glory of God might shine in the face of Iesus Christ whose glory we sée in the preaching of his word wherein he declareth the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glory This glory the more the spirituall man beholdeth the more is he moued with desire to sée more and more and can neuer be sufficiently filled with that heauenly Contemplation Much were the Disciples moued at the sight of Christs transfigured glory in so much as they desired to haue enioyed the sight of it still so glorious it was that their minds were euen rauisht with the beauty thereof So Dauid desired to dwell in the Temple of the Lord not for a day but all the daies of his life to behold the beauty the goodnesse and mercies of God reuealed in his Word and to exercise himselfe in prayer Where God is duly and truly called vpon by a holy Congregation there appeareth the glory and beauty of Iehouah There is the Arke of the Lord the presence of the mighty God of Iacob whose glory filleth the Temple which the faithfull man séeth with a spirituall eye but the carnall man though bodily present in the same Temple apprehendeth it not As when Paul was conuerted he saw the glory of God shine vpon him but they that iournied with him though néere him saw nothing So that God is onely séene of them to whom hée pleaseth to reueale himselfe This beauty of the Lord shineth in the hearts of Gods elect children by the reuelation of the holy Ghost which none séeth but themselues And they take such sweet delight in the beholding of the face of God in Christ as they doe receiue in their soules the very Impression of the Image of the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and truth euen as Moses receiued thorow the splendor of the glory of God vpon Mount Sinai in his countenance such an impression of that glory that the children of Israel could not endure to behold with their eies the glory of his countenance What remaineth then but that we neglect not the continuall visitation of the temple of God to accompany the Congregation in the hearing of that heauenly Word to pray vnto God for his blessings and to giue him praise for his benefits And the Lord open our spirituall eies that we may euen here behold his beautie and bee hereafter pertakers of his glory A Praier for spirituall knowledge and increase of our holy desires to visit the Temple of God to heare his Word to pray vnto him and to praise him O Gracious Lord God most louing who reiectest none that come vnto thee with a perfect heart and none can come vnto thee vnlesse thou call him as well by thy inward Grace as by thy outward Word Vouchsafe according to the riches of thy Grace to grant that I may be strengthned by thy Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in my heart by faith and that my whole spirit soule and body may bee kept blamelesse to the comming of the Lord Iesus For thou knowest Lord what I am by nature a man vnworthy to enter vnder thy roofe or to presse into the place where thine honour dwelleth For thou art a God that louest righteousnesse and acceptest of such as are of cleane hearts and whose conuersations are vpright before thee but I am a sinner and corrupt as all my fathers were Cleanse me therefore O gracious Lord God in the bloud of Iesus Christ and make me fit to approach thine holy Temple that I may see thy beautie and behold thy glory Open mine eares that I may heare prepare my heart that I may vnderstand what thou teachest in thy word Enlighten mine inward eies the eies of my soule that I may see thee and take comfort in thy presence And open my lips that I may speake vnto thee in faith and answer mee againe in loue Teach mee that celestiall language that may moue thee to heare me For what booteth it me to come into thy house with deafe eares not to heare thee without attention to vnderstand thee mute and not be able to speake vnto thee Yet I know good Father that thou hearest them that cannot speake and thou teachest them that vnderstand not and thou openest the eies of them that see not such is thy loue towards vs as thou acceptest euen of the language of heartie sighes whither they be for sinne or for want of spirituall graces Thou knowest the inward desires of the heart tending to good or euill I am sorry good Father that any corruption lurketh in my defiled heart to keepe out that blessed guest thy Spirit I cannot of my selfe abandon corruption I cannot of my selfe so mortifie my sinne but that the dregges therefore will still remaine But cast me not out of thine holy Temple because I am a sinner but rather because I am a sinner admit to visit thy Temple to heare thy Word that I may learne to liue more and more obediently vnto thee Make thou my heart cleane and I shall bee all cleane so shall I visit thine house to honour thee and comfort my