heard that our enemies haue boasted through the false and forged benediction of him that is a deceiuer and yet taketh the falsly conceiued authority from heauen But our God laughed their pride insolency and security to scorne taking our cause into his owne hand confounded their deuices daunted their hearts weakned their armes abandoned their Nauies by his owne power euen as he gaue proud Benadab into Ahabs power though a wicked King and an Idolater therefore not for Ahabs sake but for his owne Names seke and his owne peoples safety And to shew his Omnipotent power in defending his owne and confounding his and their enemies So that the truly faithful in God being threatned beset and besieged by wicked multitudes néed not to be afraid for though war be raised against them that God that defended Dauid Hezekias and all that haue truly called vpon him in like danger will as hée hath euer hitherunto defend vs. They that haue the God of Hosts on their side néed not to feare though Kings combine and people rage as if they would eat vp their flesh Onely let them liue godly pray faithfully and vse ordinary meanes lawfully then if an Host pitch against them their hearts néed not be afraid though warre be raised against them let them trust in him and they shall sée the saluation of God They that fight against Gods people fight euen against God himselfe as Paul persecuting his children persecuted Christ. If therefore a mighty Host inuade vs we may boldly though in seeming weaknesse encounter them for there are more with the children of God though not séene than with the wicked God neuer faileth nor forsaketh his vnlesse they forsake him he leaueth them not vnlesse they leaue him Infinite are the examples hereof in holy Scriptures which might be also produced further to confirme our assurance And were it néedfull there might be inserted not a few examples of Gods like deliueries recorded in our owne Chronicles and in our own remembrances But where Gods Spirit speaketh by the pens of Gods owne Secretaries there néed no humane testimonies but onely to shew that God is still the same He is Alpha and Omega the same yesterday to day and for euer therefore may the man that is godly assure himselfe with holy Dauid If an Host of enemies pitch against him his heart need not bee afraid though war be raised against him he may trust in this That when the wicked euen his enemies and his foes come vpon him to eat vp his flesh they shall stumble and fall A Praier to God that he will defend vs from our Enemies O Holy and most mightie God of Hosts who dwellest in the heauens and yet art thou absolute also in the earth gouerning guiding directing and protecting those that feare thy name so that they need not feare the power or malice of whatsoeuer aduersaries for saluation belongeth vnto thee alone and thy blessing is euermore vpon them that faithfully depend vpon thee Therefore Lord though we be weake in power ignorant in carnall policies destitute of humane aid and beset with enemies who raise deadly warre against vs confirme our faith in thee and we shall be strong yea stronger than our enemies and wiser than our most politicke and subtill aduersaries and shall be either able to withstand their violence or escape their mischiefes though we haue no other defence but thy prouidence no other armour but thy loue no other weapons but true faith and a holy feare of thy name yet in this defence will we trust and in this saluation will we reioyce In this confidence Lord come we vnto thee powring out our hearts before thee not because thou knowest them not but because thou knowest them therefore come we vnto thee that thou maist bee pleased to remoue our feare and ease our griefe and to be strengthned and confirmed in a liuely assurance of our safetie and saluation in thee and of thy defence against these our enemies for there is none besides thee that can deliuer vs. Remember Lord thy goodnesse which thou vouchsafedst to our faithfull fore-fathers of old how thou deliueredst them from their enemies when they cried vnto thee Heare vs we pray thee O Lord and helpe vs for vaine is the helpe of man Turne our feare into assurance of thy fauour and helpe our mourning into reioycing in thee Loose our sorrowes and gird vs againe with gladnesse let not our sinnes hinder thy mercies wherein wee pray thee to turne the counsell of our wicked aduersaries into foolishnesse their strength into weaknesse and their hope into despaire Thou art the Lord of hosts high and mightie louing vnto those that feare thee helpfull vnto those that trust in thee and a terrible God vnto them that despise thee or thine What Tyrant can stand before thee What King can encounter thee or take thy children out of thy hands Pharaoh could not detaine Israell when thou wouldest transplant them Saul could not hurt Dauid thou defending him Senacherib could not haue his desire against Hezâ—kias thou fighting for him our enemies could not hurt vs thou curbing them O shew thy selfe now as thou hast euer done our defender With speed O'Lord reforme all our imperfections couer the multitude of our grosse and fearefull sins which call for enemies and other punishments in thy iustice to be inflicted vpon vs Turne thou vnto vs and we shall returne vnto thee Let our repentance appeare by the mortification of our sinfull desires Humble vs and we shall be humbled then shalt thou in compassion pardon vs and in thy fauour compasse vs about as with a shield Thou shalt bee our refuge in our greatest danger for there is no God besides thee no help but of thee Thou alone art able to command an Hoste of Angels from heauen to attend and guard vs Twentie thousand thousand Angels canst thou send from heauen to defend vs thy selfe the chiefe Leader of that celestiall army whereof one of them is sufficient to confound a million of thine and our wicked enemies when they assaile vs to cat vp our flesh thou in a moment canst make them to stumble and fall What then is man Or what is the force of Princes when thou takest part against them in the behalfe of them whom thou wilt defend Therefore cast we our burden and care vpon thee for thou hast promised to care for vs. O send therefore from heauen and saue vs haue mercy vpon vs O God haue mercy vpon vs for we trust in thee And vnder the shadow of thy wings will wee shelter our selues vntill our enemies bee either conuerted or confounded Then shall we praise thy name O Lord for that thou hast not left vs as a prey vnto the will of our enemies and though we walke in the midst of troubles yet we know and are assured that thou wilt take a conuenient time to finish the worke of our absolute deliuery For thy mercy and thy truth and thy power endure from
and comfort in affliction 359 An effectuall Prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes 370 A Prayer for the morning with thanks for rest and safety 382 A Prayer to be vsed before a man goes to his rest 387 A MOTIVE to the Reader touching Meditation and Prayer First of Meditation MEditation is an inward action of the soule wherin the faithfull exercise themselues especially vpon the Word and promise of God vpon Heauen and heauenly things arising by the attentiue hearing or serious reading of the same Word deliberate consideration of the truth and infallibility of Gods promises contained therein and the assured performance of them touching their future blessed and glorious being after this life whereof the faithfull heart being assured through the testimony of Gods holy Spirit it delights in nothing so much as continually to thinke and meditate of the same according to the words of Christ Where our treasure is there are our hearts and thereof wee continually thinke DAVID had his heart set vpon his treasure hid with Christ aboue which made him to meditate cheerefully to sing O how loue I the Law of the Lord It is my continuall meditation yea I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies So did Salomon cry out Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel who spake with his mouth to Dauid my father and with his hand hath performed it 1 King 8. 