excited to seeke for heavenly blessings and spirituall graces VERSE II. When shall I come and appeare before God IT was Davids resolution One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seeke after Psal 27.4 that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life Here you see the performance thereof He doth not grieve for the losse of any outward benefit nor so much as mention his former estate but onely desireth to appeare before God whereby he hoped to obtaine that for which his soule thirsted It is true that God seeth us in all places Whither can I goe from thy face O Lord or whither can I flee from thy presence But his favour and loving countenance is chiefly revealed in the assembly of the Saints Cant. 6.2 My beloved is gone downe into his garden to the beds of spices God is present in the congregation where the prayers praises of his children are offered up as sweet odours before him In it selfe the presence of God may seeme a cause of horrour and feare to us sinners who are as stubble be him a consuming fire Wee know that the Israelites were afraid to come nigh Moses Exod. 34.30 unto whom the Lord had appeared Naturally we are ready to hide our selves from the presence of the Lord God â—en 3.8 But in Christ we have confidence and free accesse and having found him a loving Father we for ever pray Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us Psal 4 which wee desire above any good above all the good in the world The father in the parable said Luk. 15.31 Sonne thou art ever with mee and all that I have is thine So we by presenting our selves before the Lord come to be made partakers of all his blessings Thereby wee are gathered under his wings of providence and mercy Mat. 13.48 Thereby wee are within the compasse of the net and shall be taken with the good Thereby wee have communion with God and his Angels and one with another Then let us come and appeare before God The children of this world are wise in their generation If they have hope of benefite or advancement from any superior how diligent will they be in their attendance Oâ—arem ut oâ—â—endas me 〈◊〉 esse hominâ—â— non ingâ—atum Poâ—â—â— an Nâ—â— indignus quâ—m tu alâ—qâ—â—ndo respicâ—â— How desirous to bee ever in view How politicke in that which they give chusing some Present of use and remembrance Happy were we if wee were thus provident for our soules Then would we set our selves before the Sunne of Righteousnesse the light whereof would be sweet and pleasant unto our eyes Our darke understandings should be illuminated and we made glorious within But if wee neglect such precious means of salvation our danger is greater than that of Queene Esther Esther 4. shee feared to perish by a temporall death because shee went unto the King not being called We may feare to perish both body soule unlesse wee doe come unto the great King who hath so often called us who hath held out the golden scepter of his word unto us Absalom having lived two yeares in Ierusalem and not seene the King shewed the dutifull affection of a good sonne in this particular 2. Sam. 14.32 that hee had rather bee put to death if there were any iniquity in him than to bee any longer deprived of the sight of his father By which example wee may learne to value this royall priviledge that wee have in appearing before God And to count it more deare unto us than life it selfe And yet most men do not value this singular prerogative that God hath given them even the whole world abideth in this sinne There was a day Iob. 1. when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord but the sonnes of men care not for the seaventh day nor any other day wherein to present themselves before him Some there are that be worse than the three guests invited to the marriage Luk 14.18 for they pretended that they could not come these absolutely deny and say they will not come and before that they will come they will pay the earnest peny here and reserve the greatest payment untill the last For with what comfort can they expect to appeare before God in that great day who never cared to appear before him in their life yea rather than they would then appeare they wil call to the hils to cover them There be others that are so encumbred with the affaires of this life that they little thinke of appearing before God untill that hee doth punish them for that neglect As the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ by instruction Gal. 3.24 so the judgements due by the Law for our sinnes have beene as our Schoolemaster to bring us unto Christ by correction When wee have beene as wanton children addicted unto play and omitting that which wee ought most seriously to intend the Lord hath dealt with us as hee did by Lot and his wife being mercifull unto them Gen. 19.16 while they lingred and were backward in departing from Sodom God sent his Angels which layd hold on them and brought them forth While wee have beene unwilling to forsake our sinnes and ascend up into the holy mountaine God hath sent his Angels with their swords drawne some great plague which hath cut off many thousands in the way that could not then come and appeare before God and hath scourged others into the TeÌ„ple which before were carelesse in that