selfe by thy holy presence and shall take spirituall pleasure in thy beautie and be finally pertaker of thy glory Thou louest righteousnesse O make me righteous Thou hatest iniquity abandon my sinnes Knit my heart vnto thee that I may both feare and loue thy name Giue me a holy desire to seeke thee and to serue thee both in the materiall Temple with thy people and in all places at all times for thou art euery where to be found And where thou art there is thy house for thou dwellest not in Temples made with hands but in the heauens and in the hearts of them whom thou hast sanctified Turne thy face vnto me O Lord for thy face I seeke Shew me thy beauty and glory of thy countenance and change mee into thine owne Image by thy Spirit and in the same Spirit admit me continually to visit thy holy Temple Make my heart stable and vnblameable before thee in holinesse that I may serue thee with a sincere and pure heart and conscience vndefiled That I come not into thine house onely to seeme religious but in true faith and due reuerence and giue thou a blessing vnto my godly desires Amen VERSE 5. In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his Pauilion shall he hide mee and set me vpon a Rocke THe very name of Trouble is fearefull to a worldly man for he loues pleasure ease and when trouble commeth he is cast downe and is as it were at deaths doore but the true childe of God being fore-warned that if he will liue godly he must looke for and prepare himselfe to suffer trouble and affliction in this life Trouble therefore doth little or nothing moue him when it commeth because when he first entred into the schoole of christianity he learned that
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
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
world if I say Satan inticed me and I did sinne thou hast commanded me to resist Satan and his tentations so that though I plead with Adam that my Heuah my carnall part that thou gauest me did moue me and I did sinne it will be no excuse for mee if I say the world allured or Satan tempted me it booteth me not and therefore Father I cannot but freely confesse against my selfe that I euen I haue sinned and done all these euills against thee against thee O Lord I haue sinned against my selfe and haue deseruedly stirred vp thy displeasure against me and in thy displeasure is death This this O Lord is the gaine that my sinnes haue gotten not onely a dissolution of the soule and body due to all flesh but the death of body and soule due onely to impenitent sinners among whom I euen I acknowledge my selfe worthy to bee numbred without thy mercy For who hath power Lord by his owne corrupt nature to repent By nature Lord I sinne How can I by the same sinfull part repent of that wherein nature it selfe delighteth A fountaine bringeth not forth bitter water and sweet How then Lord can I bring forth true repentance out of a corrupt heart as it is corrupt Yet Lord though my heart bee corrupt by nature being made in part sincere and holy by thy grace it shall so farre forth worke repentance as is thy grace powerfull and effectuall in me So that though sinne by nature dwell in me by thy grace may sanctity also as Esau and Iaakob in Rebeccahs wombe striuing for superiority Therefore good Father as Esau the elder gaue place and became seruant to Iaakob So let sinne which is in me the first borne giue place in mee vnto sanctity And let sanctity haue the sole dominion in my heart then shall my heart bring forth the good fruits of a godly life though while I liue here the weeds of corruption will also grow but Lord let them not ouergrow the good seed of thy spirit but let them wither and die before they grow vp to beare any fruit vnto death But feed me now at the last with the most wholesome fruits of thy spirit and giue me grace to expresse my sorrow for my sins that I haue done with an inward relenting heart grieued that euer I contriued sin in my inward thoughts that euer I acted it or consented vnto it Lord see and behold my sorrow for my sins if it bring not forth sincere repentance water it so with thy mollifying spirit that it may worke in mee that which may testifie that I repent indeed so that sinne may become loathsome vnto me and sanctitie sweet And although while I carrie about me this vnholy lump of earth my best exercises cannot but sauour of the fountaine from whence they flow if of corruption corruptly if of thy spirit heauenly O season therefore my heart O Lord my soule and whole man with thy spirit that whatsoeuer I thinke speake or doe may sauour from aboue that I may feele in my heart and soule a true and liuely detestation of whatsoeuer sauoureth of the loue of this world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the pride of life Giue me strength to performe