Gods presence Hee whose musicke was so coelestiall did he not first bring his instruments into tune and then praise the Lord upon them Psal 26 6. Hee first washed his hands in innocency then did compasse thine Altar O Lord. There bee many that doe lend their bodily presence but doe not give their soules unto God Some that have not entred into Iobs covenant with their eies and they gaze after vanity others that minde earthly things and they rob God of his honour making the house of prayer a denne of theeves Mat. 21.13 And â—hough Christ when he came as Man did correct those money-changers with the rods of men onely making a scourge of small coards to drive them out of the Temple Iohn 2.15 yet at his second comming hee will whip them with scorpions even with that woâ—me of conscience which never dyeth How shall any sinner presume to appeare before the Lord before whom all things are naked and manifest unlesse he resolve to abandon all wickednesse Hee seeth thee as if thou wert then acting thine hainous sinnes And if the Lord did threaten to punish a secret sin before all Israel before the sun 2. Sam. 12.12 then how terrible wil he be in taking vengeaÌ„ce upon those daring presumptuous sinners who make that most holy place a stage of wickednes a cage of all uncleannes Therefore let us renounce all sinne and with Cornelius present our selves before God to heare all things commanded of God Let me not seeme uncharitable I would be sorry to offend the least of those little ones There bee some that desire frequently to come and appeare before God which is a good gift and commeth downe from the Father of lights But then you must take heed lest that tares grow up in lieu of the good seed If any shall think the worke done that is being present in the Congregation to be a worke meritorious it proceeds from that old leaven of popery and must bee purged out So often as God suffereth thee to appeare hee giveth another talent which being well used will further thine accompt but otherwise increaseth thy condemnation Thinke that which thou hearest to bee of the nature of a prophecy which is never fulfilled but by thy practice Be not like he blinded horse that goeth â—lwayes in the same compasse 2. Tim. 3 7. It is good to bee ever lea ning but it is most dangerous to bee never able to come to the knowledge of the truth and if not to the knowledge then much lesse to the practice of it Though custome in sinning takes away the sense of sinne yet let not our ill doing of good have the same bad effect Cursed will hee be that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and a surfet by the abuse of Gods blessings must needs bee mortall The continuall sound of the Word hath beene like the Catadupes of Nilus to make us deafe And the frequent usâ— of it hath rebated the edge of our affection so that wee doe not hearken unto the Lord though the Lord hath beene pleased to hearken unto us As yet the Lord hath been slow to anger and plenteous in mercy Mal. 3.16 not rewarding us according to our iniquities Psal 103. For a long time we have enjoyed this freedome to come and appeare before God The Word hath continued as long as man liveth the years of the Gospel have beene threescore yeares and tenne and if those yeares be made up fourescore wee must wonder at the Lords mercy Now is the acceptable time and the day of salvation So long as wee have this blessing to approach into his presence there is hope of pardon and reconciliation Esther 7 8. 6.13 but if once our faces bee covered as Hamans was that we may not appeare before the King of Kings wee may feare that prediction of Zeresh will be fulfilled in us Ne amplius faciem regis videret ut sicbat apud Persas ris qui à gratiâ regis exciderant Iun. Wee shall not prevaile but shall surely fall into woe and misery It is true that God sometimes denieth this liberty unto his beloved children as here unto David that they cannot joyne with the assembly but then they are uncessant in their prayers to be restored and enlarged and their hearts are the more inflamed with the love of God and they learne more highly to prize those blessings which before were offered unto them As the Church refused to open unto Christ when hee knocked Cant 5.6 but after he had withdrawne himselfe shee sought him with all diligence And thus God prepares a table for us in the wildernes and relieves us in our greatest necessity Wee may see what assurance David had in saying When shall I come hee doth not say I shall never come but beleeveth there will bee a time of comfort Psal 27.4 when hee shall inquire in the Temple Nor is it without cause that hee so much desireth to appeare before God having ever found his eare open unto his prayer As for Saul the Lord was angry with him and would not answer him neither by dreames 1. Sam. 28.5 23 2 4 11 12 30.8 nor by Urim nor by Prophets but when soever David inquired of the Lord he received a gracious answer which made him say How amiable are thy tabernacles Blessed are they that dwell in thy house Psal 84. for a day in thy courts is better than a thousand and hee was glad when they said unto him 122.1 Let us goe into the house of the Lord yea in his greatest agony after hee had laine all night upon the earth and his head both was and seemed to be as a fountaine of teares even then in the beginning of comfort he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped before hee would eate any bread 2. Sam. 12.20 And now when he fled from his sonne he thought it the best testimony of Gods love that he might come and appeare before him 2. Sam. 15.25 If I finde favour in the eyes of the Lord hee will bring me againe and shew mee both the Arke and his habitation And although he were prohibited from building of the materiall Temple yet had hee dedicated his body being the Temple of the holy Spirit 1. Cor. 6.19 unto the service of God And hee erected a Church in his house wherein all the vessels were holy Rom. 16.5 for none that wrought deceit might dwell therein Psal 101.7 and there also God was honoured And lastly hee set up a Basilica a building well beseeming such a King when hee and all the house of Israel did bring the Arke into Zion which was an assurance of Gods presence among the people Wherefore let the same minde bee in you Philip. 2.5 which was in David and in Christ himselfe Psal 16.8 who foresaw the Lord alwaies before his face Act. 2.25 Let thy closet
I shall give him that is 6.35 hee that beleeveth shall never thirst but out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters 7. 38. 4.14 The water that I shall give him shall bee as a Well of water springing up unto life everlasting Then spring up O well sing yee unto it Num. 21.17 and let thy soule thirst after him Iohn 19.28 who in his passion said I thirst who thirsted after us our salvation who drank off the dregs of the cup of his Fathers wrath that we might drinke the cup of blessing By the cluster of grapes that the spyes brought they might judge of the fruitfulnesse of the land And by the first fruits that the Lord giveth us in this life wee may in part discerne what the whole vintage will be hereafter Even by tasting wee see how good the Lord is Psal 34.8 who doth sustaine us in this our pilgrimage 107.5 when we are hungry and thirsty and our soule faint within us if wee cry unto him hee will relieve us And as the Lacedaemonians doe never satisfie their children with food Ita liberos alunt ut nunquam satientur Heraclides that thereby they may learne to endure hardship So those blessings which God giveth if rightly used doe make us the more to thirst after him And to speake as the Church doth stay me with flagons Cant. 2.5 knowing that the best wine is reserved untill afterward Iohn 2.10 and the greatest comforts untill that better life For this kingdome wherein wee live wee may speake as the Lord doth of Canaan Deut. 11.10 that it is not like the land of Egypt which thou wateredst with thy foot as a garden of herbs But a good land a land of brookes of water of fountaines and depths that spring out of valleyes and hils wee have enjoyed the waters of life and the plenteous means of salvation True it is there was a time when the three yeares of Elijah his drought were doubled upon us and therein the burning heate of persecution But as Isaac repaired those wells of Gen. 26.18 water that had been stopped by the Philistims which Abraham his father had formerly digged so our Deborah of ever-blessed memory hath opened those fountaines which her father had digged Isai 12.3 since which time with joy may wee draw water out of the wells of salvation Then let us take of the water of life freely Revel 22.17 Milites religione pluviâ magis usi â—am rati sese dâ—ts immortalib curae esse Salust And as that army which would not drinke but only of the raine comming as they thought from the divine providence to relieve them So let our soules be enlarged in seeking of spiritual blessings thirst after the Lord â—sal 143.6 as a thirsty land which opens it selfe to receive the hevenly showers Eucherius We may reade how thankful great Kings have beene unto those that in their thirst did refresh them Caesar in Senec de ben Xerxes in AElian Artaxerxes in cod and give them water Then how should we praise the Lord for giving us his Sonne Christ Iesus the fountaine of all grace and comfort who came downe like raine upon the mowne grasse Psal 7â— 6 And though it be the commendation of David that mercifull King that he would not drinke the bloud of those three mighty men that went in jeopardy of their lives 2. Sam. 23.16 and brought water unto him when hee longed for it yet will it be our condemnation if wee doe not drinke the bloud of our Saviour which not by the hazzard but by the losse of his life hee hath given unto us And surely wee have great encouragemeÌ„t to thirst after the Lord For it is a blessed thing to thirst after righteousnesse Mat. 5.6 and we have a promise that wee shall bee filled And as by outward thirst some are recovered from diseases of the body Miraberis quosdam fame ac siti curari Senec. so by this heavenly thirst wee are cured of all maladies and troubles both of soule and body Wherefore as new-borne babes let us desire the sincere milke of the word that wee may grow thereby It will bee as strong drinke unto us when wee are ready to perish Prov. 31.6 and as wine when our hearts are heavy But most of us are so farre from this happy thirst that we are ready rather with those stifnecked Israelites to murmur against the Lord Our stomacks are so full that wee loath the honey comb the word of life which should be sweeter unto us than the honey and the honey comb Like those that have the jaundies Mel omnibus dulce â—etericis tamen c Alex. Aphrodys that which is most pleasant seemeth bitter and offensive unto us And as the sheepe Oâ—e aperâ—o vento recâ—pâ—entes fâ—â—m suam se 〈◊〉 Val. Mâ—â— whose thirst is quenched by the winde we are better satisfied with vanities and more contented with our inventions than with the water of life How justly in regard of our contempt may the Lord remove those blessings from us turn our water-springs into dry ground Psal 107 â—4 and this fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein â—ai 65.13 When his servants shall drinke but ye shall bee thirsty and as the old Historian speakes of a people that perished for want of water Psylli interciderunt Auster eis omnia receptacula aquarum arfecerat Herodot so this nation may bee consumed for want of this living water which now wee so lightly esteeme at which time Nocturnum â—â—câ—pere roâ—em cogeâ—tutur Caesar bel Civil like those that have beene constrained to receive the dew of the night we may earnestly desire the least drop of heavenly comfort and not obtaine it Pandunt orasiti nocturnum que aâ—â—a captant Lucan If wee duely consider wee will approve the wisedome of David in this choise which hee made to thirst after the living God Whose mercyes never faile but they are renewed every day with whom is no variablenesse nor shadow of change whereas all things else are subject to alteration There is no life in them unlesse it proceed from the Lord If wee repose confidence in any worldly benefit wee may as soone be destitute as Hagar was Gen. 21.15 when her bottle was empty there had beene a worse casting out than the former unlesse the Lord had opened her eyes to see the wall of water Doe wee receive sustentation and comfort by any outward gift As the brooke Cherith dryed up 1. King 17.7 because there had bin no raine in the land so wee shall presently be at our wits end if the Lord withdraw his mercies from us Yea thougâ— wee have abundance of these things here below though our well bee deepe like Iacobs our river doth overflow the bankes like Iordane how soone
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