15 16. All the promises of God in Scripture doe administer vnto the faithfull matter of continuall meditation and serious consideration and among many of his promises his promse of defence and deliuery of his in the time of danger trouble and affliction is to be often considered for that it concerneth especially the children of God that are most afflicted who considering the waies of God to be mercy and truth and that what he promiseth he will assuredly performe cannot but worke patience and patience hope and how can he bee without continuall holy Meditation whose heart is with God from whom he hopeth his helpe will come but in Gods owne time and therefore though wee hope we may not make haste though he promise to defend vs from danger deliuer vs in trouble he will not so answer our expectations as if wee knew the time when or the manner how to be releeued or defended better than he He will exercise his owne children awhile to proue their patience faith and obedience to cause vs to meditate and ponder his word and promise till hee haue sufficiently tried our constant assurance of his timely deliuery for it is his property to come to helpe his when they thinke hee hath most forgotten them How suffered he Dauid a man chosen after his owne heart to bee enuironed with infinite dangers in so much as he thought God had forsaken him altogether and forgotten him and therefore cries out How long wilt thou forget me Lord for euer and againe hee confessed that God had giuen him his hearts desire and that hee had not denied the request of his lips whereby appeareth that the sorce of liuely faith holy meditation and diuine prayer are able to make God offended God appeased suddenly to remoue sorrow and so bring ioy God hath promised to be a defence to the faithfull in whatsoeuer dangers yet if we wel weigh and consider the course of Gods dealing with his owne children and duly meditate of his power prouidence and wisdome wee shall finde that hee doth not alwaies come immediatly at the call of his dearest children DAVID was banished and persecuted long Ioseph was imprisoned long they both prayed for deliuery yet continued in a hard estate which was an argument in humane reason that God cared not for them and aboue them both was innocent Iob long and many waies afflicted God saw his miseries and heard his prayers but he left him yet to be an example to vs of like expectation of Gods timely releeuing vs and in his good time he made Dauid a King and Ioseph the chiefe vnder Pharaoh in Aegypt and restored Iob to his former yea to farre greater glory Thus doth God try his dearest children to occasion them to know and acknowledge that howsoeuer hee seeme to absent himselfe from them in their deepest dangers and to seeme deafe as it were vnto their prayers he yet hath an eie both on them and their enemies hee was a shelter vnto Dauid and curbed Saul he saw Ioseph in prison but with his liberty prepared his aduancement He saw Iobs afflictions but kept a hooke in Satans nosthrills that all that he did against Iob serued to his finall comfort Though therefore it happen the faithfull to be straited and enuironed with so many and mighty enemies and troopes of troubles that there appeareth no euasion no deliuery by any visible meanes yet there remaineth holy Meditation patient deliberation and serious consideration of Gods wonderfull deliuerances of his in all like dangers Consider Dauid and all his troubles and you shall finde hee fainted not but depended onely vpon the promises and prouidence of God with a godly resolution to wait the issue of his hope onely meditating on Gods promises and considering his waies and how he had before dealt with Abraham Izaak Iaacob Noah Lot Moses and other faithfull fathers before him the meditation and consideration of whose wonderfull deliueries cannot but work assurance in any beleeuing heart in like manner though by vnlike and hidden meanes in good time to be deliuered and therefore saith Dauid by way of meditation and confirmation of his and consequently our faith in God Our Fathers trusted in thee they called vpon thee and were heard they prayed vnto thee and thou deliueredst them out of all their troubles as if hee should say in himselfe by way of Meditation I finde by the Word of God that he hath deliuered many before my time that trusted in him called vpon him in greater dangers than I am in why then should I doubt or despaire of like deliuery I trust in him as these fathers trusted I call vpon and pray vnto him as they did therefore surely hee will heare me and helpe me in time conuenient thus did Dauid meditate in his troubles God commanded Iaacob to returne from Laban his Vncle into his countrie and Kindred from whom and whence he fled promising to doe him good Gen. 32. 9. Could Iaacob doe lesse than meditate and tâ—inke seriously of this command and promise of God considering hee was to returne to his desperatly malicious brother Esau who sought to murther him yet vpon due Meditation and consideration of Gods faithfull promise of defending him and doing him good hee ouercame feare by faithfull prayer and the Lord appeased his brothers malice towards him Examples of like nature are plentifull in holy Scriptures as of Mordecay and the Iewes Ester 7. of the Bethulians Iudith 7. and many others Holy meditation is most necessary and an especiall Motiue to faithfull prayer and prayer can neuer be so powerfull as vpon holy
after he was coÌ„stituted also anointed King by Samuel by the malice of Saul who sought his death and continued many yéeres in continual troubles wherin being exercised he betooke himselfe to prayer to God liuing in hope that the time would come wherein hee should be fréed from Sauls tyranny and as hée was anointed so should he bée at length eustalled King hauing in many yéeres little or no breathing time or freedome from afflictions yet was his faith strong and his confidence in God firme as appeareth by the first second and third verses of this 27. Psalme wherein hée declareth the fauour of God towards him that he was his light and his saluation and his strength so that he feared not Saul nor whatsoeuer wicked enemies being assured that if they came vpon him to take away his life God would make them to stumble and fall as by his owne hands and Gods prouidence Goliah fell and after Saul his enemy by his owne sword so that in the first Uerse hée tooke courage through faith in God and sang In the time of trouble God shall hide me in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his Pauilion shall he hide me and set me vpon a Rocke And in this verse Now shall hee lift vp mine head aboue mine enemies round about me When Saul was dead his mighty enemy he tooke the Gouernment of his Kingdome but was not yet frée from enemies whereby wée may see that the death of one enemy is the life of another and to teach vs not to be secure at any time but when one danger is past to looke for another yet not without Hope though cast downe in the end to be lifted vp and raised againe For as the Moone wareth full and decreaseth and the Sea ebbeth and floweth and as the sky cleareth and cloudeth so doe the estates of men high and low rise and fall and fall and rise What a fall had Ioseph being the darling of his Father to be sold as a slaue to be falsely accused and to be strictly imprisoned and yet in the end to bée so highly aduanced Now saith Dauid shall he lift vp my head as if hée could limit God the time to raise him No doubt it was not his meaning to tie God to a certaine time but when Saul his Predecessor was dead the Crowne open sor him he might well say Now that is now hath God appointed the time to bring that to passe which long before he had promised Indéed when he was made King he might well say that God had lifted vp his head aboue his enemies round about him for he had many as before is shewed and net a few euen of Sauls followers after who when they saw Dauid exalted might enuy his aduancement being lifted vp so farre aboue them and had then power to recompence their wickednesse against him But he had no reuengefull spirit if he had had hée would haue reuenged himselfe vpon Shemey that railed on him and cursed him and vpon Doeg that discouered his abode to Saul Neither of these did he touch but as touching Shemey though he swore vnto him that hée would not slay him yet hée commanded Salomon that he should cause his hoare head to goe to the graue with bloud which it séemeth hée spake by the spirit of prophesie fore-séeing that he should die by the sword Thus Dauid deliuered from his enemies and lifted vp aboue them sheweth the wonderfull power of God in preseruing him and his prouidence and loue in aduancing him yet continued hée not long without his troubles and enemies to exercise him though he were now established in his Kingdome for he hauing peace security a while we find into what sinnes he fell though he were aduanced aboue his corporall enemies his spirituall foes grew stronger than he therefore it is good that the children of God though neuer so great in the world haue afflictions and troubles lest they forget God as this godly King for a time did yet vpon repentance God