duty though formerly wee would not say with Samuel Speake Lord for thy servant heareth then wee have beene enforced to say Heare Lord for thy servant speaketh Being poore wee have spoken supplications wee have humbled our soules in fasting and mourning and the Lord in wrath hath remembred his wonted mercies Some there bee that come abruptly without due preparation as if they were brought thither unawares by some greaâ— strong wind 1. King 19 â— but the Lord was not in that winde They looke for the same immediate and miraculous assistance of Gods spirit which the Apostles had who tooke no thought what to speake Mat. 10.19 for it was given them in the same houre So they take no thought what they heare nor how they heare thinking it shall bee given them in the same houre Their customary performance in the first entrance I cannot relate without indignation how rude and insufficient it is doth appeare unto all men Will God regard that prayer which thou thy selfe dost so little regard Whereas thy Soliloquie then though performed with the best reverence should be but as the Amen to thy private devotions that went before judge in your selves is it comely so to doe Holy David who so earnestly desired to appeare before God when hee had that liberty granted unto him did hee rashly and unadvisedly thrust himselfe into
may bee compassed about with that brazen wall of a good conscience and secured from the censures of uncharitable men as Mithridate is made of the viper so let us make that to bee our Antidote which is here spoken by those that had sharpened their tongue like a serpent Psal 140 3 judging our selves that wee may not be condemned by them In the time of prosperity let this bee ever sounding in thine eares Where is thy God And thou shalt bee kept from wrath and misery when they do wound thine heart while they continually say unto thee Where is thy God Had Eve thought upon these words they would have bin an ornament of grace unto her head and chaines about her necke Shee would not have beleeved the father of lyes before the God of truth but for want thereof shee miscarriâ—d by eating that forbidden fruite for which her soule longed Had David thought upon these words being on the roofe of his house hee would have said as hee did at another time The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-worke Then would he not have defiled himselfe with her that was purified from her uncleannesse Neither should these his enemies have said unto him Where is thy God And although this affliction be grievous for the present yet wee receive many benefits thereby which may bee sufficient to deterre an evill speaker from that outrage Thereby wee are put in minde to examine our selves and to humble our soules for our former sinnes We know they could not speak thus without Gods permission Wee hope that the Lord will requite good for their cursing We mourn before him wee duely consider his dealing with us and fervently pray to be set at liberty as David when they spake thus unto him he had teares for his meate hee remembred these things and hee powred out his soule in him VERSE IIII. When I remember these things I powre out my soule in me FOrmerly hee powred out his teares and now hee powreth out his soule For as the body without the spirit is dead so our teares without the soule are dead also Wee know that young Ptolomy being in Cesars custody he wept before him Regius animus disciplinis failacisâ—imiâ— cruditus Hirt. But when hee was dismissed hee warred against him So there be too many that while they be under the rod of correction doe lament greatly feeling present anguish and fearing future torment But being set at liberty they return to their pollutions which sheweth plainly that though they shed many teares they did not with holy David powre out their soules Hee remembred the reproach of the wicked for how could hee forget that which was so often objected against him and this made his soule melt for heavinesse Psal 119.28 Iob 30.16 and be powred out upon him as Iob speaketh Hee remembred his happy estate which compared with the misery now suffered did augment his sorrow Lam. 2.19 and made him powre out his heart like water before the face of the Lord as Ieremiah doth counsell And hee hoped to bee restored unto his former joy and to finde comfort by prayer and therefore hee powred out his soule before the Lord as Hannah practised 1. Sam. 1.15 And hee was inlarged by trusting in Gods mercies Hee received a twofold benefit by considering the dayes of old the yeares of ancient times The one was to sustaine him in his trouble Psal 77.5.10 by remembring the yeares of the right hand of the most High who had dealt bountifully with him Heb. 11.21 And as Iacob worshipped leaning upon the top of his staffe So he in this weak estate did repose himselfe upon the grace and favour of the Almighty The other was to makâ—â—â—â—e sinnes to be as detestable unto him as they were abominable before God by calling to minde how gracious the Lord had beene towards him how unworthily hee had requited the Lords goodnesse and how great blessings hee had lost by the sinnes hee committed For I had gone with the multitude even with all the house of Israel being of one heart and of one minde