praised like Absalom for beauty and Absalom to bee praised for nothing but his beauty As their first King was higher by the head than the people so the chiefe praise height of this King had been his head the haire whereof he was more fit to weigh than to guide the ballance of justice Such as was the case of David 2 Sam. 16.11 such is the case of every one of us Hee complaines My son which came out of my bowels seeketh my life Mat. 15.19 That which commeth out of us seeketh our life and would defeate us of the kingdome we have and of that we hope for And as to Absalom there joyned Achitophel whose counsell was as the Oracle of God so with our corruptions there doth joyn Satan whose counsels for a long time were Oracles Both of them cruell murtherers in their advice and suggestions In these extremities David finds favour in the eyes of the Lord and is compassionate towards his sonne Not like Manlius Summum Iuâ— who being over-just caused his sonne to be executed for fighting against the enemy Hictor deliga ad palum Livi lib. 8. though not without victory yet without authority Nor like that Senatour that gave command to have his sonne Fulvius put to death for joyning with a traytor Quem retractum ex itinere parens necari iussit Salust Nor yet like Saul who would have put Ionathan to death as being too good a sonne to live under so bad a father But he shewing himselfe to be as naturally a father of pity as of this unnaturall son commanded the Captaines for his sake to deale gently with the young man 2. Sam. 18.5 If wee take this Psalme to bee propheticall it may bee referred unto the Iewes and that in a twofold estate Either as they were captives at Babylon where being reproched and oppressed by their enemies they desire to bee restored to Ierusalem that they may worship the Lord Or else being in a more cruell bondage while they serve the lusts of their owne hearts Rom 11.10.25 their darknesse and blindnesse being worse than that of Zedekiah it pleaseth the Lord the fulnesse of the Gentiles being come in to open their eyes mollifie their hearts and to cause them to seeke and sue for the meanes of salvation If thou art not satisfied in those former explications but dost apprehend the aime and intention of the Psalme to be more generall I will speake that to thy consolation which Nathan doth to the terrour of David Thou art the man who being wearied with daily reproaches of the wicked and heavy laden with the manifold afflictions of this life dost desire to depart and be with Christ where is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Here we see the carriage of the godly in time of trouble how far it doth differ from that of other men The Lord doth not require that wee should be as the dead sea Non est tranquillitas Malacia est Senec never to be moved by any tempest Apathia etiam ipsis Stoicis improbata Gelli But in all our distresses to be supported with inward comfort expecting a joyfull deliverance as our Author doth in this place in assurance that he shall yet praise the Lord his God Whereas other men are ready to sinke and be swallowed up in any tryall Plutarchus Cicero how did hee droup and wither in the time of his suffering as if his soulâ— also had beene banished out of his body not being able to speake one word to perswade himselfe And Cato so often magnified by Seneca whose works are fraught with the doctrine of desparation as if wisedome had dyed or rather had killed it selfe with him Iob 12.2 with what poverty of spirit did he surrender himselfe Hirtius in bell Aâ—ex Senec. epist 13.24.70 c. in lib. de Bon. vir That his violent fury and outrageous madnesse how is it applauded as a worke of liberty and glory Diverso itinere malos à bonis loca taetra habere Salust And yet formerly upon another occasion hee himselfe was able to speake that there was a place of horror reserved after death for such as were evil 〈◊〉 cum Deus istis te corporis custodiis liberaverit c. Macrob. And it was their owne opinion that only they could passe into the place of blisse whom God did call thereunto But the estate of Christians is otherwise who are so farre from being overwhelmed by crosses and afflictions that like trees exercised by the stormy wind they grow to bee better rooted and established in all graces Psal 92.12 And doe flourish like the Palme-tree who not being surcharged with those burthens imposed upon them Non deorsum palma cedit c. Gellius at last obtaine a victorious triumph In our approach to the entrance of the Psalm wherein David speakes to the Lord wee may see the excellency and dignity of prayer which is a soveraigne remedy for every trouble So long as we seeke to hide and conceale our sorrow wee carry a fire in our bosome which will burne us The winde being pent and restrained within the bowels of the earth what overthrowes and desolations are wrought thereby 1. Sam. 1.15 But if with Hannah out of the abundance of our griefe we can powre out our soules before the Lord spreading our misery and necessity before him as Hezekiah did the letter of Senacherib the Lord will fill us with comfort and make a way for us to escape out of all our tryalls Si operam meduantis expectas oportet ut vulnus detegas tuum Boct. Then doe not thou keepe silence lest thy bones be consumed but discover thy disease that so thou maist bee healed VERSE I. As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God THe Hart panteth after the water-brookes Quibusdam anni temporibus incredibili ardore a quas expetit Calvin as being unable to endure heat which to prevent it will wade into the depth Aquas orâ— tenus subit Iul. Scal. Or else there being deadly fude betweene the Hart and the Serpents Plini when shee hath devoured any of them shee desireth the waters to coole her Pierius Festinat notos subito se â—ergere in amnes Bargaeus Aelian l. 13. cap. 35. Occuliturque undis praeter caput Bar. Cerva in palude delituit Gell. Pluvio cum forte secundo deflueret Virgil. Novas vires colligit Calv. Fragrantem toto de corpore ponit odorem Bargaeus Or being flung by them shee hasteneth to the Rivers where shee obtaineth her medecine Or Lastly being chased by the Huntsmen shee taketh soyle using the water for a refuge being very expert in swimming And that her thirst being abated her strength may bee renewed And shee being cleansed by her washing may bee free from the sent and so avoyd the danger For these and the like
in the overthrow of those that are good How did the heart of Herodias dance within her for joy that Iohn was put to death with whose head they sported as with a Tennis-bal How did the fire wherein the Martyrs were burned warme the very hearts of their persecutors unto whom the light thereof seemed more glorious than the Sunne in the firmament Confugiâ—nt ad homines Plini Cantu mulcatur animal stupidum Iul. Scal. Aut pâ—niccae septum formidine pennae Virgil. As the Hart seeketh reliefe from man when it is distressed and is deluded by a pleasant sound and readily driven into the nets and taken so there is nothing more easie than to deceive a good man who many times reposeth confidence in those that prove treacherous unto him in charity believing all things hoping all things not having that worldly wisdome that others have But as the best and surest refuge of the Hart when his might is empaired and hee beginneth to descend and bee spent then to proffer and desire the river so it is thy wisedome in affliction early to seeke unto the Lord who redeemeth thy life from destruction Psal 103.4.5 and satisfieth thy mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles In the time of our necessity there is no helpe for us but onely in the name of the Lord. All other succour reliefe will prove as weake and impotent as the broken reed of Egypt was to the Israelites or the hornes of the Altar to Ioab where wee may be taken and utterly destroyed If we trust to riches we provide for our selves Luke 12.19 as the rich man did that bade his soule live at ease because hee had plenteous increase of the fruits of the earth whereas the soule of man liveth not by bread therefore being famished may that night bee taken from him If we trust to wisdome and policy when the houre of darknesse commeth wee may with Ahitophel set our house in order but what mansion have wee provided whereinto our soules may bee received In the time of our sicknesse if we seeke to the helpe of man alone as Asa did wee may well expect the same successe that he had If we thinke our house to be our castle to defend us from storme and violence know Iob 1. that Iobs heire had as good an habitation How soone may wee with Nebuchadnezzar be driven away exposed to the dew of heaven Dan. 4.33 Miserable comforters are they all for who is God save the Lord Psal 18 3â— but let my soule long after thee O God Observe the benefit wee have by affliction when the winter of persecution and trouble doth kindlâ— our affection and stirre up in us a desire and appetite towards heavenly things Iâ— poverty was to bee liked because it shewed the fidelity constancy of our friends then may we esteeme this to be a great commodity that wee have by our affliction discovering not other mens but which more neerely concernes us our owne hearts It makes us see our poore weake estate and to seeke for strength and a rich supply of heavenly graces Our want doth cure our wantonnesse and calleth us who are troubled about many things to seeke that one thing needfull which is yet wanting Before wee were afflicted wee went astray like the Prodigall and walked in our owne inventions But when wee come to suffer hardship and are ready to dye for hunger wee begin to thinke of returning to our Father Et sua quemque advigilare sibi iussit fortuna premendo Manil Our calamities lying heavy upon us doe awaken us out of the sleepe of security and are as beneficiall as the mighty tempest was unto Ionah bringing us to true confession of our sins to fervent prayer unto the Lord our God who doth restore us unto the joy of his salvation If our tryalls have this happy and comfortable effect wee may safely conclude It was good for us wee were afflicted as David here who being hunted as a Partridge in the mountain is thereby excited with the more vehemency to seeke after the Lord. To seeke after the Lord wee have great encouragement who is a God nigh at hand ready to heare and deliver us in the day of trouble who is found of those that sought not after him that asked not for him Then doubtlesse will he in mercy reveale himself unto us if we cry unto him And our extremity is Gods oportunity when all other helpe is vaine then we see it to bee the Lords right hand that our soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler Then we are bound for ever to be thankefull unto the Lord who saveth us out of all our troubles Then we are taught to put our whole confidence in him having tasted and seene how good the Lord is in assurance that wee shall not want any good thing if wee seeke him The ungodly are not so but are like the chaffe which the winde driveth away having no harbour of safety being more destitute than any bruit beast The foxes have holes the conyes have rockes the Hart desires the river no creature but hath some place of shelter when it is distressed whereby it is relieved But these men though they have beene unjust with the Steward Luke 16.4 yet wanting his providence have not any house whereinto they may be received living within the reach of Gods might Eucherius ad Valerian out of the protection of his love Being outlawed from his favour and custody they may feare with that fugitive and vagabond Cain Gen. 4. that every one that findeth them shall slay them When the sound of Gods justice shall bee more terrible than the voyce of thunder and their owne guilty conscience like lightening shall strike them with horrour and amazement will they with that unworthy Emperour which hid himselfe under the bed Ad maiora tonitrua fulgura sub lectum se condere solebat Caligula Sueton seeke a covert to keepe them from the presence of the Almighty No their nakednesse and shame will then appeare to God themselves Therefore acquaint thy selfe with the wayes of the Lord seeke him while he may be found let thy heart be fixed and prepared Mat. 25.6 that though at midnight there be a cry made though thy danger and trouble bee both great and sodaine thou maist with the wise virgins bee received into the favour tuition of the most high Art thou oppressed and disquieted by an evill sonne who in stead of fulfilling his name or thy hope in being the Fathers peace proves contrary like Absalom the Fathers war seeking to thrust thee forward unto thine end Eucherius and desires thy death though hee received his life from thee Quis non patrisuo supremum diem ut â—nnocens sit optat c. Senec. Quid enim maius dare numina possunt Iuven. Mat. 8.21 who would willingly joyne
And in the pursuite of any of them wee may well consider that wee our selves are pursued by the enemy of our soules Sed maiori cum fastu Vbi aspexit venientem ad retia cervum Venator tacito â—audia corde premit Bal. Castâ—â—o who doth more desire to take us than wee to take the Hart in our toyles And wee may at the same time both take and be taken as many are who turne their liberty into licentiousnesse If after this manner our thoughts be lifted up in the time of refreshing Meditabar aliquid ut si manus vacâ—as plenas tamen ceras reportarem Plini Iun. Vt quamvis nihil â—â—perim non nâ—hil â—eferam Idem though wee get nothing wee may gaine something and both the outward inward man may be renewed Wee deny not this exercise of hunting to bee very commendable Romanis solemne viris opus utâ—â—etan ae vitaeque membris Horat. venatâ—o Suevorum vtres alit Caeâ—ar the which was much used by many nations in ancient times who beside that helpe of sustenance found many other benefits thereby Their health was preserved their bodies were strengthened Hoc se labore durant adoâ—escentes Gormâ—â—â— Idem and themselves by the hardship endured the better fitted enabled for more serious employment especially for military discipline Venatu extendere vitam abnuit Silvis Non me ulla vetabunt fâ—â—gora Virgil. Manet sub Iove frigido Venator Horat Iugurtha in Salust Olim certabant cum â—â—gacibus feris cursu cum aâ—dacibus râ—bore cum cailidis astâ— Pli. â—â— in Panegyr Pâ—al 32.9 Illa iâ—sa 〈◊〉 delectant nâ—cesse est â—vâ—cent ab intentione operis destâ—nati Quintiâ—an lib. â—o cap. 1. Maleficium â—oâ—â—us quam artific um Io. Sarisb when by those beasts which they hunted they may learne from such as were swift-footed speed and agility from such as were daring valour and courage from such as were crafty stratagems and policy Moreover the minde being surcharged may thereby find some release BUT in the use of them wee must not bee as the horse which hath no understanding Our affections must be restrained that our delight therein bee not either inordinate or immoderate God created us for his owne service we must not bee so re-created by our sports as if we had beene framed for nothing else Heb 11.25 In so doing wee make them pleasures of sinne for a season and that very short and it is folly in any man to place his chiefe contentment in that which he cannot constantly enjoy Also it doth discover the unsufficiency of these sports to satisfie the heart of man when wee shall see many being satiated with their former delights to be ever desirous of new esteeming that to be tedious and irkesome which before seemed most pleasant Great forrests and wide desarts for beasts of chase have proceeded from undigested riches and boundlesse