wherof was Ierusalems unhappinesse Luke 19 44. And knowing the same wee may labour to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance before our Candlesticke be removed out of its place But I insist no longer upon this first observation I am yet but in the way to our text 2. Whereas in the fourth Verse of this Psalme David describeth the blessednesse of such as dwell in the house of God because they have daily opportunity to prayse him as those Priests and Levits who by his appointment were to minister before the Lord in his Tabernacle I Chron. 16.4 5 6. concerning whom in particular the Hebrew Rabbins understand these words to be spoken It may serve to shew us the duty and dignity of the Ministers of Gods word what their chiefe care should be even to attend upon God in the duties of their holy Function for the glorifying of his Name by the winning of soules what their dignity is in that they are permitted to frequent Gods house day by day and there to sing prayses unto his holy Name that by this double meditation they may be every day put in mind Hoc agere to doe that wherunto they are appointed without giving themselves liberty to follow the pleasures or profits of this bewitching World 3. Whereas it is said in the fifth Verse that the man is blessed whose strength is in the Lord and in whose heart are his ways which the Hebrew Rabbins understand to be spoken of the people of Israel in generall who placed the strength of their confidence in the protection of the God of Israel and set their mindes upon those ways which from each quarter of their Land tended towards the place where the tabernacle was pitched Wee may learne where the confidence of a Christian heart should be placed namely in the Lord his God whom the Psalmist so confidently stileth his rocke his fortresse his deliverer his God his strength in whom hee would trust his buckler the horn of his salvation and his high tower Psal 18.2 4. As also whereas it is said Blessed is the man whose strength is in the Lord and in whose heart are his ways It may serve to teach us that if we expect protectiō from God as our strength we must be mindfull to keep our selves in the ways of God and to have them still in our heart That precious promise which God maketh of preservation by the Ministery of his holy Angels is to those onely that minde the ways of God Psal 91.11 Mandabit Angelis c. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy ways not in thy by-ways which are of thine own chusing but in thy right wayes as of Gods appointing And this is the reason as most of the Fathers conceive why the Devill when he tempted our blessed Lord with this Scripture Math. 4.6 left out that clause in viis tuis 5. In which ways albeit they lye through the valley of Baca the vale of teares yet they that minde the way to Gods Tabernacle even therin shall finde many sweet refreshments Verse 6.7 That they faint not thorough thirst they shall have wels of water and the rain shall cover their pooles wels of water but of their own digging They must use all good means afforded unto them and then the Lord from Heaven shal rain upon them he shall comfort them with the dew of his grace hee shall powre upon them the continuall dew of his blessings Wherwith being supplyed in their journey they shall walk from strength to strength till every one appeare before God in Sion Verse 7. Et hic quoque succurrie gratia diuina saith Musculus on this place Herein the grace of God prevents and assists them so abundantly strengthening those that minde this way aright that no difficulty in passage no violence of opposition can any way take them off but doth rather inflame the heate of their courage making them constant unto the end and their abilities both of knowledge and practice growing by the daily use they have therof so that they walke from strength to strength untill they appear before God in Sion 6. Great cause therfore have we every one of us to pray with the Psalmist upon these grounds of Meditation as Verse 8 9. Oh Lord God of hosts heare my prayer give eare ô God of Iacob Behold ô Lord our shield and look upon the face of thine anointed Oh look upon the meritorious intercession of thine anointed thy Christ our Redeemer and for his sake give us strength and grace to finish our course in thy ways that we may appeare before thee in Sion 7. And that for these two Reasons which our Psalmist addeth First Because a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand elswhere and I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God to have imployment there in the meanest office that may entitle me Gods servant upon grounds of just relation then to dwell at freedome and libertie in all height of pleasures in the tents of wickednesse as ye have it in the words next before my text That is the first Reason The second Reason is in the words of my text wherunto the way hath brought us in a direct course now at the last upon which by Gods blessing wee will be bold now to enter having the doore orderly opened For the Lord God is a Sun and a shield c. And here according to the division of this Verse I begin with the subjectum the partie spoken of which is Dominus Deus the Lord God 8. The great Lord Paramount of Heaven and earth by right of Creation the God of Iacob as hee is stiled Verse 8 the GOD of his Elect and chosen people Israel the God of all true believers the children of Abrahams faith of what Nation soever that the Sun shineth upon This is he for whose Tabernacle David so longed before whom all the travailing Israelites were carnest to present themselves at the end of their journey as their God in whose presence is the fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal 16. last verse And well might they long to appear before such a God in Sion in Sion the beauty of the whole earth as he speaks elswhere Psal 48.2 in Sion where God appeareth in perfect beauty Psal 50.2 where was that beauty of holinesse mentioned 2 Chron. 