raised him againe Which example of sinning we must auoid and imitate his repentance By his assured confidence in God he still withstood and preuailed against all that rose vp against him none could make him afraid but rested still assured that God would now namely whensoeuer he was beset with danger lift vp his head aboue all his enemies round about him His enemies in their policies became fooles in their strength weake and all their deuices brought to nought So that Dauid might well sing this ioyfull Song The Lord hath lifted vp my head aboue all mine enemies round about me Nothing preuaileth without or against God None can be lifted vp to sit safely without God therefore the man that is wise being aduanced will-imitate Dauid in faith and a holy resolution then shall he mount that rocke that shall neuer bee moued God shall maintaine his lot so that troubles shall not dismay him enemies shall not hurt him neither shall any thing make him afraid None must yet stand in conceit that Dauids infirmities and falls should bée a priuilege for them to commit sinne but rather let his fall be a-motiue to them to bée watchfull ouer their waies for the preuenting of like danger and to beware of security For easie it is for a man to fall of himselfe as Dauid did but without God not to rise againe and repent as Dauid did Though he fell and was lifted vp Saul fell and neuer rose Peter fell and rose againe but Iudas fell and that finally Dauid had an eie vnto his waies and respect vnto his walkings to preuent a second fall so as his enemies could not preuaile yet hée confessed that it was the Lord that supported him and made him to abide in safety It was not his owne power or wit or policy but the mercy of God that preserued him and that lifted vp his head aboue his enemies He was constant and waited the Lords leisure he made not haste as hée might haue done hauing Saul twice within his power though he were anointed King yet would he lay no violent hands vpon him that was pre-anointed and inuested but waited his time as Ioseph did whose head was lifted vp aboue his enuious brethrer Mordochay and the Jewes likewise with patience waited the time and were lifted vp aboue Hâ—man but otherwise higher by the gallowes than they Many are lifted vp aboue their enemies in conceit and yet themselues lifted vp as enemies against themselues for the more man insulteth in pride ouer other men the more the mighty triumph ouer the weake the rich ouer the poore the glorious ouer the base and the more that they in authority abuse and tyrannize ouer them they gouerne so much the further off are they from the true lifting vp how high soeuer they cary their heads and so much the more enemies they are vnto themselues There is no true lifting vp without loue for God is loue he lifteth vp the heart and soule
set thy glory aboue the heauens where he sitteth and séeth the troubles and afflictions of his and is néere them when they call vpon him he turneth his face and louing countenance towards them to cheare them and comfort them as for the wicked he beholdeth them a farre off I haue set the Lord saith Dauid alwaies before me for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide As if he had said I sée the face of God continually and hée it is that preserueth me from danger so that mine heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth my flesh also doth rest in hope The tongue of men or Angels cannot sufficiently expresse what God is onely the heauens doe shew vnto vs his glory the Sunne the Moone and Starres fixed in the Firmament the Earth the Sea and all that are therein all being the works of his hands This God did Dauid séeke to this God did Dauid pray and hée turned his face vnto him and deliuered him out of all his feare To him I will pray A Praier that God will neuer hide his face from vs. THY fauour O Lord which thou shewest vnto vs weake and vnworthy creatures is as an vnfathomable Sea of loue who becommest as it were a suter vnto vs to come to seeke and to see thy face Thou the most beloued seemest to make loue vnto vs Thou the most mighty creator callest vs vnto thee thy weake creatures And shall we hatefull deformed and vile wretches stand therefore in conceit that wee are louely and beautifull because thou great Iehouah absolute in all perfection doest thus intreat vs Thou saiest Seeke my face And what is it but as if thou saidst Come and see me come and receiue me come and dwell with me It seemeth to be rather the voice of a familiar friend than of the Creator of heauen and earth But when I consider thy greatnesse thy Maiesty and glory thy power and omnipotency I cannot but feare considering what I am and rather desire to hide me from thee as Adam did than to intrude my selfe into thy presence in my deformities and to couer my nakednesse of all goodnesse with the fig leaues of shamefull absence than to come into thy presence being naked of all spirituall vertues Should I come into thy presence O most powerfull and holy Lord God in the bespotted garments of mine owne corruptions Then maist thou well stand with the burning sword of thy fury to keepe me from the sweet Paradice of thy louing and amiable presence amiable in deed to them whom thou makest worthy but most fearefull vnto such as haue not on the wedding garment of the righteousnesse of IESVS CHRIST If thou obserue the selfe-deseruings of the best men and deale with them accordingly who can see thy face and liue Who dare to seeke thy face as of himselfe worthy But sith it pleaseth thee to call me though vnworthy and to accept me as worthy how can I but giue all diligence to attend thy call Should I stand consulting with flesh and bloud whether I should seeke thy face and liue or remaine out of thy fauour and perish eternally Thou saist Seeke my face O that my heart could truly answer and faithfully performe the seeking of thy face for I cannot say of my owne power I will seeke thy face Though my spirituall part bee willing my carnall part is weake I desire yet to seeke and to finde thee for with thee is the well of life Thine eies are vpon them that feare thee and thine eares open vnto their cry Shew me therefore the light of thy countenance and turne thy face towards me that I may see it in thy fauour and louing kindnesse Thy face is no way so liuely to be seene as in the Image of thy Sonne who although he were here in the earth in the forme of a seruant he had the inuisible forme of thine owne Essence and is now ascended and glorified in the heauens endowed with that absolute glory which hee had from the beginning with thee whose visible forme cannot bee seene with mortall eyes whose face yet shineth more gloriously than it did vpon the holy Mount which Peter Iames and Iohn to their vnspeakable comfort beheld with their eies that visible glory of his cannot bee here seene it is hid from vs vntill the time but he vouchsafeth vnto vs his Word wherein we see him through faith O seeke his face euermore my soule seeke his Word beleeue his promises obserue his Will Grant Lord that I may flie sinne and embrace righteousnesse that I may pray continually loue all men beare with the weake bee patient in troubles and thankfull vnto thee for all thy mercies and grant Lord that I may seeke thee while it is to day let mee omit no time in seeking thy face thou saist Seeke my face let me cast off all impediments and clogs of worldly occasions and cast my care vpon thee for thou hast promised to care for mee what thou hast said is true what thou hast promised is Yea and Amen as sure as if I were possessed of what I aske I am in danger I will seeke thy face as Dauid did who found it in the Wildernesse pursued by Saul I haue enemies I will seeke thy face as Eliah did being threatned by Iezabel If I bee in prison I will seeke thy face as Ioseph did who was deliuered and aduanced what misery or danger trouble or affliction soeuer it shall please thee to inflict vpon mee I will seeke thy face so shall I not bee confounded in the perilous time and in whatsoeuer calamity I am be thou neere vnto me and saue me VERSE 9. Hide not thy face from mee nor cast thy seruant away in displeasure thou hast beene my succour leaue me not neither forsake me O God of my saluation BY this prayer of Dauid it may appeare that God sometimes hideth his face from his dearest children and séemeth as if hée had cast them away in his anger which yet though it be fearefull it is not small for he continueth not long in his displeasure though the weaknesse of men bée they neuer so sanctified will many times shew it selfe and produce such corrupt fruits as may incense God to displeasure and inforce him to absent himselfe from them for a time in so much as he may seeme to haue left them quite to their owne corrupt wills as it séemeth holy Dauid felt some alteration as it were of Gods dealing towards him that he cried out hide not thy face from me wherby it séemeth Dauid had not that comfort of Gods presence as in times past he had especially when hée was afraid that God had cast him away in displeasure It may be the weaknesse of Dauids faith which is not at all times alike strong could not so well apprehend Gods mercies as before or that he felt his owne infirmities to grow stronger and his spirituall powers weaker so that in the combat betwéene the flesh and