luxury Barbarae opulentiae haud ulla sunt maiora indicia quam magnis nemoâ—bus â—altibusque nâ—bâ—lium ferarum grâ—ges claâ—si Quin. Curt. Camden in Oxon. And it is a strong presumption of the vaine and riotous prodigality of this Kingdom The having more Parkes than all Christendome beside That prophecy of the Apostle may strike terrour and examination into every one of us where he saith That in the last dayes perillous times shall come 2. Tim. 3. â— when men shall be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God Such as are too violent therein doe renounce that which is of more consequence and ought chiefly to bee sought after And those that are ravished with the pleasures of this pilgrimage Qui bestâ—arum cubiliâ—â—ndagat potiora deserit Segec Heb. 11.14.16 Cui peregrinatio duâ—â—â—non amat â—atriam Gen 25. â—7 declare plainly they doe not desire a better Countrey that is an heavenly Profane Esau is described to bee a cunning hunter and was thereby occasioned to sell his birth-right And afterward while hee was hunting he lost the blessing also finding no place of repentance though hee sought it carefully with teares Quam nunc â—ncâ—gnita vellent lustra sibi nuâ—losque datos venatibus annos Val. Flac. O pereant sylvae deficiantque canes Tibul. Take heed lest while thou art wholly devoted to thy delights our heavenly Father doth confer his blessings upon those his children which formerly sought unto him and so thy vanities end in vexation of spirit Then let your moderation herein bee knowne unto all men Phil. 4.5 Veloces iaculo cervos cursuquae satigat Acer an helaâ—ti similis Virgil. Spend not your whole strength and best endeavours so wastfully so unfruitfully Let not thy soule pant after the Hart but as the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so let thy soule pant after the Lord. There are two naturall causes of panting Wearinesse through overmuch labour Defatigatio ex laboris nimietate vel propter pulmonis parvitatem Causabon and so we being wearied with the restlesse troubles of this life should thereby bee excited to pant after the Lord. The other cause of panting is when the lungs are strait and small and not able to receive much breath which is differing from this for we pant after the Lord not when we are straitned in our owne bowels like the Corinthians 2. Cor. 6 12. but when our mouthes are open to cry unto him and our hearts are enlarged to seeke after him Then be you also enlarged and imitate this holy man David whom you may heare speaking of himselfe Psal 63.8 84.2 My soule followeth hard after thee My soule longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord Psal 119.20 My soule breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgements at all times Thus should wee from the beginning of our lives unto the end thereof pant after the Lord who is Alpha and Omega 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who breathed into our nostrils the breath of life Gen 2.7 That wise man among the Heathen Dici suspirium potest Hoc est aniâ—am agere Medici hanc medâ—tationem mortis vocant facit aâ—quando spiritus ille qâ—â—d saepe conatus est Senec. epâ—st â—5 being tormented with the disease of short breathing which he thought to be most painfull doth call it the Meditation of death wherein the breath doth often attempt to doe that which one day must bee done Then well may wee so often as we draw our breath bee put in mind of our latter end when the spirit doth returne to God that gave it And yet the greatest part of men are never sufficiently instructed to pant after the Lord untill extreme sickenesse and the pangs of death doe teach them whereas it the former part of our life had beene spent in numbring our dayes and remembring our Creator with what assurance and comfort might wee expect our dissolution Worthy Calvin Dâ—spâ—aeâ— Assidu è eâ—pâ—â—â—o dum me aâ—heliâ—us dâ—â—icâ—at who laboured of this
bodily disease looked daily when his panting should have an end and would often say Quousque DomineÌ„ How long O Lord And some space before his death which was just in the same moment when the sunne did set his prayers were nothing else but an expression of his souls panting after the Lord. The death of Coma was thought to be very rare Intra pectâ—s incâ—usa aâ— mafiâ—â—m sâ— repeâ—â— c. Val. Maâ— lib 9. cap. 13. who dyed by his violent retaining holding in of his breath But now there is nothing more frequent than this kinde of death though not of the body yet of the soule in those men which doe never pant after the Lord. Wee thinke it bee the signe of a dying man when his breath growes cold And our coldnesse in seeking after the Lord doth discover that the soule doth languish and is voyd of the life of grace For if our soules were inflamed with zeale the Kingdome of heaven should suffer violence Mat. 11.12 and bee taken by force VERSE II. My soule thirsteth for God for the living God When shall I come and appeare before God IN that expression which David used of panting after the Lord wee may well observe that it was not a weake and faint desire but most strong and forcible Now that wee not thinke it to bee too violent to endure and to passe away as a sodain flame in his outward speech rather than to burn constantly in the holy disposition of his heart it pleaseth God to perfect his owne good work and to give him this heavenly thirst And nothing is more frequent than for these two Aeris alternos angustat pulmo meatus Rescâ—soque nocent suspiria dura palato Lâ—â—an Oraque retro sorbet anhela sitis Statius Panting and Thirst to accompany each other If we take them as perturbations of the body that may be said of them which is spoken of worldly sorrow that they drye the bones and cause death But as in this place being rich endowments of the soule they bring life and peace and joy By those the outward man doth perish by these the inward man is renewed daily There is a thirst which beginneth when we hang upon our Mothers breasts and continues in the strength and vigour of our lives and doth not leave us in the time of old age but even to the very end we hold a just proportion with this last age of the dying world Nec sitis est extincta prius quam vita bibendo Ovid in desiring wine and strong drinke that thereby our vitall heat and radicall moisture may be preserved So that through abuse this vice of intemperate drinking seemeth to have a speciall right in these dayes wherein wee live The uncleane drunkard thinketh there is no other thirst but onely that with which hee is possessed nor any better meanes whereby to obtaine health unto himselfe or to confer it upon others than by profound drinking whereunto he addresseth himselfe as if hee were to encounter with his greatest enemy Persae potum tanquam adversarium aggredâ—entes Aelian and doth more than fill himselfe with strong drinke inflaming wines and hot waters and though improperly drinking more than these only to kindle a desire of drinking more Vt Anglorum corpora in Barbarorum naturam degenerasse videntur Camden in Elizab. I affect antiquity herein and will not name that which I finde was never anciently named Hereby doth hee deprive himselfe of his reasonable soule and becomes voyd of sense and worse than the bruite beasts having no life left but onely that of the plants not being able to move and helpe himselfe And which I cannot mention without horrour how many are pierced with the dart of death as with the javelin of Phinehas in the act of wickednesse Iudg. 4.21 whose end is like unto that of Sisera after he had drunke at the same time to bee smitten in the head and deprived of life And whereas the death of a good man is called a sleepe the death of the drunkard is contrary whose senses being bound in the time of his life that hee could not use them by death hee is awakened Then doth hee see his estate to be miserable by the paines of losse and sense where againe hee thirsteth and cannot obtaine one drop of water to coole his tongue But why doe I speake to him who is not capable to heare whose case is most fearfull For whereas other sinners may bee convinced by reason he by the wilfull losse of understanding hath made himselfe a foole and is in danger of hell fire The contentious man thirsteth after the waters of Meribah and the cruell man for they must bee joyned thirsteth after bloud M. Anten vino gravis sitiebat tamen sanguinem Senec. Cyri caput in Val. Max. wherein is the life Nothing can satisfie him but the fall of his enemy But the bloudy minded man shall not live out halfe his dayes for though the divine vengeance should not overtake him as for the most part it doth with rancor and malice hee consumes himselfe and drinkes his owne bloud whose estate is worse than a Serpents for hee beareth about him such a poyson as doth destroy his owne life The covetous man is thirsty as the horse-leach Pro. 30 15. crying Give Give The adulterer refusing to drinke waters out of his owne cisterne desireth to drink stolne waters 9.17 which hee thinketh to bee sweet And the adulteresse thirsteth for that bitter water which causeth the thigh to rot a common judgement of these times Num 12.18.21 The swearer is so thirsty that he cannot speake without an oath in his mouth whose cursing shall come like water into his bowels Psal 109.18 and like oyle into his bones In a word every sinner thirsteth for the water of Marah which will be as gall in the belly and bitternesse in the later end Of all which I may speake as Samuel of the sons of Iesse The Lord hath not chosen these to obtaine a crowne of life But this holy thirst of the soule for God for the living God And whom should the soule thirst after but God alone For with thee is the Fountaine of life Psal 36.8.9 thou dost make me drinke of the river of thy pleasures 23.5 My cup runneth over 63.5 My soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse 65.9 Our gracious God doth visit the earth 104.11 and watereth the ridges thereof abundantly and giveth drinke to every beast of the field Doth God take care for oxen 1. Cor. 9 9. then much more for man 1. Tim. 5.23 to whom hee giveth liberty to use a little wine which makes glad the heart But most of all for the soule of man and therefore he calleth Ho Isai 55.1 every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and Iohn 4.14 whosoever drinketh of this water that
bee as an Oratory and therein doe thou appeare before thy Father who seeth in secret and will reward thee openly Mat. 6.6 Let thine house bee like a Church wherein thou and thine daily and duely in the day may serve the Lord and not like those Chappels in great buildings which are roomes of greatest necessity but of least use VERSE III. My teares have beene my meat day and night while they continually say unto mee Where is thy God BEfore he thirsted for the living God and now he saith That his teares were his meat So that untill such time as his soule shall bee filled with heavenly comfort he doth continue mourning My teares have beene my meate Whereby wee may understand the greatnesse of his sorrow which held him from taking his bodily sustenance My heart is smitten so that I forget to eate my bread Psal 102.4 And wee know that in the time of griefe the Elders of his house could not perswade him to eate meate with them 2. Sam. 12.17 Haec itaque sibi recordata est Postquam satigata â—uerat lacrymaudo Sc. Niobe Homer Il. 24. whereas the chiefe mourner in outward sorrow desired meate Or else his teares were his meat that is hee received the same strength and comfort by his teares that others did by eating He was fed with the bread of teares Psal 80.5 had teares given him to drinke in great measure And he had teares for his meate they were his whole repast so that no part of his food was wanting in them and that not onely in the day when others use to eate Psal 102.9 and when hee himselfe did mingle his drinke with weeping but his teares were his meat both day and night As Christ said to his Disciples I have meate to eate that yee know not of Iohn 4.32 so may every good Christian say I have meate to eate that the world know not of He findeth great comfort by the teares hee sheds which are the best evidence of Gods favour and love unto him For as it appeared that Elijah his sacrifice was accepted by the fire that fell 1. King 18.38 so it is evident that our sacrifice is accepted by this water that falleth downe Man is borne unto trouble as the sparks fly upward The crying of the child after birth is but the beginning of sorrowes Naturally wee are inclined to remorse in our selves Mollissima corda humano generi c. Iuvenal and compassion towards others And there bee many that have not power to retaine their teares Excidunt etiam retinentibus lacrymae Senec. Act. 22.28 but as the chiefe Captaine said that hee was not free borne but with a great summe hee obtained his freedome So wee by our birth are not able to shed such teares as David did but with many prayers wee obtaine this freedome that wee can mourne before the Lord. It is a signe of life in the childe if it cryes and it is a blessed testimony that wee are borne againe and have the life of grace in us when we cry unto the Lord and doe humble our selves in weeping and lamentation Teares doe accompany any vehement commotion Lacrymae omnis fere gravioris commotionis com tes Causabâ—â— and perturbation of minde True it is that any vaine and unworthy occasion doth produce teares sooner than godly sorrow which alone deserves them If wee knew rightly how to bestow them Nulli parcendum est rei magis quam huic cuius tam frequens usus est Sen. wee would not lavish them so fondly as wee doe In our selves wee are as withered branches having no sap nor moisture but from the root Christ Iesus The manifold troubles and miseries of this life doe make us to be obdurate Quantum est Helena quod lacrymat malum Sen. in Tro. and our hearts thereby come to bee harder than stones which give against the weather As Moses did smite the rocke twice Num. 20.11 Lam. 2.18 Terque quaterque manu pâ—ctus percussit honestum Vâ—rgil and the water came out abundantly so wee must often strike our hearts that teares may runne downe like a river day and night And wee must pray unto God who