all perfect obedience in all righteousnesse euen to the forgetting of sinne And yet to remember my sinnes past and to repent them that thou my louing Father before whose presence I presently stand maiest bee pleased to turne thy louing and fatherly countenance in mercy towards me in the merits and mediation of Christ my Reedeemer Let these mine humble petitions O Lord ascend vp vnto thee and let the infallible tokens of thy mercies appeare towards mee that my heart now cast downe for feare of thy iudgements may bee againe lifted vp feeling the inward testimonies of thy mercies in Christ. To whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour praise and glory A Praier for the morning with thankes for rest and safetie O Father mercifull and euermore louing in Iesus Christ who this night past hast beene a powerfull and prouident Watch-man ouer me euen when by the deadnesse of sleepe I was depriued euen of sense care or feare of any danger which yet without thy preseruation and prouidence might suddenly haue seized vpon me and that by infinite meanes For Lord thou knowest what a malicious and watchfull Aduersary we haue who is attended on by a troupe of infernall Ministers that hourely seeke by some meanes to surprize vs Besides the corruption of our owne nature that is alwaies working in vs sinfull thoughts vncleane desires and most vngodly affections mouing vs in our night-wakings in stead of holy meditation and godly praier to purpose the committing of infinite sorts of sinnes when we enter into the day hauing no meanes to preuent the execution of most sinfull actions but by thine owne most gracious working holy feare and godly obedience in our hearts Wherefore louing Father I come this morning into thy holy presence from which I cannot hide mee and vpon the knees of my heart I vnfainedly intreat thee that as it hath pleased thee this night to preserue me and giuing me comfortable rest and sleepe in safetie so thou wilt be pleased to watch ouer mee this day that no danger befall me either in body soule or any thing belonging vnto me But that I may be so led vnder the pauilion of thy protection guided by thy spirit that neither in thought word or deed I may offend thee endeuouring to performe all holy and heauenly duties vnto thee my God who for all thy mercies requirest onely pure and sincere obedience which is also thy gift for none by his owne power can thinke a good thought much lesse Lord worke any thing pleasing vnto thee but the contrary therefore disclaime I all mine owne merit and cleaue onely vnto thy mercy in Iesus Christ Humbly beseeching thee for his sake to take charge of me this day preuent the malicious intentions of Satan and his ministers mortifie mine owne sinfull affections and infuse into my heart all diuine graces that my waies this day may nothing sauour of sinne but of sanctitie And as I haue by thee safely passed this night so I may begin continue and end this day and all the daies of my life in thy faith feare and obedience And that in all mine actions whereunto I am bound by my place and calling I may so walke and so performe them as that thy blessingâ— may accompany whatsoeuer I endeuour Giue me Lord an vpright heart asking and let me euer receiue counsell from thee to be guided in whatsoeuer I purpose that so prospering the glory may bee thine to whom all power wisdome strength and glory belongeth Amen A Praier to be vsed before a man goes to his rest LOrd as it hath now pleased thee to bring mee in safetie to the end of this day and hast therein by many blessings testified thy fatherly care
ouer me so let my heart within me through faith and faithfull obedience testifie mine vnfained thankfulnesse to thee The light of this day hath afforded vnto mee that benefit which the darknesse of the night could not though to thee the day and night are of equall light for with thee is no darknesse at all But to me as I am blinde by nature the day and night are of like darknesse and obscuritie though the light of the day discouer visible creatures yet as long as the darkenesse of the ignorance of heauenly things possesseth my inward parts I see not at all as I ought to see the light of the day doth administer vnto my corporall eies many outward obiects which often causeth me inwardly to erre and outwardly to goe astray as the sinnes which I haue this day committed by the miscarriage of mine eye may witnesse against me Forgiue it Lord vnto me and grant that the light which thou hast created good turne not through my corruption to thy dishonour and my shame but as the light of the day is a most especiall blessing to the good to doe good offices in this life so let me vse it to the doing of the works of diuine light not of darknesse Let it hence-forth serue vnto mee as a Motiue to the Contemplation