no feare of thee before mine eies deliuer me out of their hands O Lord out of the hands of euill and cruell men and from their slanderous and false tongues that are set on fire against the innocent They hate them that offend them not they persecute them that resist them not let them haue no iust cause to condemne my waies Thou hast set before vs a blessing and a curse a blessing for them that walke vprightly in thy waies and a curse to them that wilfully fotsake the way which thou hast appointed thy children to walke in O shew mee the good and right way and euermore leade me therein Giue me grace to take heed of that way which seemeth right the end whereof is death Draw me O Lord out of this way and leade me by thy right hand so shall I abandon this way full of carnall pleasures and sinfull delights Teach me thy waies the waies of obedience and repentance the waies of righteousnesse and peace which tend to eternall life It is not in my power or wisdome to finde out or walke in this way It is hid from humane vnderstanding and therefore euen Moses though otherwise of deepe knowledge being by nature ignorant of this way sought to be and was instructed by thee therein How much more good Father need I to intreat thee to learne me this way for I haue beene long lead awry be mine owne corrupt affections not knowing the way of truth and righteousnesse wherein I beseech thee to guide and leade mee now at the last and for euer because of mine enemies O Lord my God my guide and my Redeemer Amen VERSE 12. Giue me not ouer to the lust of mine enemies for there are false witnesses risen vp against mee and such as speake cruelly WHat man is he that liueth is frée from enemies Of what estate condition or quality soeuer If he be good the wicked will hate him the world will disfauour him and the Deuill will maligne him If he be euill the vertuous will dislike him the godly cannot affect him God cannot blesse him yet ought euery man to endeuour to be godly howsoeuer Satan will doe what he can to raise enemies against him as he did against godly Dauid and against all the holy men of God from the beginning as first against Abel against Iob and aboue all against Christ himselfe whose enemies séemed to haue their full lust fulfilled against him neuer leauing him vntill they had crucified him And yet then were they néerest to their owne confusion when they had their wils of him Dauid in this Psalme séemeth to haue béene much troubled with enemies and yet sheweth in the second verse of the same that when his enemies and his foes came vpon him to eat vp his flesh they stumbled and fell In the third verse hee sheweth such faith and confidence in God that though an Host pitched against him his heart should not be afraid Yet in this twelfth verse he séemeth to feare againe lest his enemies might yet preuaile against him and therefore praieth that God would not giue him ouer to the lust of his enemies which may teach vs that when we thinke our selues most frée from and as it were out of the reach of all enemies not to be secure for a reconciled enemy may harbour secret mischiefe which although hée will not for his counterfeit promise sake execute by his owne publike violence yet he may suborne such secretly as may renew either the open quarrell againe or falsly accuse the innocent party And this as it séemeth did Dauid finde for when hée thought all his enemies were at peace with him he obserued some secret practises against him By false witnesses which were risen against him who accused him afresh and procured him new or moued his old Aduersaries against him which séemeth to afright him more than before an Host of enemies could doe For now hée praieth that God would not giue him ouer to the lust of them that before he feared not which sheweth that a second danger is more fearefull than a former And which also sheweth our too much securitie after our deliuery from a danger as though we néed no more to feare another to follow But if we obserue well the course of the waies of wicked men we shal see that they seldome giue ouer to prosecute them they once desired to persecute And God hath likewise such an eie vnto his owne children that he will not haue them idle hee will exercise them as long as they liue heere they must bee partakers of his crosses they must haue enemies as hee had they must suffer pouertie ignominy and disgrace in the world as hee did Though he being Lord of all and could command all hée was poore yet all the world and the things in the world were his when he was hungry he could haue plentifully supplied his hunger being disgraced by the reprobaâ—e Jewes he could haue done as Peter did with Annanias and Saphira haue spoken but the word and his enemies should haue fallen dead at his foot But he patiently suffered all to teach vs that are but seruants to imitate him that is our master and Lord. If they called him Belsabub and he suffered them why should we take scorne to bée despised reproached and ill intreated and our enemies to insult ouer vs and to haue their lust fulfilled against vs euen to take away our liues We are but seruants hée was our Lord yet he endured and shall we thinke our selues better or deserue to be more frée than he that was guiltie of no offence against them that thus abused him We being culpable of a thousand sinnes against him and yet hath fréed vs from the guilt and punishment of all Yet it behooueth vs to pray as Dauid did Giue mee not ouer vnto the lust of mine Aduersaries For as there were against Christ so there are false Witnesses risen vp against vs and such also as speake cruelly Cruell and wicked men haue commonly attending them such as will speake and practise what they will haue them for gaine if they will haue them to accuse any man falsly they can coine matter This man said If they did destroy the Temple of Ierusalem which was made with hands he would build it in three daies without hands Whereas indéed hée said that if they did destroy the Temple of his body hee would raise it againe in three daies as he did But by this may be obserued the cunning and subtilty of the Deuill that can and doth prompt his wicked Instruments how they may peruert the words and actions of the innocent to a sense cleane contrary to their meaning and make so false a Glosse vpon it as if it were truth it selfe and will set such an audacious face vpon it as if God deale not with the falsly accused as hée did for the defence of innocent Susanna they will haue their lust of them Such a false witnesse was perfidious Ziba against
premeditation though short so it be serious for as rumination precedes digesture in cleane beasts so holy Meditation goes before effectuall prayer in Christians Seeing then that there is no kâ—nde of trouble danger misery or affliction that can befall Gods children but there are examples in the holy Booke of God wherein may bee seene Gods outward deliuery or inward comfort in euery kinde what need the faithfull to faint in any Search therfore the Scriptures meditate in them consider the ends and issues the patience and prayers of former godly men and let their faith patience and prayer be paternes for our imitation Then if our knowledge by reading and hearing of the Word our continuall meditation in the Word doe worke in vs through the same spirit that guided them like assurance and faith we cannot but adde preuailing prayer which being without doubting or wauering cannot but in force as it were at Gods hands who is absolutely powerfull like deliueries out of dangers and timely releefe or release in troubles And he that is a religious obseruer of Gods dealing for the defence of his and confounding his their enemies at this day cannot but see approue God to be the same God in power wil prouidence and readinesse to helpe his as he was in any former age to our fathfull fore-fathers Then search the Word meditate therein as Dauid did day and night pray zealously and faithfully and this God euen the euerliuing and all-sufficient God shall effectually performe in his good time whatsoeuer hee hath promised and we pray for Of Prayer THough faithfull prayer be powerfull to preuaile with God in and against all dangers perills troubles and an armour of tried defence against sin and Satan yet few there be that vse it especially as they ought some not at all Many there are that either say in their hearts there is no God as Psal. 53. 