turneth the flint into a fountaine of waters Psal 114.8 to take out our hearts of stone and to give us hearts of flesh He it is that raiseth the springs from the depth of the earth Psal 104.10 and causeth them to run among the hils that worketh in us a broken heart and maketh the eye to runne downe with rivers of water Lam. 3.48 Wherefore as Achsah having received a South-land of Caleb her father Iosh 15.19 did sue unto him to give her also springs of water and hee gave her the upper springs and the neather springs so wee should pray unto our father to give us the upper and the neather springs even an heart bleeding for our sins Lam. 3.49 and an eye trickling downe with teares of repentance yea wee should resolve not to give rest unto our eies nor slumber unto our eye-lids untill that we have mourned for our transgressions And although those Iewes were accursed of God and themselves being bound neither to eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul Act. 23. v. 12. yet we shall bee blessed yea thrice blessed shall wee bee if wee bind our selves neither to eate nor drinke untill wee have fervently sued for this meate which was Davids diet most comfortable to the soule And as Adam in the sweat of his face was to eate his bread so wee by our importunate and effectuall prayer should seeke for this food of our soules which may bee compared unto Manna that came downe from heaven Exod. 16.14 and it is God that giveth this unto us that came with the dew of the night and this we receive with those teares which wee shed that ceased when they came to Canaan Iosh 5.12 and this shall cease when we come to the heavenly Canaan Revel 21.4 for then shall all teares bee wiped from our eyes Lastly as there was a golden pot of Manna kept in remembrance thereof so there is a bottle of our teares Psal 56.8 which God keepeth in remembrance thereof And that of it selfe may be the most powerfull argument to make us distill some teares because they are not as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up againe but God hath provided a flagon to put them in Also wee may consider the necessity of them Nec non etiam precor lympham Quoniam sine aqua omnis arida ac misera agricultura Varro that as the labour of the husbandman is vaine and fruitlesse without a plentifull raine to water the ridges thereof abundantly so other actions will be of small purport without these heavenly showers to refresh us when wee are weary Gen. 43.30 Wherefore as Ioseph sought where to weepe and he entred into his Chamber
and wept there so let us seeke some retired place Ier. 13.17 Nemo sibi tristis est Sen. that our soules may weepe in secret as Ieremiah did Worldly sorrow desireth to be manifest and appeare unto men but this godly sorrow is hidden from the eyes of men Siquis adest iussae prosiâ—unt lacrymae Martial none but our heavenly father seeth it And these our teares must not bee like the morning cloud or the early dew Hos 13.3 but as the former and the latter raine they must begin in our first conversion and they must continue so long as wee continue ever running down plenteously like Aarons oyntment Psal 133. which went down from his head to the skirts of his garments so wee should wish our head to bee a fountaine of teares Ier. 9.1 Cur non oculâ—s plures â—â—bis naâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Sen. in Tâ—â—b Cumâ—us fier didedertâ—n â—â—um duâ—taxat diem Senec. and that wee had many eies that we might sufficiently bewaile our iniquities And that not onely for a day which was the time set apart for sorrow but untill our eyes doe faile with teares weeping untill wee have no more power to weepe Lam. 2.11 1. Sam. 30.4 It is said of David that hee lift up his voyce and wept So wee when wee weepe must lift up our voice and our hearts also unto the Lord in prayer that so the teares which wee powre out may be as a drink-offering acceptable before him And though by reason of our teares wee bee not able to speake unto the Lord yet as Perseus wrought compassion in the people by his teares which stopped the passage of his speech Sed aliquoâ—ies dicâ—re incipientem cum lacrvmae praepeaâ—â—â—ent Livâ— so will the Lord have pitty upon us when through the greatnesse of our sorrow wee are not able to speake unto him Vocisque repens singulens apertum inercepit iter â— at yea then wee cry unto him with best successe when wee seeme to bee over-whelmed with our sighs and teares that we cannot distinctly utter our complaints before him Then also the spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what wee should pray for Rom 8.26 as wee ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be expressed Omnia Iugentium officia solerter finxit sed lacrvmae procedere nolucrunt Apul. Lacrymaâ— non sponte cadentes effâ—dit gemâ—tasque expressque pectoâ—e laeto Lucan Other gestures of sorrow may bee acted but teares are not so easily forced and though they sometime bee drawne out to make some appearance of outward griefe yet in godly sorrow wee know they bee alwayes sincere and just wherein they doe as much excell the other as orien pearle doe common glasse But let us thinke them to bee serious without guile yet how superfluous are they for the most part as one spake of a sorry Comaedian Rhodophili comaedia adeo infulsa est ut misericordiam potius quam risum excitet Iâ—l Scal. Quanto risu proâ—equenda sunt quae nobis lacrimas educunt Sen. Quae causa indâ—gna serenos faedavit vulâ—â—s Virgil. that hee did stirre up compassion rather than mirth So we may affirme the contrary That the teares of many deserve thus to bee reproved rather than to be pittied And unto others that are more passionate and dolorous yet not squaring their sorrow according to the rule of the Word wee may speake as Paul did What meane you to weepe and to breake mine heart Acts 22.13 as having a fellow-feeling of their weaknesse who for want of comfort and courage are weighed downe under the burthen of any calamity Wee should not bee ignorant of the devices of that wicked one who seeketh to deale by us as Cyrus did by those whom he besieged Herodot li. 1. hee divided the great river into diverse currents by the which hee passed over and subdued Babylon So our Enemy hopeth for victory by turning that streame of our teares which ought to bee for our sinnes into new passages If wee have any losse wee lament with unfained teares In the death of children wee refuse to bee comforted because they are not In the departure of our friends wee mourne as those that have no hope yea though wee part but for a time wee strive who should exceed in weeping whereas it would be our wisedome to keepe this river of teares within the proper bounds that it may not exceed the limits as Iordan doth in time of harvest and thereby hinder us from reaping our bâ—st benefit Canst thou mourne at some dolefull story yea it may be at some slanderous and malicious fiction Invida cur in me stimulasti musa Maronem Auson Qâ—od commentus est in odium Cartha ganiensium Foâ— Scal. as that of Dido killing her selfe And canst thou not mourne for thy sinnes both desperate and presumptuous whereby thou hast laboured to destroy thine owne soule Quod puduislet ipsum histrionis incommodis affection buâ—â—isericordem videri c. AE â—an As that cruell King arose and went from a Tragoedy confounded with shame and sorrow that hee should seeme to be touched with remorse at the false semblance of an Actor and yet be without any commiseration towards his owne subjects So wee may abhorre our selves that wee can dissolve into teares upon some frivolous occasion and yet bee without any contrition when it is most needfull Christ saith Mat 20.15 Is thine eye evill because I am good What eye so evill and so full of malice as that which is an enemy to the soule Wilt not thou mourn because God is gracious in giving his blessings in forgiving thy sinnes Rather let the bounty and long sufferance of God lead thee to repentance Strangulat inclusus dâ— lor atque â—or aestuatâ—ntus Ovid Doe wee finde such inlargement and quiet by those common teares wee let fall when we are surcharged and ready to breake for want of vent Fletus aerumnas levat Sen. then how great consolation may wee find by our godly sorrow when wee are as good grapes troden in the wine-presse and doe yeeld that precious liquor whereby the heart is cheered Est quaedam delendi volupâ—â—s prae ertimsi in amici sinu defleas Plin. Iun. Magis exurunt quos secretae lacerant curae Sen in Agam. Doe we receive solace and release in the sympathy of a friend unto whom wee powre out our complaint who pittieth us mingleth his teares with ours then how shall wee value these which wee shed in the presence of the Almighty Psal 39.12 who is not silent at our teares but speakes comfortably unto our soules Who is not like our friend that bids us bee warmed and filled not being able to give us those things we want But he doth warme our hearts with his blessings and fill our soules with comfort He hath delivered my soule from death Psal 116.8
30.5 mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling Weeping may endure for a night Vt levis quaedam moderata humâ—ctatio terrae affundatur Kecker and bee like unto the dew whereby a gentle moisture is spread upon the earth but joy commeth in the morning In the beginning of that great day when the Sun of righteousnesse doth arise Mala. 4. Isai 25.8 he will wipe away teares from off all faces In the meane while during this disconsolate estate wee receive light and comfort by that day-starre arising in our hearts 2. Pet. 1.19 the glad tidings of the Gospel So that as sorrowfull wee alwayes rejoyce 2. Cor. 6.10 It is most just that teares should bee our meate when as the eyes did at first offend in desiring to eate the forbidden fruite Gen. 3.6 which seemed pleasant unto them and to be desired for food where we must observe the Lords gracious dealing with us who hath taken out the sting out of our sorrow turned that into a blessing which might justly have bin a curse and a punishment For as meate came out of the eater so we receive comfort by our sorrow which might have beene as a lyon to devoure us And as Paul provided for the excommunicate person 2. Cor. 2.7 that hee should not be swallowed up with overmuch heavinesse So the Lord in mercy receiveth us that deserve to be cast out of his presence and giveth us this savoury meate better than all the delicious fare in the world for the which our soules doe blesse him both in life and death As it was a testimony of Iosephs love unto Benjamin Gen. 43.34 that his meale was five times as much as any of his brethren so it is a most sure pledge of God his love when hee giveth us a large portion of this heavenly meate It was a great honour unto Mephibosheth to eate continually at King Davids table 2. Sam. 9.13 but it is much more honourable unto us to eate the same spirituall meat and to drinke the same spirituall drink which David did Then let us covet this heavenly gift and as the Disciples said Lord evermore give us this bread so let us say Iohn 6. Lord evermore give us this meate that wee may live for ever Non in sacris tantum sed etiam in penore tangendo observavêre veteres Turneb Mar. 7.3 4. It was the tradition of the Elders to wash diligently before they did eate And Christ blamed the Pharisees for their superstition therein who made cleane the outside but within were full of wickednesse But this meat doth cleanse that which is within and the outside is cleane also Hereby we our selves are cleansed and all things are cleane unto us We have right unto the creatures to sustaine our bodies and this meate is a preparative unto that spirituall meat By the teares which we shed in our examination wee become in some measure worthy receivers of that food of our soules I may produce some examples of those that have mourned that we being compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses may likewise breake into a shower of teares And first behold how our blessed Saviour loved Lazarus Iohn 11.35 weeping for him being dead And hast thon no love to thine own soule Canst thou not weepe for thy selfe being dead in sin Did hee weepe Luk. 19 41. foreseeing the destruction of Ierusalem And canst not thou mourne to foresee yea to behold before thine eyes the miserable estate of Gods people Doth not the bloud of the Saints and servants of God that is shed move thee to shed some teares Shall Mary Magdalen weepe enough to make a bath for Christs feet And wilt not thou weepe that thine owne soule may bee washed and cleansed Did Peter weepe bitterly And dost thou delude thy selfe as Agag did 1. Sam 15.32 thinking the bitternesse of death to bee past without the bitternesse of sorrow And what shall I more say For the time would faile me to tell of Iob Iob 16.20 Act. 20.19 2. Cor. 2.4 whose eye powred forth teares unto God of Paul who wept with many teares of Ieremiah his Lamentation and of the rest of the Prophets Onely looke upon David who were it not for the disparagement Sic parvis c. may be compared to Heraclitus Et ipse inter deplorandos erat Senec. ever weeping But the one was to be pittied for weakenesse the other to bee imitated for holinesse His eyes were consumed because of griefe Psal 6.7 32.10 His life was spent with griefe Hee mourned because of the oppression of the enemy 43.2 88 â— 55 â— and by reason of his affliction 119.136 38 6. 6.6 Hee mourned in his complaint and rivers of waters ranne down his eyes because they kept not thy Law Hee went mourning all the day long and all the night hee made his bed to swimme His teares were his meate both day and night Let this move us to weepe with him that wept so much Rom. 12.15 knowing Psal 6.8 that God heareth the voice of our weeping Thereby we cast aside every weight both of sinne and sorrow And our eies being throughly washed by the teares of repentance wee come to see those things which the eare hath not heard nor is the tongue able to utter Psal 126.5 And at last after this wet seed time we reape in joy Now let us behold the doubtfull estate of those whose hearts are hard as the Adamant being yet in the bond of iniquity who thinke that this expression of sorrow doth arise out of an effeminate tendernesse But wee may say of laughter it is mad Eccles 2.2 The mirth and jollity of the wicked being like the laughter of a mad man for the which all his friends doe grieve Such being in subjection to the Prince of the ayre Neque solum linguam nutusque servituâ—e constringeret sed etiam oculis à naturâ tributam libertatem eriperet Aelian hee dealeth with them as that tyrant did who having interdicted private conference and discontented gestures and hearing of some that wept mourned he sought to forbid that also lest thereby some conspiracy might begin against him So Satan fearing lest that by the teares of contritioÌ„ they should cast off his heavy yoke and not suffer sinne to reigne in their mortall bodies his chiefe practice is to keepe them from godly sorrow And therefore hee dealeth with them as the Fox doth by the Goose which he taketh by the necke and so hindreth from crying out Hee stoppeth our complaint and prevents our crying unto the Lord Like a thiefe he climbeth up and entreth in at the windowes of this our earthly house and robbeth us of all grace and comfort Hee keepeth the eies for his owne passage making them instruments of wickednesse and brethren in cruelty Whereas if they were like the poole of Heshbon