20.21 such a beauty as could not be so sufficiently conceived nor expressed in any termes sutable to our capacity as by this Metaphor of the Sun in his strength and therefore hee saith Dominus Deus est Sol. 9 Obser A figurative speech a Metaphor as Rhetoricians call it but a most significant one if rightly understood fully expressing that what the Sun the publike eye of Heaven is to the World the same is God to the soule of every one that longeth after him with Davids affection Sol ortu suo coeli tristitiam discutit noctis tenebras fugat
himself would have us to walk and out of which way wee may expect no blessing And because even in this warrantable way the afflictions of the righteous are many Psal 34.19 God contenteth not himself to be our Sun only to direct but he is our shield to protect us also liberabit eos omnibus afflictionibus the Lord wil deliver them out of all as it followeth in that part of the Psalme 12. Again because as S. Paul fpeaks Act. 14 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Wee must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdome of God therfore is our God our shield as to defend us from affronts under his protection so to enable us to bear those wee meet with not suffering us to be tempted above our strength 1 Cor. 10.13 nor yet our faith to faile Luke 22.32 〈◊〉 the very houre of temptation be wil keep us from the evill of it Revel 3.10 and in the deepest distresse therby will make his Grace sufficient for us that his strength may be made perfect in our weaknesse 2 Cor. 12.9 In a word the Lord our God is a Sunne to his Church according to the promise of our blessed Redeemer shining in our hearts by that spirit of truth who guideth into all truth Iohn 16.13 And the Lord is the shield of his Church being with the same alwayes even unto the end of the World Matth. 28 last verse That the gates of hell may never prevaile against it as our blessed Lord hath promised Matth. 16.18 13. And doubtlesse wee have very great reason to depend upon this truth by building our faith upon the illumination of this Sun and protection of this shield seeing as it followeth in the next words of this verse it is this Sun alone that giveth grace this shield that giveth glory Deus enim Sol clypeus dabit gratiam gloriam The Lord will give grace saith the text Most truely whether it be the first touch and beginning of Grace in the heart of a Christian or it be the progresse and increase of it or it be the perfecting thereof in the soule it is freely Gods gift Dominus dat Saint Iames affirmeth it positively Iames 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect giving is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights where it is not altogether unworthy your noting that he stileth God patrem luminum in relation to the Metaphor in our Text where hee is called our Sunne That we may know that whersoever our God is not by the influence of his light there is all darknesse without any exception according to the sence of the holy Ghost in our Text. If wee looke upon man in his naturall estate hee is not onely lame but dead in sins and trespasses Ephes 2 1 By the influence therfore of Gods Spirit there must be created in us a new lise that was not and not onely the former life excited which was according to that of the Psalmist Psal 51.10 Create in mee a new heart ô Lord not onely stirre up that clean one which hath been somwhat defiled saith a reverend Bishop of our own Church in his Roma irreconciliabilis cap. de libero arbitrio Nay I goe further and by the warrant of Scripture too The old heart which is naturally dead in sinne must be taken away and a new heart by Grace put in the room therof Ezek. 11.19 20. I will put a new spirit within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you an heart of flesh that yee may walke in mine Ordinances and keep my statutes to do them So absolute is that truth which we deduce from the words of our Text that the first touch and beginning of Grace in the heart of a Christian is the free gift of God and that without the influence of this Sun there can be no light of Grace in the heart Yea but when the Grace of God is kindled in the heart of a Christian who shall blow it up to a flame Is man able of himselfe to doe it Oh no Without me yee can do nothing saith our blessed Lord Ioh. 15.5 Without the grace of God both preventing and assisting wee are no more able to prosper and grow in grace then the branch which abideth not in the Vine is able to bring forth fruit Iohn 15.4 And as for growing towards perfection S. Paul delivereth it positively that God the Father hath by his Sonne our Redeemer appointed the work of the Ministery for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ till wee all come in the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4 