1. or that deny the power of God not acknowledging him to be God and so cannot glorifie him as God Rom. 1. 21. Some also are or haue beene so impious as they absolutely haue denied him as Pharaoh Exod. 5. 2. Senacherib 2 King 18. 13. to 30. Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. and others assuming as it were the name of Gods vnto themselues They praid to none but they as Gods were praid vnto whose examples are to be detested as abominable blasphemous and deuilish whose ends may onely serue to terrifie such though neuer so mighty preuailing in their tyranny awhile as either forsake the liuing God and trust in or pray vnto them or that that are no gods such are not to be feared of them that truly trust in and pray vnto the God of hosts as holy Dauid did whose example of faith prayer and holy resolution in all dangers may encourage all faithfull in all their troubles to imitate and practise the same The onely and chiefe refuge that this most godly King had and the principall weapons wherewith he resisted and ouercame his enemies was feruent prayer in a liuely faith Faithfull prayer to God is such a defence against whatsoeuer danger as no enemy be hee neuer so mighty malicious or carnally politike can preuaile against it for howsoeuer a man truly fearing God be beset with euen multitudes of enemies so as no visible helpe can haue accesse to rescue him or to deliuer him yet if hee send this Messenger faithfull prayer vnto God and wauer not in his assurance outward succour or inward comfort will assuredly and timely appeare It was Dauids refuge in euery danger when his perfidious Counseller Achitophel whose counsell was as it were the Oracle of God addressed his traiterous aduice to rebellious Absolom he only praied to frustrate it and his depest wisdome turned into folly 2 Sam. 15. 31. Hezekiah in danger of the King of Ashur vsed onely prayer to God and the Lord slew his enemies one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand in one night 2 King 19. Examples are infinite of the force and effect of prayer in so much as there is nothing that the faithfull want but Prayer if it be faithfull and feruent may obtaine if God in his wisdome thinke it fit for vs to receiue Prayer is it whereby we speake vnto God in a heauenly kinde of familiarity and whereby God is as it were inforced to cast away his rod and to alter his purpose of punishing Great is the force and efficacy of faithfull prayer and greater is the loue of God towards vs in admitting vs so freely and boldly to come vnto him with our petitions nay so louing he is that he allureth vs saying Call vpon mee in the day of trouble and I will heare thee and deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Here is sufficient warrant and encouragement for vs to flie vnto God by prayer in whatsoeuer trouble misery danger or affliction And the examples of deliuery and helpe in euery kinde are so infinite as who so is conuersant in the old and new Bookes of God cannot be ignorant of the force and effect of faithfull Prayer euen of such as haue beene subiect to like passions as we are Ioshua prayed and the Sunne and Moone stood still Iosh. 10. 12. Elisha prayed and his enemies were strucken with blindnesse 2 Kings 6. 18. Eliah prayed and fire fell from Heauen and destroyed them that came to take him 2 King 1. 10. Faithfull Prayer doth as it were ouercome God in somuch as when he hath a purpose to punish a people or a person he wil forbid the faithfull to pray for them lest he should be ouercome with their prayer and so be enforced to spare them Exod. 32. 10 11. If the prayer of one faithfull man may restraine God as it were from executing his iudgements vpon the wicked how much more may faithfull prayer preuaile for the good of a faithfull man What should then hinder our Prayer to God in our owne necessities and dangers Nothing but impatience and vnbeliefe for if in a true and liuely faith and holy intention wee present our humble supplications vnto God through Christ according to his will reuealed in his Word and wauer not Christ himselfe assureth vs to obtaine what wee pray for Whatsoeuer yee aske saith he the Father in my name hee will giue it you Iohn 16. 23. Let vs not then be cast downe in our spirits but let vs lift vp our hearts to him that seeth vs and taketh care for vs and hath both will and power to deliuer vs. Hee hath a time in his wisdome to humble vs and a time in his mercy to helpe vs a time to debase vs and a time to relieue vs in despight of Satan and his most malicious instruments he had his time to afflict Iob and Ioseph and Dauid and in his time againe he deliuered them Let vs therfore in all our trialls troubles and afflictions call vpon God in the Name of his Sonne and we shall finde that euen in our holy Meditations he will thinke vpon vs
generation to generation Preserue vs therefore O God from these cruell men and the praise and glory shall bee thine the comfort ours And the example of thy so fatherly protecting vs shall be a motiue to others in like danger to call vpon thee So be it VERSE 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his temple GReat is the difference betwéene the worldling the true Christian betwéene a carnall and a spirituall minded man The one coueteth to dwell and to haue his continuall abode here below the other soareth and aspireth vpward the one resembleth the Swine the other the Eagle the one is neuer satisfied with earthly and carnall things for hee hath as many desires as he hath senses and euery pleasing thing that offereth it selfe to any of them he coueteth for euery sense hath its particular delights as many senses so many fantasies numberlesse yet neither of them can be satisfied for the heart of a carual man ingrosseth them all and the more vanities it apprehendeth the more desire increaseth for the eye is neuer satisfied with seeing nor the care with hearing pleasing things But the spirituall minded desireth onely one thing namely to be assured of his saluation and the glory to come And therefore holy Dauid desired as all true Christians ought this one thing for this only one thing is necessary Bershaba the wife of Dauid and mother of Salomon desired but one thing of her sonne and hee promised her faire but performed it not according to her desire But Dauid the father of Salomon desired one thing which hée longed for of a King greater than Salomon and a matter of far greater moment than was Bershabaes and his Petition was accepted both their Petitions séemed to procéed of loue but the difference of their issues was great the one procured hatred and death the other a most blessed successe Shée made her request to man in whom to put confidence is vaine He made his request to God the holy one of Israel in whom there is mercy and truth To whom also Salomon made one especiall request only for wisdome and obtained it and with it many earthly blessings which he asked not So bountifull is God as if wée aske that one thing necessary namely the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof he will also adde blessing vpon blessing though we aske them not Dauids only Petition was y t he might dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of his life A blessed yet a strange request of a King in the opinion of worldly men who might thinke Dauid not to be so wise as some ambitious and carnall polititians are at this day who had rather be in Kings Courts to take their pleasures than to bee restrained in a Temple for a day And Dauid being a King might haue retired himselfe in his Palace and haue taken what pleasure and delight hee would hauing a Kingdome to supply whatsoeuer might haue pleased any of his senses But these delights hée found not answerable to his affection which was seasoned from aboue hauing tasted so swéetly of the loue of Iehouah who of a Shepherd made him a King and who had so often deliuered him from his enemies he had rather bée conuersant with him in his house one day than a thousand in the Court of Saul or in his owne Court among his Gallants Nay he would choose rather to be a doorekéeper in the house of God than to command an earthly kingdome and to be depriued of his heauenly exercises in the house of God It is