But now I am constrained to flee with my houshold with strangers and exiles I went with them to the house of God But now I goe from the house of God Nor dare I suffer Zadok who should be a Seer to carry the Arke which ought to abide in the city with mee in this my private condition lest that anger of the Lord which smote Uzzah bee kindled against mee also I went with the voice of joy and praise playing upon all maner of instruments with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet blessing the people in the name of the Lord But now we weepe and have our heads covered I went with a multitude that kept holy-day unto whom I gave bread flesh and wine Yea I danced before the Lord and offered burnt offerings peace offerings But now I may feare that I am appointed as a sheepe for the slaughter and that the Lord will have no delight in me In this disconsolate estate hee flyes unto God by prayer And as he powred out his complaint before the Lord when hee was pursued by Saul Psal 142.2 and was delivered so now hee powred out his soule and thereby became more imâ—râ—gâ—â—ble than hee should â—ave beene by abiding in the strong hold of Zion Having found such safety therein he commends the use thereof unto others Trust in him at all times yee people Pâ—â—l â—1 8 Powre out your heart before him God is a refuge for us In the time of trouble wee must renounce all strength and worthinesse of our owne and then God will have mercy upon us Wee must empty our selves that so wee may be filled with heavenly comfort How glorious things are spoken of Prayer in the holy Scripture Moses would not let God alone untill hee had quenched that wrath which waxed hot against the Israelites Exod. 3â— 10 Iacob would not â—et Him goe Gen 32 28. untill hee had obtained a blessing and was â—â—â—refore called Israâ—l It is â—â—ported of Archimedes â—hat hee vainely presumed by â—is art hee could move the whole earth if he might have beene lifted up from it But wee know assuredly that righteous Elijah being cast downe upon the earth 1. King 18 4â— did move the heavens themselves Iam. 5 7. hee prayed earnestly that it might not raine Hee prayed againe and the heaven gave raine So that prayer may bee compared to the ladder which Iacob saw in his dreame Gen. 28.12 It was set upon the earth and the top of it reached to heaven and behold the Angels ascending and descending on it By prayer men made a little lower than the Angels doe ascend and the Angels doe descend for our protection to pitch their tents about us As Ionathan climbed up the sharpe rocke and subdued his enemies 1. Sam. 14.13 So by prayer wee overcome principalities and powers
doth behold us as hee did his servant David delivering us out of all afflictions And in the performance of holy duties hee seeth us as he did Nathaneel Ioh. 1 48. sending his grace to prevent accompany and follow us Lastly when that which is perfect is come wee shall with Paul see him face to face 1. Cor. 13.12 Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun Eccles 11.7 If this outward light bee so delightfull then what an excellent blessing is it Num. 6. verse 25 26. when the Lord doth make his face to shine upon us and is gracious unto us and doth lift up his countenance upon us That wee may obtaine this benediction wee must bee obedient unto his Word When hee saith Psal 27.8 Seeke yee my face Our heart must answer Thy face Lord will I seeke Not for a short time 105.4 but continually And though a man beholding his naturall face in a glasse goeth away Iam. 1.24 straightway forgetteth what manner of man hee was yet wee when the Lord hath in mercy revealed himselfe unto us must not forget his benefits but ever bee mindfull of his gifts that are without repentance and alwayes praise him for the help of his countenance Wee cannot expect deliverance out of trouble unlesse God doth helpe us and when wee have received many blessings wee shall neither desire nor yet bee able to praise him without the helpe of his countenance So that God doth provide both the altar and the sacrifice Hee freely bestowes his benefits and he doth enable us to offer our thankes-giving and to praise him for the help of his countenance VERSE VI. O my God my soule is cast down within mee VVHen the disciples could not cure him that was lunaticke Mat. 17.15 they bring him to Christ himselfe So when David could not by his owne endeavours cast out this spirit of heavinesse hee seeketh unto the Lord of life to speake the word and this disease of his â—oule shall bee healed Haâ— he recovered his life of comfort by a stedfast hope in Gods mercy which hee laboured for in the formeâ— verse yet then hee must have confessed that it was the grace of God whereby iâ— was effected But that which is obtained by prayer doth come more immediately from Gods right hand and for such blessings wee are most thankfull Wee come with confidence unto the throne of grace when wee have used and doe use all good meanes to recover strength and assurance Doth God bid us doe some great thing we doe it willingly Doth hee command some small thing therein also we yeeld our cheerefull obedience I cannot give sufficient testimony unto these two so excellent duties serious examination of the soule and