of that celestiall-light that is neuer ouershadowed with darknesse and to the obseruation of thine immensurable greatnesse and power in creating and preseruing of thy Creatures visible numberlesse Giue me grace that I beholding the infinite works of thy hands may with diuine modesty consider thy wisdome in framing and disposing them thy deepe and vnfathomable prouidence in oftentimes turning those things to the comfort of those that are thine which their enemies suppose and hope will tend to their confusion This also is thy doing maruellous in the eies of such as either know thee not or that thinke all things to come to passe without thy direction and limitation Lord I haue this day found that thy wisdome hath directed me thy power hath preserued mee and thy prouidence guided me And in thy great mercy I haue finished this day in safetie and receiued many blessings at thy hands acknowledging yet my selfe vnworthy of the least of them by reason that I haue many waies offended thee Though I haue not noted in my thoughts all my sinnes yet thou knowest them And if the righteous man fall seuen times a day how often haue I that am all corrupt sinned this day None is so iust as sinneth not but he is blessed to whom thou O Lord imputest it not Sinners couet secrecy they hate to be seene but loue the sinne darknesse is their desire and the night is as a Closet to hide them in conceit when thou O God seest their actions in the darke as at noone day O preserue mee in thy light Lord and grant I neuer couet to doe that in secret whereof I should be ashamed to commit it openly and euen this night now come vpon mee vouchsafe Lord to ouerspread the bright beames of thine all shining light ouer me that sinne enter not into my heart in the darknesse of the same And let me make my night wakings as interims gained for Meditation and Praier And that I may spend the intermissions of my sleepe in preparing my selfe to my finall rest That through thy power and prouidence I may rest safely this night free from all danger of soule and body And that rising againe in the morning I may not bee forgetfull to giue thee the glory And as the night succeedeth the day and the day the night so let my faithfull praiers succeed holy Meditation and a holy endeuour to worke righteousnesse succeed my faithfull petitions Let thine eares be open vnto my praiers Let thine eies by way of blessing be vpon all mine actions Let thy prouidence preuent whatsoeuer mischiefe Satan or any mine enemies his complices shall plot practise or endeuour to execute against me In hope whereof I doe commit and commend my selfe my soule and body and whatsoeuer concerneth me into thy most powerfull protection this night in the name of Christ thine alone beloued To whom with thee and the holy Ghost be ascribed as most due all honour praise and glory for euer Amen Lord euermore increase my faith
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
but before we speake he will answer vs and while wee are yet praying hee will heare vs and helpe vs and we shall giue glory vnto his name The faithfull onely haue the promise to bee heard and releeued when they call faithfully and perseuere constantly on the true God What true comfort then or hope can they haue in their prayers that in stead of calling on the liuing God in Christ cry vnto and trust in false gods They may cry and knock their breasts and cut their flesh and afflict their bodies like Baals Priests without profit though they may prosper and preuaile a while to the hardning of their hearts in the end they shall be confounded and perish at the rebuke of the God of hosts as were Pharaoh that great King of Aegyt that contemned God Exodus 14. 27 28. Senacherib that blasphemed God 2 Kings 9. 35. Antiochus that wicked root Mac. 1. 11. and all such wicked Tyrants that despising the liuing God trust in their owne strength and hunt after the children of God to shed their innocent bloud let them alone their confusion sleepeth not The strength of an army is faithfull prayer to the God of armies an host of men munition and militarie furniture are necessarie meanes but without deuout and feruent prayer to God best counsell is vaine aad strength feeble But where God is present in both affording a blessing to both there is certaine and true victorie We are not indeed to expect miraculous deliueries and to neglect the meanes but where ordinary meanes faile of necessity there may wee safely pray and expect extraordinary Our owne experience doth approue this to be true in two principall late deliueries wherein neither the force nor wisdome of man can bee said to haue the first place but God alone by his owne wisdome found out the preuention and gaue such issue to the inferiour execution as is maruellous in the eies of all men admired euen