a most glorious estate indéed to be a King but farre more glorious to be a godly King He is Gods Uice-gerent in that part of the earth wherein God in his prouidence hath set him yet must he looke to haue some discontents mixt with his greatnesse and necessary too otherwise greatnesse might cause forgetfulnes that he is a man as former examples haue discouered And therefore did God visit Dauid chosen after his own heart with many troubles to the end he should not be vnmindfull what he was whence and from what estate God had raised him to that place of eminence and that hée should serue the Lord and maintaine his lawes and defend his people cherishing the good and chastising the euill And therefore was Dauid to forward in calling his people to serue the Lord and himselfe to be the leader of them to the Temple of God to which he had so sincere a desire that hée requested of the Lord that hee might dwell therein all the daies of his life or at least haue frée liberty often to visit it to the praise of God and exercise of prayer This desire is commonly the last and least in great men for the most part though no doubt they desire as Balaam did to die when necessity requireth the death of the righteous and greater glory would it be vnto them if they would practice while they haue time the life of the righteous as they seldome doe yet few or none of whatsoeuer quality are so irreligious in shew but they will looke into the house of God peraduenture once it may be twice in a Sabbath And peraduenture thinke it long as loth to spare their pleasures delights or profits to liue a whole day in the Temple of God with fasting and prayer Some would thinke it as hard a taske as the bondage of Aegypt or the captiuity of Babylon But blessed bée God some there are that haue Dauids desire though not to dwell really in the Temple yet to bee comfortably conuersant among Gods people in hearing God speake vnto them and they to speake vnto God This is that that great men should principally desire for their example in well doing much moueth inferiours to imitation for it is commonly obserued that example doth draw more to good or euill than documents or dehortations The godly life of a great man is as a Towre séene a far and many especially his followers will imitate his steps at least in shew and euen that shew of a godly life is a good motiue to others to liue godly indéed and as a good life giues comfort encouragement to others to be good so the president of euill makes many euill If greatnesse and goodnes goe together it is the swéetest consort y t a mortall man can make in this life 〈◊〉 the contrary as harsh hellish This holy desire of Dauid was not for a day for hée speakes of the time past I desired which implies a continuall inward Petition and argues his constancy in desiring though he were often in such straits and distresses as he could not visit the materiall temple as he desired yet wheresoeuer he was driuen by the malice and rage of his enemies he euen there found Bethel the house of God in the
the loue of God the loue of the world could not stand together with his profession and that there is a kinde of enmity betwéene the children of God and the loue of the world or at least no agréement And that is the cause that the good are most afflicted and the worldlings prosper most The first are innocent in whom there is neither gall nor bitternesse the other as they are couetous so are they commonly proud and enuious The first is commonly iniured and beares it with patience the other triumphs ouer them that resist them not but haue onely in all their troubles recourse vnto God whose they are being assured that he in the time of trouble will be their defence and hide them in his Tabernacle which was onely godly Dauids refuge being often and many waies afflicted as at large before appeareth God sendeth affliction vpon his owne dearest children when oftentimes he letteth the wicked goe frée yet is not God vniust in this nor partiall in sparing the euill and punishing the good Hée hath his ends in both according to his heauenly wisdome who knoweth how to deale with both And he that séemeth most to be spared and thinkes himselfe in best case is in greatest danger and he that séemeth in most danger is néerest greatest happinesse Howsoeuer indiscréet men measure their felicity by this worlds fulnesse and fréedome from troubles and censure the dearest children of God to be surely out of his fauour by reason of their manifold afflictions And yet they sée that the simple nurse though she loue her Infant neuer so dearely she will weane it from the breast by some bitter thing when she thinkes her milke not good for the childe And that a Father if he loue his childe will with the rod of correction restraine him from things dangerous And thinke they that our heauenly Father thinkes it not fit to weane his owne children from this hurtfull world that they perish not with worldlings But when he striketh the wicked it is in his anger as the beginning of their perpetuall sorrowes by whose seuere punishments here his owne children may bee terrified from committing like sins by example of their punishments Hee that will liue godly must suffer affliction yet not aboue their strength for God putteth to his hand to moderate and mitigate the weight of their burden The troubles and afflictions of the faithfull séeme more intolerable to the beholders then to themselues that seele them and haue a liuely faith and constancy to beare them Great and many are the troubles euen of the righteous but God deliuereth them out of all In the time of trouble he hides them in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his Pauilion shall he hide them and set them vpon a Rocke He hid Dauid from Saul and Moses from Pharaohs murderers his Tabernacle is alwaies open to entertaine them that in their troubles fly for shelter to him His fauour is the Rocke that cannot be mooued his prouidence the mountaine of their rest and refuge Troubles are but for a moment and then commeth comfort therefore doe the children of God with patience great alacritie and ioy vndergoe them But contrary the comfort of the wicked is here short and momentany but theâ—r future miserie shall haue no end Séeing then that no man especially such as are Gods dearest children can liue here in this earthly Pilgrimage but he must looke for and endure troubles Who will not then prepare himselfe with constancy and patience to embrace them when they came The holy Ghost by the pen of godly Dauid hath assured the poore oppressed afflicted children of God neuer to be forgotten Their hope shall not perish for euer for God is not an idle obseruer or a carelesse spectator of the afflictions and miseries of those that are his Though he suffer theÌ„ to be oppressed long as some with enemies as Dauid some by losse of goods as Iob some by imprisonment as Ioseph some with sicknesse as Hezekiah and withall to permit the wicked to mocke and deride them for that they trusting in God are suffered thus to be afflicted and notwithstanding their praiers not to be deliuered or reléeued which is no small tentation But these men looke into the outward prosperity of men and commend them entertaine them embrace them as if all cause of loue were due to them that were loaden with lucre As for the poore they are despised contemned and had in continuall derision of such onely indeed as are blinde and sée not ignorant and know not dull and obserue not That there is a God that careth for such as worldlings cast off that hee embraceth his poore that the wealthy despise and that he loueth them that the worldlings hate And that in the time of trouble hee hideth them in his Tabernacle within the secret place of his Pauilion shall hee hide them Nay the very Angels of God whom man séeth not pitcheth round about them that feare him and call vpon him and deliuereth them therefore though the godly be poore the Lord thinketh on them Many a meane contenmed childe of God hauing little mâ—anes by the blessing of God doe eat with more contented and more salutary saturity than many times doe the most wealthy of the abundance of all their table dainties A little that the righteous hath is better than the abundance of the vngodly rich Let no man therefore faint nor feare when trouble affliction or persecution commeth but rather reioyce knowing that tribulation bringâ—th forth patience and patience experience and experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed but assureth the faithfull of the goodnesse and loue of God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost so that howsoeuer we be scorned we néed not blush at our troubles and afflictions but at our sinnes that procure them yet are they vnto the children of God but wholesome medicines to cure them and to preuent them onely vnsauory to the carnall minde which also doe accustome to patience which by experience cherisheth and confirmeth our hope which through faith is an assured testimony vnto our conscience that we are beloued of God so much the more by how much he kéepeth vs vnder and in obedience through afflictions For if he leaueth vs vnto our owne corrupt conuersations without correction so much the stronger grow we in sinne therefore necessary it is that we should often féele his correcting rod lest at the last he should confound vs with his deuouring sword for if we should bée without trouble which is our correction whereof all Gods children are partakers we could not but account our selues bastards and no sonnes And if his corrections kéepe vs in obedience then wée may assure our selues he will hide vs in his Tabernacle that no power or policy of the wicked shall finde vs out to hurt vs. As men are in number many and their affections diuers none liueth without some trouble or affliction not all in one