fervent praier unto the Lord The former like Mount Sinai full of terrour when by looking into our selves wee feare and tremble because of our guiltinesse having offended against the lawes of God The latter like Mount Sion Heb. 12. bringing consolation through Iesus the Mediator of the New covenant whose bloud speaketh better things than that of Abel In the right performance whereof our griefe is asswaged if we prostrate our selves before the Lord in prayer hee will raise up our soules with spirituall comfort This is the best refuge of every beleever whereby he hopeth for these sure mercies of David And this is the Sanctuary of a Christian from whence hee cannot bee taken and wherein hee shall not perish Our sorrow may often cause us to call upon the Lord but the soule is never cast downe so low as to bee wholly disabled from prayer Being of a sorrowfull spirit though wee cannot expresse our misery yet wee can speake in our heart unto the Lord. David being dejected by griefe and heavinesse doth yet lift up his soule in prayer and beleeves that God is his God though now hee seemed to forsake him When the winde doth blow wee wrap our garments more close about us in trouble wee draw neere unto God and labour to apply his promises unto our soules The childe walking in the darke doth adhere unto his father and takes hold upon him that hee may guide him and preserve him from danger So wee in the most disconsolate estate doe cleave unto the Lord and repose our whole confidence in his love Our Author in speaking of God and his soule doth thus plead for himselfe Thou art my God and I am thy servant Let the wicked bee clothed with shame and dishonour let their heart dye within them But redeeme my soule that I may not bee desolate because I trust in thee Deliver mee from all my feares and thou Lord shalt bee magnified which hast pleasure in the prosperity of thy servant My soule is thy gift it came from thee and I have given it unto thee How can it ascend towards thee when it is thus pressed downe by manifold troubles The waters are come in unto my soule Psal 69.1.2 I sinke in deepe mire where there is no standing My soule abiding in this darke house of earth lyeth prostrate upon the ground and is not able to rise Lord heare the poore and despise not thy prisoner Let thy salvation O God set me up on high let thy light and thy truth lead mee and bring mee unto thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles VERSE VI. Therefore will I remember thee from the land of Iordan and of the Hermonites from the hill Missar ANother help which David used to sustaine himselfe in this time of trouble was by calling to minde the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of Iordan Iosh 3. where God provided a passage for the Israelits preserved him when he passed over to shun Saul So now going over the river 2. Sam. 17.22 hee hoped that God would make a way for him to escape the danger that might come by Absalom Whereas hee nameth the land of Iordan and of the Hermonites he suggesteth to our remembrance the victory which God gave unto his people when they tooke the land that was on this side Iordan from the river of Arnon unto Mount Hermon at which time Og Deut. 3.8 who was of the remnant of the giants was overthrowne And thereby his hope might bee confirmed that although high-minded Absalom was swoln with proud conceits 1. King 20.11 and girding on his harnesse diâ— boast himselfe as if hee had put it off yet the right hand of God was not shortned noâ— his power diminished Buâ— hee will save and deliver all them that put their trust in him Now these three places here mentioned being the bounds of that countrey inhabited by the Israelites Iordan towards the East Hermon the North and the hill Missar the South hee might from thence have this comfortable assurance that God who was pleased to give unto his people so fruitfull a land after their tedious passage through the wildernesse would likewise in
are not able to apprehend the manner of his gracious dealing with us When the Lord turned againe the captivity of Sion Psal 116.1 they were like them that dreame Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing The Apostle himselfe in his gaole-delivery Act. 12.9 wist not that it was true which was done but thought hee had seene a vision At what time soever God is pleased to inspire his grace and comfort into us we ought to rejoyce therein and by night on the bed to seeke him whom our soule loveth Cant. 3.1 Circumscribatur nox aliquid ex illa in diem transferatur Senec. abridging that time of rest and ease that it may become as beneficiall unto us as the day it selfe David was not satisfied by offering the sacrifice of thankesgiving in the courts of the Lords house Psal 116.17 and paying his vowes in the presence of all the people But in the night also he would continue his song of Gods mercy Siquis adest auditor luâ—ciniae prius al imus quam cantus deficiet Like that excellent bird which is never weary or spent by continuing her delightfull notes So this sweete singer of Israel was uncessant in praising the Lord not giving sleepe to his eyes untill hee had blest his holy name In time of affliction hee made his bed to swimme praying unto the Lord to returne