full of this holy water hee should not be admitted thereby Heb. 12.17 If Esau found no place of repentance though hee sought it carefully with teares what can wee thinke of those that come short of him who as wee may feare came short of heaven Where it is said that in place of torment Mat. 8.12 Sum Nilus sumque Aetna simul Sanaz There shall be weeping the punishment is most just for them that never mourned in the time of their life The light of the body is the eye Luke 1â— 34 The light of the soule are the teares in the eye And as One Gallum Terrinium captum repentè ocâ—â—is ob ad media mori destinantem Sueton. who had lost the sight of his eyes did resolve to famish his body so they that want these teares doe seeke to overthrow the good estate of their soules not having this heavenly nourishment which David had Whose teares were his meat day and night VERSE III. While they continually say unto mee Where is thy God AS the friends of Iob that came to mourne with him did sit downe by him and none spake a word for they saw that his griefe was very great Iob 2.13 So likewise if we that passe by the way will enter into the house of mourning and consider and behold the greatnesse of Davids sorrow wee shall bee dumbe with silence and our sorrow also will bee stirred And yet these his enemies having no regard doe persecute him whom the Lord had smitten as if the corection of the Almighty were too mercifull they are inraged with bitter malice against him It was not one or some few but many of them that spake thus unto him Nor did the storme sodainly blow over but they persevered in this their fury And having singled him out they give him no time to recover strength but make him to be the only mark at whom they shoote their arrowes Psal 64.3 even bitter words And this they did not in the time of prosperity but in his greatest necessity 71.11 when as they thought God had forsaken him and there was none to deliver him 2. Sam. 16 9. then these dead dogs cursed the King They doe not upbraid him with any outward losse for they knew how lightly hee esteemed all earthly things but having travailed with iniquity Psal 7 1â— and conceived mischiefe they bring forth falshood and say Where is thy God As all the city cryed out when the Arke of God was taken And the wife of Phinehas about the time of her death named the child Ichabod â— Sâ—m 4. verse 1â— 2â— that is Where is the glory which was then departed from Israel So these his enemies thinking to make his sorrow to be deadly and desperate doe say unto him Where is thy God in whom thou hast heretofore gloried as if thou hadst some peculiar right and interest in him Numb 16.3 whereas all the congregation are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them He hath bin and ever will bee a God of mercy unto us And because the cry of that innocent bloud which thou hast shed is come up before him Hee will arise and shew himselfe a God of vengeance in punishing thy sinnes So that thou art taken to thy mischiefe thou bloudy man and thou man of Belial Iob. 4.8 8 2â— Having plowed iniquity and sowne wickednesse thou must reape the same for God will not helpe the evill doers Yea rather than thy sinnes shall goe unpunished thine owne sonne shall lift up himselfe against thee Thus did hee beare in his bosome the reproach of all the mighty people Before this Psal 89.50 he was checked for the pride and naughtinesse of his heart and that by a brother which should rather have beene a comfort unto him Hee was scornefully used and counted as a servant that had broke away from his Master where he formerly deserved kindnesse Hee was cursed with a grievous curse by Shimei who threw stones at him that in disgrace was called The Stone as if all his credit came by hitting Goliah and cast dust at him thereby telling him that God had raised him out of the dust but now hee had provoked the Lord. Hee whose tongue was his glory who made so many divine hymnes in praise of God yet was hee a proverb to the wicked and the song of the drunkards Psal 69.11 12. And what could bee more grievous unto him than to bee reproached for that faith and confidence which hee reposed in the Almighty as if his former profession were nothing but hypocrisie Also the measure of his griefe was the fuller because hee saw that this their calumny and words of hatred did reflect upon God himselfe as if hee should forsake those that put their trust in him And therefore hee mourned because they violently ranne upon their owne destruction Psal 1â—9 13â— in sinning against the lawes of God And such is our condition that when God hath gathered us under his wings whosoever doth seek to hurt us they strike at God himselfe and in our persecution hee also is persecuted Neither did they wound him with their tongues onely which they thought to bee their owne Psal 140.3 having adders poyson under their lips whereby being stung he lifted up his eies unto the Lord But also by their disdainfull carriage they vexed his righteous soule from day to day Psal 109.26 Isai 59 9. A tergo quâ—m nulla ciconia â—â—â—it Persius Vel coâ— moâ—â— vel digiti in â—â—aâ—iorie Câ—â—â—bon It being usuall to shake the head and to put forth the finger in disgrace Looke how it was in the dayes of David so it is now and so it will be unto the comming of the Son of man If a good man bee in affliction and sicknesse God chastising every sonne whom hee receiveth some there bee that will say Psal 3.2 There is no helpe for him in God thinking that bodily diseases are alwayes a signe of Gods wrath If hee fall into any offence through infirmity for who is hee that sinneth not they 1. Cor. 13. being uncharitable will rejoyce in his iniquity As when David wept and made sack-cloth his garment it was to his reproach Psal â—9 10 so the least spot upon the garment of those that mourn before the Lord shall bee made to appeare for their disgrace Yea though they walke wisely and circumspectly yet there bee some that perversly will make that which is straight to be crooked When David in an holy zeale and heavenly joy did dance before the Lord yet even for that Michal the wife in his bosome did despise him in heart Many that bee now in the same bosome of the Church and hope hereafter to bee in the same bosome of Abraham will speake contemptuously of those that desire to have a good coÌ„science in all things Heb. 12. â—8 and are willing to live honestly With the
and spirituall wickednesse in high places But then wee must take heed to observe the manner here prescribed which is to powre out the soule to confesse all our sinnes to purge out the old leaven Wee cannot thinke to possesse our vessels in holinesse 1. Thes 4.4 if wee suffer any dregs of uncleannesse to remaine in them And as the sent tast of the first liquor will continue a long time in a vessell after it be emptied Quo semel est imbuta â—â—cens servab â—odorem Testa diu So though wee have sincerely repented of all our sinnes yet that originall corruption remaining will make us cry unto the Lord to deliver us from this body of death But such as are indulgent to themselves may feare that their presumptuous sinnes will get the victory over them Wherefore as it is more commodious in the first making and digging of a garden to have it once well weeded when the bad roots may bee taken out than many times afterward So if thou wouldest bee like that paradise wherein God walked like that garden into which Christ delighted to come Cant. 5.1 6.2 then search every corner of thine heart in the time of humiliation that there may not be any roote bringing forth gall and wormewood Deut. 29.18 Wee know that the least childe remaining in the house doth hinder in giving state And how can God take possession of thy body to be his Temple when there is any sinne reigning therein If wee sinne we have an Advocate with the Father And as that client is like to speed ill in the triall who giveth advantage to his adversary in concealing the worst of his case from the Councell So hee shall bee confounded in the day of judgement that hath sought to hide his sinne For Satan thine accuser will discover that which thou didst hope should have beene for ever buried Then learne of Him that thus humbled himselfe to acknowledge all thy transgressions Hee is a foole in worldly affaires that powreth out all at once But it is heavenly wisedome in confession of sinne Pro. 29.11 to powre out all at once and not to keepe it in untill afterward David saith I powre out my soule in mee His prayer was sincere before God and it was inward and hidden from the world There was a time when hee cryed unto the Lord Psal 22.1.2 Why art thou so farre from the words of my roaring But now the greatnesse of his sorrow for his grievous sinnes and the calamities waiting upon them made him stand amazed as not being able to speak And doubtlesse there is great benefit in the use both of secret and open prayer As Paul became all things to all men that hee might winne some so wee may use every kinde that wee may receive a gracious answer Sometime to cry aloud lifting up both heart and voyce to shew our fervency and importunity and it shall bee opened unto us that knocke Sometime to shew our reverence by a still voyce that God may therein reveale himselfe unto us Sometime praying with the spirit and with understanding speaking in the heart onely not daring to use our tongues to call upon his name seeing wee have dishonoured him thereby Hâ—miles preces in excelsa porâ—â—gite Boet. And those our humble prayers will ascend into heaven Though wee shut both the doore of our closet and the doore of our lips when wee pray being wholly spirituall therein our Father seeth in secret and is well pleased with such a sacrifice If wee desire to make our tongue to be our glory therein yet the sound of our words may bee submissive and rather a gentle noyse than a voyce They that doe thus they speake softly Qui Deum precantes susurrant tacitè loquuntur atque intus clamant but inwardly they cry aloud Hannah when shee prayed did move her lips but her voyce was not heard yet shee found such comfort that her countenance was no more sad VERSE IIII. For I had gone with the multitude HIs present misery is increased by comparing the same with his former comfortable estate wherein hee served the Lord And the sorrow for the losse of his perfect freedome doth exceed the griefe of worldly men in their crosses as much as the gladnesse in his heart Psal 4. had formerly beene more than the joy which they received by the increase of corne and wine Outward benefits are deceitfull and vaine Riches and the like may betake themselves to their wings and fly away But heavenly blessings are unchangeable did not wee by our disobedience stop the course of Gods mercies and cause his judgements and curses to fall upon us Wherefore when our destruction doth come from our selves when by our rebellion wee shall pull downe Gods anger InfelicissimuÌ„ genus est infortunii fuisse felicem Boet. Then the remembrance of our former happinesse is the greatest aggravation of our present wretchednesse and woe Also we may observe that hee was not satisfied with that good which he had formerly done neither did hee rest contented therein But his chiefe desire was ever to continue in those holy exercises From whence wee receive this instruction that wee ought to forget those things which are behind Phil. 3.13 and reach forth unto those things which are before pressing toward the marke having set our hand to the plough not to looke backe nor to spare and favour our selves during the time of our pilgrimage Such as desire to worship the Lord unto the end of their lives and are constant unto death they shall receive a crowne of life and an everlasting inheritance But ungodly men that forsake their first love like those foolish Galatians bewitched by that evill spirit and with Demas doe embrace this present world 2. Tim. 4.10 they shall undergoe the fierce anger of the Almighty And as Iordan divided the tribes of Reuben and Gad from the rest of Israel who Num. 32. allured with the fertility of the countrey did set themselves downe and take up their habitation before they came to the land of promise So there shall be a great gulfe to separate the wicked who like sluggards fold their armes together as if they had wrought sufficiently from those that abide in the place of blessednesse Whereas hee speaketh of himselfe that hee had gone with the multitude it will not bee impertinent to consider his twofold regiment Over the Priests 1. Cron. 15. verse 17. Rex Anius â—ex idem homâ—num Pâ—aeb que sacerdos Vittis c. Virg. and the people For at this time when hee blessed the people hee had put on a linnen Ephod over his kingly robe Also his sonne Salomon succeeded him therein who was called the Preacher This was observed by many nations that their Kings were Priests Gen. 14.18 So Melchizedek was King of Salem and Priest of the most high God So was Numa the second King of the Romanes Livi. lib.
