy should we embrace them Saint Paul accounted the afflictions of this present life not to be worthy of the glory which we shall enioy hereafter Why therefore should we feare or repine against trouble séeing it is so necessary for vs It is not yet meant neither is it required of vs voluntarily to runne into or to séeke troubles as some Voâ—aries do wilful pouerty other néedlesse crosses which is not onely not required of them of God but offensiue vnto him being méere idlenesse one of the sinnes of Sodome It is required of vs onely when troubles of what kinde soeuer befall vs to vndergoe them with patience faith and constancy and then shall God hide vs in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his Pauilion shall hee hide vs and set vs vpon a Rocke To him let vs commit our soules in well doing as vnto our faithfull Creator knowing that we are not afflicted by chance but by the will of God our most louing Father in Jesus Christ the Rocke of our saluation him let vs séeke in trouble and to him let vs pray A Prayer in whatsoeuer trouble O Lord my God in Iesus Christ who art onely wise in disposing all things for all men and to whose will all creatures in Heauen Earth and Sea are subiect and none be he neuer so mighty can withstand what thou wilt haue done Open thine eyes and behold me open thine eares and heare mee open thine hands and releeue mee I am in trouble not by chance but of thine owne wil not in thine anger to destroy me but in thy loue to reforme me my sinnes I doe confesse haue offended thee and yet are they strong in mee it is a deadly disease which none can cure but thou through the bloud of thy sonne O wash me throughly from mine iniquity cleanse me from my sinnes vse not thy seuerity against me O Lord for I were neuer able to abide it but as thou hast begunne gently to correct me so proceed not as a iust Iudge but as a louing Father so shall not I wax worse and worse but shall grow from vertue to vertue from faith to repentance and consequently to newnesse of life by thy spirit Make therefore thy corrections light vnto me by thy supporting hand that though they be many they exceed not my power to beare them for I am of my selfe weake but assisted by thy spirit I shall become strong and though I be ignorant how to ease mee of this burthen he shall teach mee that repentance that through faith in thy Sonne shal procure the mitigation of mine afflictions though they be many and of diuers kinds they are all knowne of thee and all necessary for mee because thou hast sent them and that not in vaine for all worke and worke together for my good through thy blessing I am cast downe I am brought low I am scorned because of my basenesse and troubles but I beare it and keepe silence when I heare the vpbraidings and contempt of my late familiars who abandon my ancient-society because they wax aloft and I become low this yet comes not to passe without thee thy hand is in euery action for the good of thine if enemies assaile me thou biddest them if pouerty and want oppresse me thou sendest it if sicknesse afflict me thou doest it and therefore good and none of these shall exceed my strength through thy strength As for mine enemies thou canst bridle them for pouerty and want thou canst supply them for sicknesse and carnall infirmities thou canst cure them all these haue their turnes to visit me onely to turne mee to thee Lord I come vnto thee reiect me not I pray vnto thee deny me not but as thou hast eares to heare and eyes to see euen from Heauen heare my prayers and behold mine afflictions they are great yet they shew the greatnesse of thy loue that wouldst not that I perish therefore imbrace I thy corrections as a gentle yoke not heauy but only to my carnall part to which euery crosse seemeth a curse and euery medicine seemeth mortall Beare with my weaknesse Lord and lay not much trouble vpon mee but according to the measure of mine affliction let the measure of my patience be and the measure of thy mercies aboue measure And as thou obseruest my sinnes so consider what correction is fit for my reformation I know thou art iust but most sweetly tempered with mercy yet no equality betweene thy mercy and thy iustice for all thy waies are mercy and truth and there is no iniustice in thy feuerity for thou shewest mercy to whom thou wile shew mercy and executest iustice iustly Who then can complaine in whatsoeuer sharpe affliction when all mens sinnes are the cords that draw them vpon them and no man deserueth thy mercy to bee freed from them therefore disclaime I any merit of mine Lord to bee released and craue onely mercy for thou in thy mercy wilt blesse the righteous and with fauour wilt compasse him about as with a shield so that no affliction crosse or trouble shall be too heauy for him Thou Lord hast promised to be a refuge for the poore yea a refuge in due time euen in greatest afflictions O hide me therefore in thy Tabernacle in the secret place of thy pauilion hide me and set me vpon a sure rocke VERSE 6. That he will now lift vp my head aboue mine enemies round about me therefore will I offer in his Tabernacle sacrifices of ioy I will sing and praise the Lord. DAuid hauing bin long beset with enemies