and deliver his soule Now in prosperity hee gives thankes for the blessings hee doth receive When our bones are vexed and our sleep departeth from us wee pray unto God to deale mercifully with us But when our diseases are healed wee doe not returne to give thankes being soone overtaken with heavinesse and security And yet David did endeavour to watch in the night that hee might sing praise unto the Lord. He did not then onely meditate in the Law of God when he could not take any rest as Ahasuerus had the booke of the records of the Chronicles read before him Esther 6.1 when hee could not sleepe for now hee might lye downe in peace and sleepe when God made him to dwell in safety Much lesse did hee intend to procure sleepe by a sinister performance of any good duty which notwithstanding is a corrupt practice of many men who by singing or reading or hearing or meditating will have an unworthy aime to bring themselves asleepe and yet confessing that the enemy is most busied when they are best exercised And therefore David saith Psal 149 5. Let the Saints sing aloud upon their beds Thereby to testifie their cheerefull devotion and also to prevent that spirit of slumber Such as shall thinke to obtaine quiet rest by performing any such action in it selfe commendable they doe like unto that people which followed Christ not because of the miracles Iohn 6.26 but because they were filled with the loaves So these seeke him not that their faith may bee strengthened but that their bodies may bee refreshed The words then used by them being as a charme to gaine their purpose Wee know how dangerous the fall of Eutichus was Acts 20.9 and yet he was overcome by a deepe sleep against his will whereas these men doe addresse themselves thereunto stretching out the arme to welcome sleepe rather than to declare any fervent zeale And therefore as their offence is more hainous so their fall will bee greater And they also offend in an high nature who in publike are not able to watch one houre but doe settle themselves to their repose With what horror may they feare to be awakened by the sound of the last trumpe who have despised the voyce of God And how can they sleepe without suffering many things Mat. 27.19 because of that Iust Man whom they so unjustly contemne in their neglect of his Word exhibited unto them This example may be very forcible to convince the sluggard that folds his hands to sleepe Shall David improve the night to so happy an use and wilt thou consume both day and night in drowsinesse and sloth Also this good act here mentioned doth confute them that neglect the frequent use of so heavenly a duty Whereas the Apostle doth call upon us to sing with a grace in our heart Ephes 5 29. Col. 3.16 making melody unto the Lord. Quod essent soliti stato die antelucem convenire câ—â—menque Christo quasi Deo dicere secum invicem Plin. Iun. And in former time Christians were so fervent in spirit that they would not forbeare their spirituall songs in the night though their lives were brought in danger thereby Vide Tertullian in Apologet Buâ— now excepting that generall exercise in the congregation where there be too many abridgments of abridgements the use thereof is not so common as it ought to be In some families it is rare in other it is never thought upon In Societies and Colledges where friends meeting privately in the end of the best day Luke 24.32 perhaps their heart may burn within them while they talke about the Scripture but yet this holy duty is much omitted which if it were conscionably performed in a religious manner would bring comfort unto the soule by letting the servants of God to depart in peace Mat. 26.30 That hymne which Christ sang with his Apostles may bee a president unto all that are in authority to doe likewise David saith that the Lords song shall be with him in the night Psal 118.14 And that the Lord is his strength and his song which doth confound the foolish love-songs and unreasonable poems which are too much in request Songs in praise of Venus and the great Diana to the dishonour of their Creatour the shame of the maker striving to get a name though it be by their owne confusion This their way is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings Of these we may say as Ronsard spake of the famous Du-Bartas He hath done more in a day then I have done in my whole life So David hath done more by this song in the night than they by the writings of their whole life Wherefore let them forbeare any longer to exceed their bounds in loose dittyes and wanton catches whereby youth is soone taken as appeares by the lewd songs so common in their night-walks more harsh to every good eare than the voyce of the raven or any prodigious bird VERSE VIII And my prayer unto the God of my life BEfore he spake of the blessings received God commanding his loving kindnesse in the day time Of his thanks-giving for those blessings singing praise unto God in the night And now he betakes himselfe unto Prayer for the continuance of those blessings and supply of all graces needfull Wee see our poore and weake estate in this life If God withdraw his right hand we fall and perish If he stop the fountaine of his mercies we dye for thirst Wee cannot say that we are rich