12 13. So that it is God alone who by his blessing upon his holy Ordinances the preaching of the Word and administration of his Sacraments conscionably waited upon bringeth this worke to effect To speake yet more particularly Every man by nature is both ignorant and an unbeliever who shall now give him spirituall understanding who shall perswade him to believe The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them saith Saint Paul meaning while hee resteth in his natural estate because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 It must be therfore a beame from this Sun mentioned in our Text that must lighten mans eyes that he sleep not in death Psal 13.3 For it is God alone that giveth grace to understand the things that belong to our eternall peace As rouching believing the Gospell unto salvation which is only by a true and lively faith this is not in the heart of man by nature it is the gift of God onely who purifieth the heart by faith as hee did the hearts of the Gentiles at their first conversion to Christianity Acts 15.9 As touching Repentance who can deny it to be the immediate gift of God that shall reade what Saint Peter so positively delivereth Acts 15.31 How God by his owne right hand hath exalted his Son lesus to be a Prince a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel for remission of sins Take the word then as you will it falleth out most true that God giveth Grace the beginnings the increasings the perfection of grace the grace to know God aright to believe unto salvation to repent and to turn from sin it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe saith Saint Paul Phillip 2.13 Inabling you to worke out your own salvation with feare and trembling Phillip 2.12 Dominus dat gratiam as it is in my Text. 14. And as he giveth grace so glory also Hence is it that the Lord hath promised by the Prophet Isaiah That he will be a crown of glory and a Diademe of beauty unto his people Jsa 28.5 as also that the Sun shall be no more their light by day nor
THE PRIVILEDGES OF THE VPRIGHT IN HEART Expressed in brief Meditations upon the 84 Psalme and more particularly upon the 11 Verse thereof Studied for the use of the right Worshipfull Company of Drapers LONDON By W. F. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom then shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraid Psal 27.1 LONDON Printed by Tho. Harper for Richard Harper and are to be sold at his shop at the Bible TO THE RIGHT Honourable Sir Maurice Abbot Knight Lord Major Master of the Company of Drapers and to M. Thomas Goodyer M. Thomas Bewly M. Steven Burton and M. David Edwards Wardens as also to the Assistants and rest of that Company William Freake wisheth all happinesse conducing to this life and a better Right Honorable and Worshipfull TO give a publike account of the reasons moving mee to make a private dedication of these Meditations to your Company may be expected by some But it sufficeth me and I hope will content others that I acknowledge a loving relation to your Company which unto me is a strong obligation for a due and thankfull respect to you all I must confesse some of you in your particulars have deserved of mee more then ordinary but your Company in general above all the Societies of this City though divers others well to God be the glory for it Accept then I pray you this oblation of gratitude from him who is and will be whiles God shall grant life for the welfare and everlasting happinesse of you all A daily petitioner to the throne of Grace William Freake From my study this sixteenth of February 1639. THE PRIVILEDGES OF the upright in heart PSAL. 84.11 For the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly THat wee may make no disorderly entrance upon the exposition of this Verse the Porter which standeth before the doore thereof must first be spoken withall this causall conjunction â—ox For the Lord is the Sunne and a Shield And hee directs us to reflect our Meditations for a while upon the words of this Psalme in the verses foregoing the serious consideration and true understanding wherof will open us the right door of entrance to that which we desire The Prophet David in this Psalme expresseth an earnest longing after the communion of the Sanctuary in the 1 2 3 verses because of the blessednesse of those that enjoy the same as hee expresseth in the 4 5 6 and 7 verses And upon this Meditation hee layeth the foundation of his prayer to God that he would be pleased once more to admit him thereunto in the 8 and 9 verses Adding two forcible Reasons of his earnest longing in this case the one in the 10 verse the other in the words of this verse In the tenth verse For a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand elsewhere and I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse that is his first Reason The second Reason is exprest in the words of this verse For the Lord God is a Sun and a shield c. I have given you the coherence and occasion of these words now take the division of them Here is first the party spoken of Domiâ—â—◠〈…〉 Secondly what is said of him and that is in severall particulars First He is instiled a Sun Dominus Deus Sol est The Lord God is a Sun Secondly He is intituled a shield Dominus Deus clypeus est The Lord God is a shield Thirdly Hee will give Grace and Glory Gratiam gloriam ministrabit