1. and Augustus the second Emperor who after the death of Lentulus did take unto himselfe that dignity of being chiefe Pontifex Pontificatum maxâ—mum mortuo demum Lentulo suscepit Suet that thereby his authority might bee made complete Gratianus pâ—â—mus Imperatorum Christianorum deseâ—vit ab hoc mâ—â—oruâ— in sâ—â—tâ—â—o Causabon Which order continued untill that Gratian did neglect that rite and custome observed by all those Christian Emperors before him This hath beene the use in this Land since that intolerable yoke of servile subjection unto Rome hath bin cast off that our annointed Soveraigne should bee the chiefe head of the Church and in all causes Ecclesiasticall supreme governor Now where much hath beene given there much will bee required Therefore that should be imprinted in their hearts which was written upon Aarons crowne of fine gold Exod. 19.30 Holinesse to the Lord And as the head doth guide and conduct the body so ought they that are most eminent to leade and direct such as are under them that they may walke in this way which bringeth to life and salvation We use to say that the meanest officer would be knowne in his place being unwilling to bee abridged of the extent of his power Then how should they that are raised to highest honour exercise their authority to reduce men to the service of God as thinking to be their most royall prerogative so to doe Blessed are the people that bee in such a case yea blessed be the people whose God is the Lord And great is the comfort that would be found by the serious performance hereof when the chiefe ruler like a good shepheard Iohn 10 4. doth goe before his sheepe and they doe follow him then may he have this good testimony in the latter end 17.4 12. That in some measure hee hath finished the worke which was given him to do and hath not willingly lost any of those that were given unto him At which time he may pray as Nehemiah did Nehem. 13.14 Remember mee O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deedes that I have done for the house of my God Surely there is a fulnesse of joy in the fulnesse of the assembly when the voyce of the congregation praising the Lord like that noyse of Charets which the Syrians heard 2. King 7.6 shall bee able to put that enemy to flight which doth continually besiege us Also therein is a most blessed resemblance betweene the Church militant and triumphant for as God commeth with tenne thousands of Saints Deut. 33.2 and hath tenne thousand times tenne thousand Angels to stand before him Dan. 7.10 So likewise many and great multitudes of his servants here upon earth doe desire to appeare in his presence Luke 15.10 And as the Angels rejoyce over one sinner that repenteth so the Saints doe rejoyce in this powerfull meanes whereby many sinners are converted Also it will not bee impertinent to consider how David was willing to joine with the meanest of his subjects in the service of God And would bee base in his owne sight though in so doing hee seemed vile unto others Thus in the Kingdome of grace Isai 40.4 every valley shall bee exalted and every mountain and hill shall bee made low Where truth and sincerity are there is also a ready disposition to receive benefit by those of least accompt yea and to doe good unto them without respect of persons Paul that was indued with such excellent gifts yet as hee desired to bee brought on his way towards Iudea by 2. Cor. 1.16 the Corinthians so in like manner hee desired to bee conducted towards that heavenly countrey whereof Iudea was but a figure by the Romanes where hee writeth Rom. 1.12 For I long to see you that I may bee comforted together with you by the mutuall faith both of you and me Whereas David makes mention of that singular consolation which hee found in this communion with the people they that are most mighty and noble may from hence learne how to esteeme of their poore brethren for whom Christ died Amongst barbarous nations there is most tyrannicall usurpation of power who thinke the vulgar unworthy to inhabite the same walls Quod spiratis quod vocem mittitis quod formam hominum habetis indignantur T. Livi lib. 4. to enjoy the same light to breathe to speake to have the shapes of men But as the brethren of Dives and all others who seeme to be gods upon earth shall dye like men So they which now seeme to bee as wormes and no men after death shall become glorious Likewise we may take notice how worthy of blame they are who doe oppose themselves against the godly example of David thwarting and contradicting his heavenly carriage by their unadvised practice of the contrary Here hee speaketh that hee went with the multitude and they peremptorily affirme that they will not go because of the multitude Hee who was a true Israelite Iohn 1.45 in whom was no guile knew right well that they were not all Israel which were of Israell Rom. 9.6 But yet the duty it selfe being holy and ordained as the royall meanes to make chose which were the seed of Abraham to become children he was ready to joyne with them therein Who have more need of the Physitian than the sicke and to be called to repentance than sinners Wherefore they offend that forbeare assembling themselves together And they also may justly be reproved who thinke if they should goe with the multitude their name would lye hid in obscurity and therefore out of vainglorious singularity Ambitio magnis addita est virtutibus Et eminendi fervor vinci dolens Cupido famae Dom. Baudius Act. 5.36 they seeke out many inventions with Theudas boasting themselves to bee some body Thus doe hereticks and sectaries by jarring warre against the peaceable estate of the Church But there was a curse pronounced against him that should attempt the building of Iericho Iosh 6.26 which was overthrowne by Ioshuah And there is no blessing due unto them that againe doe lay the foundation of these confused Babels which have beene razed and laid levell by the Churches champions That may bee said of our times which was once spoken of the Israelites The wood devoured more people than the sword 2. Sam. 18.8 We may praise God that wee are delivered from the sword of persecution and of our enemies But in the meane while how many doe lose themselves by intricate by-paths thinking there bee more wayes than one to walke in and thereby fall headlong into dangerous errors It sheweth the desolation of a countrey when the Kings way shall be forsaken Isai 33.8 Iudg. 5.6 so that none doe travaile therein And we may feare that it doth not prognosticate any happinesse unto our Land when this way of King David shall lye waste For now men will goe by themselves
but hee went with the multitude VERSE IIII. I went with them to the house of God BEcause the greatest number doe goe in the broad way that leadeth to destruction Mat. 7.13 and wee are forbidden to follow a multitude to doe evill Exod. 23.2 therefore upon the first mention he presently addeth the place whither hee went with them which was to the house of God Hee was not occasioned thus to doe in imitation of others which did the like though it were to bee wished that wee had attained thus farre that wee would be followers together of him Psal 3.17 and marke those which walke after this ensample But as it is more blessed to give than to receive Act. 20 35. so it is a greater happinesse to give this good example unto others than to take it from them Thus David shined as a Light in the world Phil. 2.15 that the people being illuminated by this pillar of fire might come to the estate of blessednesse And thus wee Vt sidera contrarium mundo iter intendunt ita sapiens Senec. Et qui exemplo aliis esse debetis aliorum exemplo peccetis potius quam alii vestro recte sacitis Livi. lib. 3. if wee desire to shine as the stars whose motion is contrary to the world wee should labour to rectifie others rather than to bee depraved with their vices Though wee faile of this holy ambition or want meanes and ability to bee as Leaders in this noble army yet wee may bee drawne by the example of the multitude which for the most part use to bee very powerfull to joyne with the assembly in all heavenly duties And not to do like unto those which stand convicted because they will not goe with the flocke to heare the voyce of the shepheard Nor yet like those which discover their backwardnesse by comming after the multitude to the house of God Whereas it were more commendable to goe with them or before them Such may feare to receive a curse in the end for their negligent sloth Occupet extremum scabies Horat. rather than the blessing in the conclusion In Carvans which goe unto the Temple at Ierusalem Sandys the hindermost are exposed unto the greatest danger of the free-booters And in this passage to the house of God they that are last may soone bee surprised by the enemy and hindered in their dull proceeding Whereas if wee were indued with the Spirit like those Worthies which brake through the hoste of the Philistims 2. Sam. 23. to draw water wee would overcome all impediments that wee may obtaine the water of life And as the chaines did fall from the hands of Peter so we should cast off all incumbrances wherewith our feete are bound that wee may runne the wayes of thy commandements Yea then wee would thinke Gods house to be like Goshen inlightened by his gracious countenance And to be debarred from it more grievous than all the plagues and judgements of Egypt There the frogges came into the house and chamber of Pharaoh Exod. 8.3 And thou hast noysome lusts and uncleane thoughts in thine heart which should bee the throne of the great King They had thick darkenes which might bee felt 1â— 2â— so that no man rose from his place But thy grosse darkenesse which hath overspread the whole man is the more fearefull because thou hast no feeling thereof whereby thou dost continue in the estate of wrath as at the first There was the death of the first-borne in whom pâ—rents seem to live even when they are dead â—2 29. And thou destroyest thine owne soule which in the beginning did give life to thy body and by which the righteous shall live for ever in blisse happinesse And yet though Gods judgements be so great and terrible upon those that want or neglect this meanes of perfect freedome and the mercy and deliverance so rich and plenteous that is offered thereby how foolish and carelesse are most men in their contemptuons vilifiing and disdainfull reiecting of this blessed liberty Mention is made of one that was slaine by the people which trode upon him in the gate 2 King â— ver 17. when with greedy violence they strove for their bodily sustenance but there is no such violence offered in seeking for that heavenly food and yet we live not by bread but by the Word which is exhibited unto us in the house of God And in the time of famine of warre 1. King 8. ver 37 38. of pestilence and any other calamity wee finde release by the prayers and supplications which are offered up unto the Lord. Come then and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob He will teach us of his waies Isai 2.3 and wee shall walke in his paths One day in his courts is better than a thousand How glad was David when they said unto him Psal 84.10 122 1â— Let us goe into the house of the Lord As here he testifieth that when hee went into the house of God it was VERSE IIII. With the voyce of joy and praise AND now wee would thinke that the whole world should follow him Omnes cendunt ad gaudium Senec. for what man is there that doth not labour for ioy But as some have put out the element of fire affirming that there is no other but this grosse terrestriall fire which wee use So most men thinke there is no other ioy but this which they find in their sensuall delights True it is that there may bee a confused sound of ioy in earthly pleasures but the voyce of ioy is onely in heavenly things And as that excellent musick of the voyce is to bee preferred before the harmony of instruments without life whether pipe or harpe though they give a distinction in their sounds So this ioy doth farre transcend all those vaine and empty delights which wee finde here upon earth It is reported of some that they have beene able to containe their greatest ioy within themselves Metellus summum gaudium intrase cont insit Val. Max. that none could take notice thereof Nec sunt grata tibi gaudia siqua atent Martial but Davids ioy was so great that out of the abundance of his heart hee could not forbeare to speake with his mouth And ever since in our best mirth and reioycing wee seeke to imitate the voyce of David in singing of Psalmes Iam. 5.13 whereby wee endeavour to bee composed and prepared for that life when wee shall alwayes bee lauding the name of the Lord Psal 108.1 2â— And as David saith I my selfe will awake early I will sing and give praise even with my glory Soe we that are dead in Christ shall then rise first out of those beds where wee have slept and rested that wee may for ever sing praises unto the Lord. These two Ioy and Praise are so ioyned togethâ—r