of our enemies against whom God himselfe shewed himselfe an enemy which may teach and encourage vs and all posterities to bee confident constant and conuersant in feruent prayer to him that saued vs and discouered and discouraged those that rose vp both openly and secretly to haue as it were swallowed vs vp quite And by these our deliueries we may well see and vnderstand that if we call vpon him he can worke for our preseruation as well without meanes as by meanes yea where ordinary meanes faile he is able to raise extraordinary as hee did in parting the waters for his owne people to passe and with the same waters drowned their enemies for he is the same God he was then and he that saies that God neither can nor will worke extraordinarily at this day denies him to be God at this day but as faithfull prayers were auaileable in our fore-fathers daies as when Moses prayed feruently the Israelites preuailed and when hee waxed cold the Amalekites had the better Exod. 17. 11. euen so are feruent and faithfull prayers effectuall at this day We must yet beware lest while we pray with our tongues that our hearts and hope bee not set vpon carnall meanes for then will God haue no respect vnto our prayers God will be either the whole or no obiect of our assurance he will part his owne glory with none He may and doth afford his most faithfull children visible meanes and if by them we preuaile we may not attribute our good successe vnto the meanes but vnto the sword of the Lord not to Gideon wee may not say this man did or without that man wee had beene ouercome man may doe valiantly but the victory is onely of God who blesseth the meanes neither are we to neglect outward meanes and so presume vpon God it is a tempting of him and argues no true confidence in him neither may we contemne the meanes be they neuer so seeming weake for Gods power is seene in weaknes and his wisdome in our ignorance Therefore whether our means seeme likely or vnlikely of good successe let them neither lift vs vp or cast vs downe neither make vs presume or despaire for God can saue as well by few as by many as appeareth by Gedeon who with three hundred men ouercame a huge host of the Medianites Iudg. 7. 13 He can supply our occasions as well by little as by much Elijah with little food trauelleth forty daies and forty nights 1 King 19. 8. Many examples might bee produced but no man conuersant in holy Scripture is ignorant and therefore our faith should not bee the more assured through the greatnesse nor the more dismaid at the weaknesse of visible meanes but to depend onely on the prouidence of God in prayer wherein we are to vse all reuerence knowing that we are in the presence of an infinite Maiesty Our prayers also must be sincere without hypocrisie for hee is a God that searcheth the heart he is iealous he will not be mocked nor can he be deceiued by outward conformity for he can finde out a counterfeit though Izaak could not discouer Iaacob from Esau Ahijah the Prophet by the Spirit of God could discouer disguised Ieroboams wife 1 King 14. 6. Therefore must our prayers proceed from a sincere vpright and faithfull heart beleeuing that God is willing to beare and able to performe what he promiseth otherwise we make him a God without mercy that can and will not heare a God without truth that can and will not performe his promise or a God vnable to doe it Pray therefore in faith reuerence humility and true deuotion pray with the whole heart without wauering or doubting without limiting the holy one of Israel either in the time when the thing what or the manner how hee should doe the thing thou desirest for hee knoweth best what when and how to doe all things for thee therefore as Moses said vnto the Israelites hold you your peace and see the saluation of God Then pray and be heard aske and receiue seeke and thou shalt finde fauour with God at all times in all places and vpon all occasions euen thy God will bee ready to helpe in greatest time of need which God for his Christs sake grant so be it Errata PAge 7. line 2. for Haman reade Hamun p. 18. l. 1. for dâ—m reade dâ—uinâ— p. 75. l. 17. for Maan reade Maon p. 326. for meâ—rly reade verily p. 134 l 9. for equality reade inequality THE IMITATION OF DAVID his holy resolution in all his troubles A Premeditation touching the argument of the 27. Psalme MANY worthy testimonies the holy Scriptures doe afford vnto vs of holy Dauids godly and constant resolution in bearing his troubles and afflictions his admirable deliuerances and his thankfulnesse to God for the same whose worthy example may very fitly administer vnto Gods faithfull children of what estate calling or condition soeuer worthy matter of imitation of his most godly resolution in like dangers troubles and afflictions and that without imputation