Fourthly He will withhold no good thing from them that walke uprightly These are the particulars which I shall endevour God willing to handle in order as they arise under my hand But first I crave your patience that I may have leave to stoop and gather a flowere or two as they grow in the way to our Text for so the first word therof adviseth mee being a conjunction causall and directing us a little to look back upon the coherence The Psalmist at such time as he composed this Psalme was driven out of Ierusalem by his rebellious sonne Absolon and now in this time of exile from the tabernacle hee is possest with frequent meditations concerning it and is brought to set a larger estimate upon the comforts therof carendo quà m fruendo by feeling the losse then by the enjoying the comforts of it 1. Object A disease that the best man may be subject unto Before this storm fell upon David even when hee had full freedome to to frequent the Tabernacle he could for all his thoughts thereof be too indulgent to himself and his lawlesse lusts in the case of Bathsheba To let us see how too much peace and prosperity is subject to befoole even the most sanctified soule Wee have Davids own confession to this purpose Psal 30.6 7. In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved thou ô Lord of thy goodnesse hadst made my hill so strong A passage of holy Writ that much confirmeth the truth of that which a Reverend Bishop of our own maketh his observation viz. The temptations on the right hand are more perilous than those on the left and destroy a thousand to the others ten as the Sunne more usually causeth the Travayler to cast off his cloke then doth the winde The saying is old and true Plures interimit crapula quà m gladius More lives are cast away through wantonnesse in surfet then are cut off by the sword And I dare say more soules are undone by the pleasures of prosperity then are shipwrackt by the stormes of adversity I would to God that the practice of these times did not proove this too true even among our selves Wee wantonnize with the Gospell and because the glorious Sun-shine thereof hath continued without interruption for some scores of years our souls begin to loath this heavenly Manna as did those lusting Israelites Numb 11.6 And if God should so deale with us as he hath with our Neighbour Churches that we should be debarred the happy freedome and liberty of the Gospell as many of us as belong to God would finde just cause to be troubled as David confesseth himselfe was when God upon the like occasion had turned his face from him Psal 30.7 and wee should learne better to prize the Word of God and his blessed Ordinances when our soules finde the misse of the comforts of his Sanctuary then now we do Our soules would then sonne cry out with Davids in this Psalme Oh how amiable are thy tabernacles thou Lord of hosts my soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord Verse 1 2. Which extremity that our souls may never be driven to let us make it our suite daily to Almighty God that wee may know the day of our visitation the want
terram universam illuminat saith Musculus upon this place The Sun at his arising pulleth of that sad mantle of darknesse wherwith his absence had clad the Heavens dispelleth the sable clouds of night restoring light and comfort to the whole earth A passage which is excellently described by the Psalmist Psal 19.4 where hee speaks of the tabernacle of the Sunne set in Heaven out of which hee commeth as a Bridegroom out of his chamber A most cleare demonstration of the glorious worke of God in the heart of a Christian so farre as our weake capacities can conceive Qui gratia suae aspectu idem est piorum mentibus quod Sol virtute suâ universo terrarum orbi saith the same Expositor who communicateth not only as much comfort to the souls of the godly by the illumination of his grace but much more then the Sunne doth to the World by the influence of his beames Hence is it that our blessed Lord who by Saint Paul is termed the expresse image of the Father 2 Cor. 4 4. is by Saint Iohn stiled the true light that lighteth every man that commeth into the world Iohn 1.9 And it is a thing wherof you cannot be ignorant that the Sun alone with the brightenesse of his beames though he be but one quite expelleth the darknesse of the night which the Moon and all the Stars are not able to doe without him even so our blessed Lord that perfect Sonne of righteousnesse as the Prophet stiles him Mal. 4.2 by the rayes of his divine light not onely dispels those mists of ignorance wherin all men naturally are inveloped but giveth the true knowledge of that way to salvation which all Philosophy and humane learning could never lead a man unto because indeed as Saint Paul most truly delivers it Colos 2.3 in him alone are bidden all the treasures of true wisdome and heavenly knowledge Again as in our Horizon when the Sunne in our night-time is subterraneous all that light which the Moone or Stars have is borrowed by reflexion from the Sun So in all opinions and doctrines that tend towards Religion if there be any light at all it is by reflex from this Sun of the World our blessed Lord Christ Iesus Most significantly therefore is our God stiled our Sunne and our blessed Lord the Sonne of God that life which is the light of men John 1.4 And most punctually true is that word of our