through faith aboue the outward man euen to haue their conuersation in heauen This is the true and swéetest aduancement this is the glorious lifting vp of the head And thus was Dauid also lifted vp spiritually together with his outward lifting vp aboue his corporall enemies Many good men are aduanced to honor and office To what end Not onely not to gaine earthly glory thereby or to enrich themselues by sinister meanes thereby and to abuse their places and wrong their lifter and lifting vp but as Dauid being lifted vp did acknowledge it to be the Lords doing and as he was aduanced by him so did he séeke by all meanes to aduance his glory and though he were lifted vp aboue his enemies he insulted not ouer them but gaue God the praise that his enemies triumphed not ouer him Praise and thanksgiuing are due vnto God for euery benefit and blessing hée bestoweth vpon vs and hée requireth it especially of them whom he lifteth vp aboue their enemies and that they be lowly in their owne eies and louing to all euen to their enemies And to learne also of Paul in a low estate to be patient and being lifted vp to be thankfull neither to be grieued at the one nor to glory too much in the other In the one pray to be constant in the other giue glory to God Dauid when he knew by his anointing that he should be King after Sauls death continued yet humble and was yet contented to kéepe his fathers shéepe a meane office for a man anointed to be a King and thought it no disparagement And when he was indéed exalted hée set not out his glory by outward vanities neither was hée guarded with swaggering swearing Drunkards and with vile and vitious persons though with sufficient noble attendants his Worthies abandoning his house of the knowne wicked and retained such into his seruice as he found to feare God And in stead of worldly vain-glory he went into the Temple of God and there offered the sacrifices of prayer and praise and not himselfe alone but called the people together and with them went not once but many times into the house of the Lord He was not ashamed being a King to be the formost in the seruice of God And let vs praise God for his like mercy vouchsafed vnto vs and let vs imitate godly examples Here is a liuely patterne of a thankfull heart to God for his aduancement contrary to the course of many who being lifted vp not aboue their enemies but aboue their equals of whom many giue rather thankes to their owne wit and policy and to inferior meanes friends or money But such their aduancement is but as the building of Babel though their language be not confounded but many times changed their manners often altered They rise without God and oftentimes we sée them fall of themselues If therefore thou be exalted remember Dauid by whom and by what meanes he was lifted vp He praied and the Lord heard him and he gaue the whole glory to God Whatsoeuer thou art bée thou neuer so eminent think not praier and praising God to be base exercises or things indifferent They are the works of Gods Saints and therein they exercise themselues day and night But woe to them that onely make their praiers and suits vnto men forgetting God and that being lifted vp offer the sacrifice of praise vnto men to their own deuices to their Siluer and Gold c. Forget not God that can winke at ambitious mens lifting vp and laugh at their fals But when God affordeth lawfull means to lift vp any he giueth theÌ„ assurance of his approbation and if they pray for good successe they shall prosper and profit the place they execute and the place shall iustifie their integritie for as without him nothing can come to good effect So to whatsoeuer action he setteth his helping hand it cannot but prosper And he that is by him lifted vp let him not forget to pray and to praise God lest he hurle him downe againe and his latter end proue worse than the beginning A Praier with thanksgiuing to God for defence from enemies in that they haue not preuailed against vs. O Eternall most wise most louing and most powerfull Lord God who guidest gouernest and disposest all things for all men according to thine owne will and knowest what is meet necessarie and expedient for all those that are thine Grant that whatsoeuer befalleth me here in this mortall life be it pouertie or riches prosperitie or aduersitie trouble or peace yea if enemies rise vp against me all may be for my good for as much as nothing commeth to passe but by thy prouidence in loue Pouerty thou suppliest with plentie if thou seest it good for me troubles thou canst remoue if expedient canst send me quietnesse and comfort enemies thou canst restraine and howsoeuer they seeme to insult ouer me thou canst lift vp my head aboue them And though I bee brought low and for a time endure disgrace ignominy shame euen among my familiars yet as long as it pleaseth thee to accept and retaine me in thy fauour I shall not be discouraged being assured that thou canst and wilt in thy good time shew thy selfe the God of my saluation thou wilt giue mee fauour againe euen of those that now scoffe and deride mee for my miseries they shall againe receiue mee in loue seeing thy fatherly respect vnto me For I know that I seeking helpe and comfort of thee shall againe reioyce and be glad in thee for though I be poore and needy though troubles abouâ—d and enemies rage against me thou thinkest on me and according to thy promise wilt neuer leaue me nor forsake me therefore if all the world disdaine me be thou fauourable vnto me O helpe me and deliuer me from them that afflict me and saue me for I trust in thee and none that trusteth in thee shall bee cast downe for euer I powre out my whole desire before thee my sorrowes and my sighes are not hid from thee and though I seeme to faint and my heart to faile me because my louers and my friends leaue me by reason of my miseries yet I wait on thee for comming I know thy helpe will come for thou art an vpright Iudge though thou haue brought me low I know thou canst and wilt lift me vp againe and they that thinke thou hast vtterly forsaken me shall see that there is a God that hath a care of his deiected people though they say now Where is thy God in whom thou seemest so much to trust Doth he helpe thee or releeue thee thou callest vpon him but he heareth thee not thou seemest to seeke him but findest no helpe at his hands O grieuous tentation to a weake-minde but it daunteth me not I am confident in thy mercies I faint not at these reproaches for they vpbraid not me but thee saying as it were in their hearts it is bootlesse for the