reclaime himselfe and laboureth to bee righteous as Lot was Nisi forte his maximè dâ—ebus animo imperandum est ut tunc voluptatibus solus abstincat cum in illas omnis turba procubuit Senec. 1. Chro. 15.13 in a sinfull generation When the whole Herd of the vulgar people doe runne violently into the greatest dangers David and the multitude did begin to keepe this holy-day when Uzzah was smitten at which time the Lord made a breach upon them for that they sought him not after the due order Most men doe not seek after the Lord upon such dayes or if they doe it is rather with confusion than good order and therefore may feare a curse for doing this worke so negligently The Lord may now speake as hee did by the Prophet Isai 1.14 Your appointed feasts my soule hateth for you chuse your owne wayes and delight in your abominations It was the policy of the Benjamites to catch the daughters of Shiloh Iudg. 21.22 when they came out to daunce in their daunces at the feast of the Lord Iuventus Romana ad rapiendas virgines discurrit Livi. The like policy was used by Romulus upon the same occasion And thus very many both men and women are captivated and brought into bondage at that time when we celebrate our greatest deliverance who being carnally minded doe loosen the reines Nam remittere animum est amittere A. Gell. and walke after their owne lusts sinning that grace may abound and using their liberty for an occasion to the flesh The carriage of most men in our chiefe holy-daies may be compared to that of the Romanes in their Saturnalia But wherein they testifie their joy and thankesgiving for the nativity of Christ I am not able to discerne when as the pipe and harpe and wine are in their feasts But they regard not the worke of the Lord Isai 5.12 neither consider the operation of his hands If musicke bee so needfull at such a time then that people may bee coÌ„mended which did chant to the sound of the Viole Amos 6. â— and invented to themselves instruments of musicke like David But they profanely depraved his holy example for hee used them as helps to devotion not as provocations to luxury and wantonnesse We know that the minstrels were put forth before the dead was raised Mat. 9.23 And wee may bee assured that by them wee receive no furtherance towards our new life of grace If dauncing be so pertinent at this time Mat. 6.22 the daughter of Herodias may seeme to bee well nurtured but you remember what an evill effect was produced thereby If costly garments and outward ornaments bee the best expression of our joy then let us joyne her that tyred her head 1. King 9.30 Luke 16 1â— unto him that was clothed in purple and fine linnen as a fit couple for such an occasion If variety of meate can suffice to cheare the soule then that wicked nation might have beene spared which offended in fulnesse of bread Ezech. 16.49 If gaming and pastimes must necessarily be annexed hereunto then let us view that people which sate downe to eate and drinke Exod. 32.6 and rose up to play But wee have not thus learned Christ 1. Thes 4.6 being taught not to goe beyond and defraud our brother Nor to suffer filthinesse foolish talking or jesting Ephes 5.4 nor drunkennesse and revellings which are works of the flesh Let no man mistake mee as if in any of these above-named particulars which may bee used without mixture of evill I would derogate from the freedome and bounty of that man Psal 112.5 who doth guide his affaires with discretion But if wee ought to bring againe our brothers oxe Deut. 22.1 when it goes astray then much more our brother himselfe and to shew him a more excellent way that so hee may not bee lord of mis-rule by letting him that is unjust to bee unjust still Rev. 22.11 and him that is filthy to bee filthy still When his house which at all times and especially at this time ought to bee a Church shall rather be like unto Golgotha a place of rottennesse where Christ shall bee crucified afresh by all manner of loosenesse and profanation Wee are exhorted to hospitality because thereby some have entertained Angels Heb. 13.2 But in receiving such a dissolute company there is little hope of harbouring either Angel or Saint Most that come are not worthy and others would bee compelled to come in who in a modest sobriety doe forbeare that bold intrusion Wherefore when thy fountaines bee dispersed abroad Pro. 5.16 and thou dost draw out thy soule to the hungry Isa 58.10 remember especially the houshold of faith and them that bee industrious that their bowels may be refreshed by thy liberality which will bee as sleepe to the labouring man Eccles 5.12 sweet and comfortable Such was the practice of this man of God which hee now recordeth who after the people had joined with him in the service of the Lord hee gave unto them for the reliefe and sustentation of their bodies Also at another time when hee offered towards the building of the Temple after that hee and all the congregation had worshipped the Lord 1. Chron. 29. verse 22. and sacrificed sacrifices they did eate and drinke with great gladnesse It was a iust complaint in ancient times Olim mensis December fuit nunc annus Senec. that December was changed from being a month to be a yeare Wee cannot boast of any amendment in our dayes which would bee more usefull than the Gregorian reformation Some doe presume to prognosticate of the twelve months by their observation of the twelve dayes but we may with more safety iudge what the conversation of some men will bee the following yeare by marking their carriage during these festivals David speaketh here but of one holy-day which hee and the multitude kept whereas these men are willing to keepe a multitude of holy-dayes being fit to live in a common-wealth like unto that of the Athenians who had more daies of pleasure than of imploymeÌ„t I lures voluptat bus dicati quam negotiâ—â—si iâ—â—â—dâ—ci Causabon V tam sicut peregr nantes transiêâ—c Saâ—ist Such doe greatly offend in abundance of idlenesse passing their time as strangers here but without preparation for their long home Never calling to minde how many good dayes they have lost Amici diem perdidi Suet. without the least benefit either to themselves or others And yet as the rich man in the Parable who had many flockes and herds could not bee satisfied unlesse he might take that little ewe lambe of the poore man 2. Sam. 12.3 So these men are not contented with the great number of profane holy-dayes as they make them unlesse they may incroach upon the Lords Sabbath Whereof I will forbeare to discourse lest I might seeme to prevent
my selfe by giving an answer to Davids demand before I come to the question which is VERSE V. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou dâ—squieted in me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance VVHerein hee makes further declaration of his sorrowfull and perplexed estate that his soule in this time of trouble did pant and thirst and was powred out and cast downe and disquieted not finding release from misery nor evasion out of these calamities Now if the light that is in thee be darknesse Mat. 6.23 how great is that darknesse and if the soule that is in thee be sorrowfull how great is that sorrow Pro. 12.25 When heavinesse in the heart of man maketh it stoupe yea to be cast down as Davids was And yet there is great cause that the soule bee lifted up with joy and not dejected with griefe if wee consider the originall of it Igneus est illis vigor coelestis origo Virgil. that it proceedeth from God himselfe Gen. 1.27 2.7 Psal 8.5 Mortalibus alti quantum coelicolae tantundem animalibus isti praecellunt cunctis Silius Eccles 3.21 12.7 who created us after his own image breathing into us the breath of life whereby wee became living soules So that wee who were made but a little lower than the Angels were made much higher than all other creatures For when the spirit of the beast goeth downeward to the earth our spirit shall returne to God that gave it Also there is cause of ioy unto the soule in regard of the body Deus dedit corpus animae ut illud in coelum eveneret Non dedita animam corpâ—ri ut c. God gave the body unto the soule that it might raise the body unto heaven Hee did not give the soule unto the body that it might presse the soule to the earth Admonet figura c. Boet Shall the body be erect towards heaven and the soule decline towards the earth Let us consider how helpfull the body is to the soule in the worship of God when our eyes wait upon him and our tongue is our glory to praise him and wee lift up pure hands and daily bow our knees before him when our feet doe carry us to his house and there wee prostrate our whole body in his presence Thus in our estate of grace there is an happy union and consent betweene them both But as Eve â—en 2.18 who was made a meete helpe proved a cause of the greatest woe and misery So the body which should assist the soule doth rebell against it and thereby becomes a great annoyance Like that kinde of torment when they did binde the dead and the living together Corpora ca daveribus ad versa adversis alligata Val. Max. So the soule that lives for ever and is willing to doe good is ioyned unto a body that is weake yea even dead to any holy duty And then the servant is upon an horse Ephes 2 5. Eccles 10 7. and the Prince doth walke as a servant upon the earth the hand-maide is advanced Eucherius ad Valeâ—ian and the mistresse brought downe to the foot-stoole The body doth bring the soule into captivity and make it of a king to become a servent Modo rex esâ— modo tyraâ—nus Sence oâ— else a tyrant Wherefore when wee finde a law in our members warring against the law of our minde wee must pray to be delivered froÌ„ this body of death Rom. 7. verse 23.24 It was observed that when the body sleepeth Anima dum corpori vires admâ—nistrat nequaquam vacat sibi c. Hippocrat the soule hath most liberty And wee know assuredly that when our bodies shall bee laid to sleepe in the grave our soules shall bee inlarged Terreno carcere resoluta caelum ibera petâ—â— Boet. and delivered from that earthly house wherein they were long pent and imprisoned Vt novus serpens pofitâ cum pelle senectâ c. Ovid. And as the serpent doth become young againe after it hath cast off the skinne so the soule shall bee clothed with maiesty and glory when this fraile body shall waxe old like a garment and bee folded up as a vesture untill the end of all things and then this vile body shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ and being reioyned unto the soule shall enter into the ioy of our Master If that father did so reioyce when he saw his sonne to be alive Gen. 46.30 whom hee thought to bee dead then how excellent shall our ioy bee when the body which was dead shall bee alive and they both being knit together shall live in blisse for evermore 29.20 Did those seven yeares seeme to bee but a few dayes 31.40 for the love that Iacob had to Rachel though hee suffered the drought in the day the frost by night and watched both day and night Then how wonderfull ought the love of the soule be to the body cheerfully serving the Lord patiently enduring all tryals and afflictions not being cast downe as if it were without hope but looking for the Saviour who shall unite both soule and body And wee shall be as the Angels of God in heaven Mat. 22.30 Let us now take notice of Davids examination of himselfe that wee thereby may learne to iudge ourselves and wee shall not bee iudged Formerly hee had with his whole heart sought unto the Lord to shew him the light of his countenance He had earnestly desired to appeare before God Hee had humbled himselfe in sorrow for his owne transgressions and the sins of other men Now God accepteth the will for the deed And they that mourne have a promise of comfort Mat. 6. Why then art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Psal 4.4 Also hee did commune with his owne heart and was no fugitive from it as many are who have greatest reason to bee sorrowfull and to feare lest their soules should bee cast downe lower than Davids was because they never looke home to examine and prove themselves and to know that Christ is in them 2. Cor. 13.5 except they bee reprobates But David did make diligent search in his owne heart Psal 77.6 and in all things desired the good and comfortable estate of it Then why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Remember the workes of old how graciously the Lord hath dealt with thee Say not within thy selfe that his mercy is clean gone for ever for thou dost stil enioy many blessings and his grace doth now keep thee from fainting Consider that in this chastisement the Lord dealeth with thee as with a childe and it is not his good pleasure that thou shouldest have sorrow upon sorrow but that this light affliction working for thy good may bring thee to an
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
city where hee lived To be expelled out of his kingdome wherein he governed as unworthy to come within the borders of it and yet God had promised that his throne should bee stablished for ever and when his daies should bee fulfilled his seed should bee set up after him but not before him as Absalom desired building his house upon his fathers ruine Then to have his concubines defiled in the sight of all Israell And all this not by an enemy for then he could have borne it more patiently but by his owne sonne And one messenger brings word that the hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom Another tels him that Ahitophel the Kings Counsellor was among the conspirators Moreover Shimei doth vex his righteous soule with malicious reproaches Now what could bee done more that was not done to make the measure of his sorrow to bee pressed down in heavinesse of soule and running over in the outward expressioÌ„ of his griefe How great and manifold are the dangers of them that goe downe to the sea in ships â—sal 107.26 that see the workes of the Lord For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof They mount up to heaven they goe downe againe to the depths So here Deepe calleth unto deepe David is exposed to the greatest perils that may be The windowes of heaven are opened â—en 7.12 as in the floud There is the noise of thy water-spouts but no Arke of deliverance like Noahs no not so much as that little Arke of Moses Exod 2.3 whereby he may hope to be drawn out of these miseries There is a mighty tempest but no ship to defend him nor yet any signe of a calme as to the Mariners neither any creature to waft him to the shore Ionah 1.4 as Ionah had There is a boystrous winde that made the billowes to goe over him but the helping hand of the Divine providence is not stretched out to uphold him Mat. 14.30 Psal 69.2 as unto Peter The flouds over-flow him the proud waters goe over his soule 124.5 Hee is cast into the deepe and all thy waves are upon him Ionah 2.3 Not one wave alone but many but all of them There was such a variety of his crosses and such a succession of his trouble that as the day was prolonged untill such time as Ioshuah had subdued his enemies so here the night of his misery was doubled untill such time as God had perfected the work of humiliation in him God who is most perfect will finish every good worke that hee hath begun in any of his children And being the author of time hee disposeth of all things for our good making us strong when wee are weake so that wee may take pleasure in infirmities 2. Cor. 12.10 in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake And by seeing our miserable and weake estate wee learne not to trust in our selves but in God who raiseth the dead When the water of affliction doth flow over our head we are thereby cleansed that we may be presented unto Christ without spot and blemish As Pharaoh and his host were covered by the depths Exod. 15.5 and sanke into the bottome as a stone so they that want faith to stand in temptation are ready to be swallowed up of despaire But every one that is godly hath this comfortable protection That in the flouds of great waters Psal 32.6 18.4 they shall not come nigh unto him and though the flouds of ungodly men make him afraid though he be compassed about with many tribulations Psal 130.1 yet out of the depth of his misery hee cryeth unto the depth of Gods mercy and prayeth unto the Lord on high who is mightier than the noyse of many waters 93.4 yea than the mighty waves of the sea to deliver him from them that hate him 79.14 15. that the water-floud may not over-flow him nor the deepe swallow him up And in conclusion hee finds this comfort that neither height nor depth shall bee able to separate him from the love of God Rom. 8.39 When Christ was asleepe in the ship that sailed over unto the other side of the lake Mat. 8.26 there came downe a storme insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves but when the disciples awoke him hee said Why are yee so fearefull O yee of little faith and rebuking the sea there was a great calme So in our voyage to heaven when the winde doth blow the raine doth fall and the waves doe beate upon us In strong temptations when wee are opposed on every side and looking up to heaven see nothing but the terrour of Divine justice ready to fall upon us looking downe wee see the horror of the pit ready to shut her mouth upon us and looking about wee see all the creatures armed for our destruction then through want of strength we are ready to sinke under the burthen of our calamities But when the quickning spirit shall revive our faith that slumbred within us and restore us to the life of grace wee begin to bee comforted in assurance that God will put an end to our trials and deliver us out of all affliction Such was Davids anchor which he cast out now in this storme and thereby hoped for safety Though the waves and billowes doe goe over me VERSE VIII Yet the Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time and in the night his song shall bee with me and my prayer unto the God of my life AS before his teares were his meate day and night Verse 3. So now hee finds cause of rejoycing both day and night for the loving kindnesse of the Lord who did put songs of praise into his mouth His misery and trouble were now present before him His comfort was only hope but not to bee discerned by sense and reason Yet such was the strength of his confidence which he had fixed upon Gods love that thereby he became as fully assured of deliverance as if he were already restored to his former liberty The wicked shall feare day and night Deut. 28.66 67. in the morning he shall say Would God it were Even and at Even he shall say Would God it were morning And his greatest woe shall then begin when time shall be no more But the righteous that like Anna serve God night and day Luke 2.37 shall at all times be refreshed by trusting in Gods mercy who will command his loving kindnesse in the day time as He hath promised to command the blessing upon them that observe his Lawes Deut. 28.8 And we know that all things obey the voyce of God Hath he spoken and shall he not performe it Do the souldiers come when the Centurian calleth Mat. 8.9 and shall not all creatures be ready prest to doe the will of God Though his loving kindnesse be as it were unwilling