Saviour Iohn 3.20 21. that every one that doth evill hateth this light neither commeth to it lest his deeds should be discovered But he that doth truth commeth to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Vse That we may be perswaded as our blessed Lord hath admonished while wee have this light to believe in this light that we may be the children of light Iohn 12.36 and while we have this light to walk in this light lest darknesse come upon us ibid. v. 35. As never forgetting who it was that said of himselfe what could never be truly said of any but himself Iohn 8.12 Ego sum lux mundi I am that light of the World he that followeth mee shall not walke in darknesse but shall have the light of life So that now you have heard how our God is a Sun now mark how he is a shield also For our God is a Sun and a shield 10. The shield is a piece of defensive Armes appropriated to fighting men And because Christians in the Church Militant have need of protection against the manifold assaults of spirituall enemies the Lord GOD who is a defender of all those that fight his battails is elegantly by the Holy Ghost stiled the shield of his people that put their trust in him David in his greatest extremity at Ziklag when his people upon the spoile therof by the Amalekites spoke of stoning him and the text saith he was greatly distressed yet comforted himselfe in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 306. And trusting to his protection as to his shield and buckler consulted him by Abiathar the Priest and receiving a gracious answer following the directions of the Oracle hee recovered all again as you may reade in the sequell of that Chapter The Lord hereby giving just cause unto David thus to sing in that his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or triumphant song when God had delivered him from the hands of all his enemies and from the hands of Saul 2 Sam. 22.1 at verse 35. Dedisti mihi clypeum salutis tuae Thou hast given mee the shield of thy salvation as Saint Ierome reads it Thus was hee Davids shield A patterne for religious Princes Moses and Aaron in the like distresse when the whole Congregation cryed out to stone them were safe under the protection of this shield and when all humane help failed were rescued by the appearing of the glory of the Lord at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation before all the children of Israel Numb 14.10 Thus was the Lord God a shield to Moses and Aaron A patterne for pious Governours in Church or State Abraham in all his peregrinations from Vr of the Caldees unto and in the land of Canaan was safe under this shield even as God had promised saying Gen. 15.1 Fear not Abraham I am thy shield A president for all the faithfull the children of Abrahams saith whether Iews or Gentiles in what distresse soever that can affront them in this vale of tears To shew them that if they trust in the Lords protection in their wayes of obedience they may sing with the Church even when the world saith of them there is no helpe for them But thou ô Lord art my shield thou art my glory and the lifter up of my head Psal 3.2 3. For thou Lord will blesse the righteous and with favour wilt thou compasse him as with a shield Psal 5.12 For why Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy Psal 33.18 To deliver their souls from death and to keepe them alive in famine ibid. verse 19. upon which assurance Gods children may sing joyfully as ibid. verse 20. Our soule wayteth for the Lord he is our helpe and our shield Thus have you heard how the Lord is a shield also And yet this is not all the instruction that these words afford us II. For even in this conjunction of the Sunne and Shield is a marvellous comfort laid up for true believers if it be rightly considered Deus Sol illuminationis Deus Clypeus protectionis saith Musculus upon this Text God is the Sun of his Church to enlighten the same with saving knowledge that his people may understand the way wherin hee would have them to walke and to direct all their goings to make good that of the Psalmist Psal 37.23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and hee delighteth in his wayes This Sun alone doth light us into the way wherin
the Moon by night but saith he the Lord shall be to thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory Isa 60.19 Hence it is that Saint Paul to the Corinthians maketh mention of an eternall and exceeding weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 and of Christs bringing many sonnes to glory Heb. 2.10 That yee may know as our Psalmist singeth most sweetly that it is God alone who guideth his people with his grace and so fitteth them for glory Thou wilt guide me with thy counsaile and afterwards receive me to giory Psal 73.24 according to the words of my Text the Lord will give grace and glory 15. And yet which I desire you to observe with mee out of the order of the words first Grace then Glory For whomsoever God did for know he did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son saith S. Paul Ro. 8.29 and whom he predestinateth to glory theÌ„ he calleth by his grace to the knowledge of himselfe whom he calleth them he justifieth and whom he justifieth them he glorifieth ibid. v. 30. so that the high road towards Heaven and glorification there is the way of grace by sanctification here The Romans in their blindnesâ—e