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
Revel 3.17 and increased in goods and have need of nothing For in our selves wee are wretched and miserable Going out full in the morning we may be brought home againe empty in the evening Having in the day given thanks unto God who filleth us with his blessings before night we pray unto him for our dayly bread In our thankfull acknowledgment of the benefits we doe enjoy we humbly pray unto God to renew his wōted mercies and to multiply his favours upon us How can we testifie our due valuation of the bounty and goodnesse of the Almighty but by ascribing all glory unto him when our soules doe blesse the Lord and all that is within us doe praise his holy name How can we better declare the sincerity and devotion of our thanks-giving than by our fervent prayer for the increase of those graces for which we desire to give thanks He that is in want may move compassion He that is gratefull will soone obtaine reliefe Can we presume to beg any thing of God not having rightly priced those blessings which we have formerly received from his bountifull hands David was so far from forgetting any benefit that God had bestowed upon him that in this prayer he doth insinuate a dutifull remembrance of Gods gracious dealing with him in that he calleth Him The God of his life who breathed into him the breath of life who in sicknesse healed his diseases and brought up his soule from the grave Who delivered him from the Beare and the Lion and that lion-like man Goliah and that Fox who sought after the blood of this Lambe and yet confessing him to be innocent And here from this ravening Woolfe Absalom who in the morning devour'd the prey slew his brother Amnon And now thought to divide the spoyle by casting his father out of his throne into his sepulchre laboured to have the Sun turned into darknesse that himselfe might have shined like a blazing meteor But God was the God of his life The living the living he shal praise thee as I doe this day Having received so great a blessing he doth use it to the praise of his name And from Him he hoped for that better life when this should be finished for which Bathsheba prayed That the King might live for ever Our life being a good gift doth come from the Father of lights In him we live and move and have our being And whether we live or dye we are the Lords Then let us live to his glory and bee willing to forsake all things to follow Christ and to lose our lives that we may save them at the last day not like the unregenerate who wil preserve their lives though they destroy their soules and will keepe their goods though they spend their lives as Ananias did Act. 5.5 Mat. 21.19 being like the fig-tree which brought forth the broad leaves of outward profession whereby hee thought to cover his nakednesse Gen. 3.7 But wanting sound fruit he was blasted by the breath of divine justice and withered away By this example of David we may be taught unto whom to direct our prayers Even unto the God of our life who hath given us so great a blessing is able to give us all things requisite for our good How voyd of all sense and understanding are they that neglect praying unto the eternall and everliving God and doe pray unto Saints which are dead which never were living and doe represent their prayers unto images in a language equally unknowne to the idoll and themselves Psal 115 8. They that make them so is every one that trusteth in them VERSE IX I will say unto God My rocke why hast thou forgotten me why goe I mourning because of the oppressions of the enemye DAvid doth here premeditate what he should say when he comes to speake unto the Lord in prayer And in so doing he becomes a good example unto us duely to consider our necessity that we may performe this holy duty with the more reverence and thereby obtaine the more comfort As wee use to examin our selves before we come to the Lords supper where we are made the partakers of the body blood of Christ So likewise we ought to search our hearts before prayer at which time we partake of the benefit of his sufferings Mat. 6.7 And then we must omit vaine repetitions for we are not heard for our much speaking A few words with fervency zeale are better than ten thousand without importunity holinesse The Pharisee made a great sound in his prayer But the Publican like a vessel full of pretious liquor strikes himselfe upon the breast drawes out these few words God be mercifull to me a sinner Our care must be to fitt our prayer unto the present occasion And that estate wherein we then are Sometime the soule is lifted up with joy and then there is cause of thanksgiving and praysing the name of the Lord for his manifold blessings Sometime it is weighed downe with sorrow and then we must be humbled in confession of our owne vnworthinesse and labour to strengthen our selves by trusting in Gods mercyes All helps are good that may either assist us therein or enable us thereunto But above al the Holy Spirit which teacheth all things and sheweth unto every man the griefe of his owne heart leading him in the way of life By the which we must be guided instructed all the dayes of our lives In comparison whereof all other are but blind guides And not fitted to every particular exigent Paul being unable to see was led by the hand Act. 9.8 But after the scales fell from his eyes he needed no such helpe And that other blind man cured by Christ Iohn 9.21 being of age was able to speake for himselfe They that are strong men in Christ doe poure out their complaint before the Lord Yea the new-borne child doth cry though not able to speake In the beginning we cry unto the Lord in sighs and grones And afterward growing from milke to strong meate as the flax which at first did but smoke in the end doth burn bright wee are able to make expression of our want When Zacharias his mouth shall bee opened Luk. 1.63 and his tongue loosed that hee could speake to the praise of God the writing table may bee laid aside Naturally wee are all borne with this infirmity and unlesse God put forth his hand and touch our mouth as hee did Ieremiahs Ier. 1.9 wee are not able to speake unto him Let us then covet this excellent endowment and pray unto God to open our lips and to touch our tongue with a coale from the altar that we may obtaine this originall and fundamentall blessing whereby so many graces are derived unto us and wee come to bee built up in our most holy faith In our voyage to heaven take heed of these two dangerous rocks Either to withdraw the shoulder Nehem. 9.29 laying
the burthen upon others not seeking the bread of life by any sweat of our owne but onely as wee wipe it off from the face of other men Or else a customary and negligent performance of this duty whereby wee rather quench the spirit than stirre up the gift that is in us 2. Tim. 1. â— that it may shine cleerly for the benefit of others and burne cheerfully for the comfort of our own soules Now let us observe this resolution of David I will say unto God Ought hee not rather to have confessed with Iob Iob 9.3.15 That hee was not able to answer him one of a thousand And though hee had beene righteous yet would not answer but make supplication unto his Iudge As the Publican would not so much as lift up his eies unto heaven So might not he have said that hee was unworthy to lift up his voyce unto the Lord and to speake unto him Who art thou O man Rom. 9.20 that repliest against God Hath not the potter power over the clay Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker Isai 45.9 1. Pet. 2.20 Are servants commanded to take it patiently when they suffer for doing well and shall Gods servants bee impatient when they are corrected for their faults as if like Balaam He did smite us when wee did not offend against him Num. 22.28 Also where hee complaineth that he is now forgotten he speaketh as if God should repent of his love towards him as Adam when he thought to justifie himselfe Gen. 3.12 did impute the blame upon God So David doth not accuse himselfe who had provoked the Lord by his transgressions but speaketh as if God had forgotten to bee gracious and had rejected him in his displeasure In the former part I will say unto God My rocke There is a strong confidence in Gods mercy which emboldened him thus to speake In the latter Why hast thou forgotten me He speakes according to carnall reason Iudg. 2.3 which is as a Canaanite in the land a thorne in our side not to bee wholly conquered untill the last enemy be destroyed 1. Cor. 15.26 Before you saw him panting and thirsting for God but now he is come to the rocke from whence floweth the water of life Before the waves and billowes went over him but now his feet are set upon the rocke For who is a rocke save our God Psal 18.31 He is a rocke of refuge 62.7 94.22 of strength of salvation Thus Hannah calls him in her song 95.1 There is no rocke like our God 1. Sam. 2.2 Thus Moses frequently in his song Deut. 32 31. Their rocke is not as our Rocke Thus David in his song 2. Sam. 22.47 Blessed be my rocke and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation God who is pleased to call himselfe Exod. 3.14 I AM may fitly be described by this title of the Rocke as being ever the same Yea more stable and permanent than any rocke Mat. 27 51. For the rocks have beene rent but God is immutable with him is no shadow of change wherefore let us put our whole trust in God And as the conies Pro. 30.26 though a feebl folke yet are commended as exceeding wise because they make their houses in the rockes So it will be our wisedome to build upon this Rocke Mat 7.24 that we may noâ— fall when we are opposed exalted by the prince of the ayre Ephes 2. The dove is sayd to be in the clefts of the rocke Cant 2.14 So let our soules being purified by faith enter through the wounds of Christ Isai 2.10 and be united unto him by love In this appellation here used My Rocke the Psalmist alludes to Gods favourable dealing with the Israelites whom he relieved by causing water to come out of the rocke at Horeb Exod. 17.6 Num. 20.11 Meribah The remembrance of Gods grace and love shewed unto others doth bring comfort unto our soules And it is the best menes for us to obtaine the blessings we want when we doe magnifie his holy name for his mercy and goodnesse unto his children and for the great benefits formerly conferred upon our selves Isai 17.10 Not being unmindfull of the rocke of our strength It was Davids infirmity having begun in the spirit in calling God his Rocke thus to end in the flesh saying Why hast thou forgotten mee Had wee faith as a graine of mustard seed Mat. 17.20 wee might bee able to remove mountaines but it doth discover our unbeliefe when wee thinke that our Rocke doth forsake us that our God forgets us Wee doe with Iesurun Deut. 32.18 forget the Rocke that begat us the God the foâ—med us but he never forsakes his servants that wait upon him How often would hee like the henne gather us under the wings of his providence and mercy But when did he like the Ostrich Iob 39 14. leave us wholly destitute of his favour Shall the man that falleth through his owne weakenesse or is overthrowne by the strength of the winds and power of the waves accuse the Rocke whereon hee stood for instability The Rocke is fixed and sure but wee are feeble yet such is our error that as in passing by water the eye is ready to apprehend that the rockes doe remove and the vessell wherein wee are doth stand still So wee many times doe deceive our selves by thinking that God doth goe from us when as wee doe runne from him by disobedience 1. Iohn 4.10 We have not loved God but hee us God hath not forgotten us but wee him Doth David demand Why hast thou forgotten me Might hee not as well have asked Why hast thou dealt so favourably with mee There was great cause of indignation but no merit of love 2. Sam. 7.8 When God tooke him from the sheepe-coat from following the sheepe and anoynted him King over Israel and delivered him out of the hand of Saul 12.7 and gave him his Masters house and the house of Israel and Iudah and if that had beene too little hee would have given him such and such things Having received so great blessings hee brought forth the grapes of Sodom in lust and uncleannesse making his transgression to be like that crying sin of the men of Gibeah Iudg 25. where adultery and murther were both joyned together Wherfore it was a just judgement of God to forget him who had so highly offended And yet in this wee may see that the wayes of God are not like our wayes nor his thoughts as our thoughts Wee thinke hee is well pleased with us when hee is most angry and that hee forgets us when hee begins to looke upon us in mercy David during the whole yeare that hee slumbred in his sin thought the time to bee like a jubilee of ioy wherein all things succeeded prosperously but now that God doth punish him