of Heathenisme had a glimpse of this and therfore they so contrived the building of the Temple of Honour that there was no way into it but by going first through the Temple of Vertue that men might learn to seek honor onely by a course of vertue Which should be the care of true Christians much more as who cannot be ignorant that except they live here the life of grace there can be no expectation of glory in the life to come God is the God of Order not of confusion and as in natural things hee useth to proceed from one extreme to another by degrees through the means so doth he in this spirituall worke the salvation of mans soule The Sun doth not at one jumpe leap from his rising place to the highestpiton in the South but in processe of certaine houres accomplisheth it by noon The seasons of the yeare are not altered in one day from scorching heat to nipping cold but by degrees so in spirituall things God never bringeth any man from his estate in sinne to the estate of glory but through the estate of grace for God giveth grace and glory And no good thing will hee withhold from them that walke uprightly as it followeth in the last clause of this verse to which I now descend 16. Nihil boni detraket in synceritate ambulantibus He will withhold nothing For all things are yours saith Saint Paul to his Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.21 Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours And why for you are Christs and Christ is Gods ibid. verse 22 23. Nay further He will withhold no good thing from them that walke uprightly Nothing that his divine wisdome shall see to be good indeed nothing that may truly and really be conducing to their good for he hath said in our Text Nihil boni detrahit No good thing will hee withhold from them that walke uprightly 17. But here a double question commeth to be answered First who are those that walk uprightly Secondly How is this true concerning them that God withholds no good thing from them To the first demand who those are that walk uprightly I answer Not those onely who fulfill every point of the law in their life and carriage in that exact manner and degree as is required nor those alone who are punctual in an outward habit of righteousnes as the Pharisies among the Iews Nor those Iusticiaries of Rome who professe not onely to doe all that is commanded but to merit by works of supererogation but such onely as walk before God that is live as in his sight with a perfect heart as David professed Psal 101.2 such as walke before God as Abraham was commanded Gen. 17.1 being perfect or rather as our margine their reads it being upright or sincere Sincerus a word borrowed from honey as the Grammarians will have it which the purer it is sine cerâ without waxe the more pleasant and wholsome it is denoting unto us that sincerity of heart in the middest of humane infirmities as it is the greatest perfection wee can arrive at in this world so it is that which God requireth and accepteth of us Because as a Reverend Divine of our own said great vertues not sweetned with sincerity are no ornament unto us and great infirmities not sowred with hypocrisie are no great deformities in the eye of Almighty God those God acknowledgeth not these he imputes not The many infirmities that escaped David in his life time were covered by the holy Ghost with the mantle of charity because his sincerity was 〈◊〉 shaken with them as it was with his 〈…〉 murther as you may read 1 Kings 15.5 where it is said of him that his heart was upright in all things save onely in the matter of Vriah As were also the Infirmities of Asa King of Iuda in not taking away the high places where it is said of him in his story 1 Kings 15.14 Nevertheles Asa his heart was perfect with the Lord all his days So that sincerity of heart when it is not divided as Osâ—a speaks Osea 10.2 but is bestowed upon God in simplicity as it is the most that man can performe so it is all that God expects and so our first question is answered To the second How is it true that GOD withholds no good thing from them that walk uprightly seeing many of Gods dearest children are often exposed to hard measures and 〈◊〉 of those things which the wicked enjoy in abundance I answer First wee must leave it to God to appoint what hee seeth good for us not be our own carvers submitting to his divine will and pleasure in what distresse soever as David did when hee said 2 Sam. 15.26 Behold here I am let the Lord doe unto me as seemeth good unto him And secondly wee must cast our selves upon his divine power and love towards us who is both able and willing to make all things work together for good to them who depend upon him Rom. 8.28 And thirdly we must take notice that though God in his divine wisdome hath so appointed that through much tribulation true Christians must enter into the Kingdome of God Acts 14.22 because many are the troubles of the righteous Psal 34.19 yet hee that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth Psal 121.4 and in the deepest affliction his helpe is still at hand to supply all our wants as hee did for Elias in the wildernesse to moderate our sufferings that they may not be more then wee shall be enabled to beare 1 Cor. 10.13 to uphold us by his grace making that sufficient for us 2 Cor. 12.9 And lastly to deliver us in conclusion either by taking the trouble from us as hee did from