distressed to trust in thee O consider this my God and permit mee not though sore oppressed to giue ouer calling continually and faithfully vpon thee for with thee there is mercy and with thee is timely redemption though thou seeme to tarry long and to giue no eare vnto my prayers which maketh those that are ignorant of thy waies to thinke thou hast vtterly forsaken me yet I know and am assured that thou forgettest me not neither dost thou so leaue mee but that thou wilt returne vnto me again and in the multitude of thy mercies lift me vp againe and then shall they that thus haue censured me finde and confesse that indeed I haue not trusted in thee in vaine and that thou art a God indeed powerfull able and louing willing and ready to helpe thine in the time of most need I am thine O Lord for in all my troubles I haue hitherunto found thee my God my helper and my refuge though there be that haue said there is no helpe for me in thee I haue found them lyers for thou hast neuer failed me nor forsaken mee hitherunto neither wilt thou faile me or forsake me for euer Thou hast euer beene my rocke and fortresse and hast euer deliuered mee therefore art thou worthy to be praised yea I will praise thee for I was left vnto thee as soone as I was borne and thou hast euer beene a louing father vnto me though as a father thou hast gently corrected me yet thy louing kindnes thou hast neuer withholden from me but when in my greatest troubles and afflictions I haue beene like to perish thou hast not left mee to the will of mine enemies and when they they thought to reioyce most at my miseries thou hast lifted vp my head aboue mine aduersaries in thee therefore will I trust and not be afraid what man can doe vnto me Haste thee to help me O God of my saluation and praised bee thy holy name for euer Amen VERSE 7. Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry haue mercy also vpon me and heare me THese words of Dauid import a most earnest praier vnto God though séeming short yet coÌ„taineth matter of good consideration euen of vs y t in all our necessities we should cry vnto God teacheth vs that when we are in distresse wée may not lie still thinke that God will helpe vs if we call not vpon him and againe we may call and cry and not bée heard As Dauids enemies when they were deseruedly ouercome cryed for helpe at God but he neglected them and reiected them because they cried being a wicked people in their distresse for helpe at Gods hands whom they before despised But contrarily the children of Israel the people of God cried vnto him in their distresse and the Lord heard them and deliuered them 1. Sam. 12. 10 11. There are vocall cries and there are cries that none heare but God as the guiltlesse bloud of Abel yet cryeth vnto God for vengeance Likewise the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorrah cryed vnto God for iudgement as sin and murther daily doe these are wofull cries silent and yet God heareth them in displeasure whereby wée may learne that sinne and chiefely the murther of Innocents be it neuer so secret doe cry and shall be reuealed and though neuer so séeming to be grounded vpon pretended deuotion zeale it crieth to God for vengeance Dauids cry was of another kinde for where the former cries were the cries of the sinnes of the wicked against their wils for reuenge against their owne impieties Dauids tended to the glory of God and his owne succour and safetie and therefore said he Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry Which teacheth vs not to bée mute when any occasion of feare or affliction may moue vs to séeke the helpe of God We must cry vnto God not vnto dumb stocks and stones nor to any dead creature or Angell whom they are fondly framed to represent but vnto the liuing God he onely can heare be our praiers neuer so secret and silent He heard Moses and Anna onely mouing their lips without sound So that it is not the loudnesse of the voice but the affection of the heart that maketh the cry where unto God giues eare many no doubt can and doe cry Lord Lord and that loud enough and yet they are not heard because they cry not in faith And therefore Dauid did not onely say Lord hearken vnto my cry but withall craued that God would haue mercy vpon him for men may cry long enough and loud enough and not be heard vnlesse GOD shew mercy Therefore saith Dauid Hearken vnto my voice when I cry haue mercy also vpon me heare me for God heareth no mans prayer but in his mercy and therfore is mercy in the first place so be sought but by faith for he y t trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compasse him about though we be in neuer so great misery or danger if wee cry faithfully vnto God he will heare vs and in his mercy helpe vs As Dauid complained vnto God saying I am in a wonderfull strait let vs now fall into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and let vs not fall into the hands of men God sheweth mercy vnto thousands that loue him and kéepe his Commandements and heareth them but the wicked and such as contemne his Word he will not heare for they cry not in saith they cry onely for their owne necessities not referring the end of their desires to Gods glory they cry of themselues with the lips only they come in their owne names and respect onely themselues and their owne outward wants and féele not nor acknowledge their inward defects they are sinners and repent them not they aske therefore and receiue not They cry vnto mee saith God but I will not heare them because they pray without faith and repentance Therefore when affliction anguish shall fall vpon them they shall call vpon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me but shall not finde me But the faithfull afflicted he heareth and such as depart from their sinnes and walke righteously before him he considereth as Dauid himselfe confesseth I cried vnto the Lord saith he and hee heard mee and deliuered mee out of all my feare and trouble They that feare the Lord néed feare no trouble for mercy compasseth them about on euery side Gods prouidence attendeth them they no sooner cal vpon God but hée heareth nay before they cry he is ready to helpe them for his eie is euer vpon them euen at an instant to preuent whatsoeuer danger therefore may the faithfull goe comfortably forward in the strength of the Lord trusting in him and they shall neuer be ashamed he is our strength and saluation and our defence let vs powre out â—ur hearts before him and say Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry haue mercy also vpon me and heare me Then will he assuredly
Lord I dismay not for thou art my defence and in thine appointed time wilt lift vp my head againe for saluation belongeth vnto thee O God and thou wilt destroy the bloudy and deceitful men But blessed and preserued shall they bee that truly feare and trust in thee thy power is seene in weaknesse and thy helpe in affliction therefore O Lord let not mine enemies haue their lust of me I know thou wilt performe thy promise of my defence in thy good time therefore will I rest in hope I will patiently wait for yet a little while and these wicked men shall not appeare In the meane time I will commit my cause vnto thee my Lord my God my strength and my Redeemer VERSE 13. I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of thee in the land of the liuing ENemies troubles and afflictions are heauy to bee borne of such as are weake in faith and haue not perfect patience to beare them as may appeare by godly Dauid himselfe who acknowledgeth that himselfe though he were a man chosen after Gods owne heart should haue fainted vnder the malice and fury of his enemies and other afflictions but y t he beléeued to sée the goodnes of God namely his timely deliuery in the land of the liuing euen here before the sonnes of men where if hée had not found the goodnesse of God towards him all men would haue thought as his enemies did that God had vtterly forsaken him for euer and therfore prayed God in a liuely faith that his defence might here appeare before he were taken hence no more to be séene although he knew that after this life hée should bee in a farre more happy and blessed estate than his enemies but that hee might finde Gods fauour here to the end that other godly afflicted men séeing the mercies of God towards him in deliuering him out of his troubles might by his faith and patience take like godly resolution to depend vpon the power and prouidence of God for their like deliuery Why art thou cast downe O my soule saith Dauid in his troubles and so vnquiet within mee which argueth that troubles and afflictions euen to a faithfull man doe at the first much disquiet his heart like as they that first are committed to prison they are much disquieted their hearts faint and are much cast downe vntill they haue béene for a time enured to their restraint and then come by little and little to themselues againe so doe they that vpon a sudden fall into any affliction as Dauid did but hauing a little considered that it is the Lords doing hee could then say vnto his sad soule Wait on God for I will yet giue him thanks for the helpe of his presence This sheweth the strong faith and confidence of Dauid who although his troubles were so many and heauy euen at the present that he was ready to faint vnder them yet hee waited with a firme assurance that the time would come wherein hee should reioyce againe and praise God againe for his helpe and certaine deliuery which hee knew was not farre off This teacheth euery faithfull man in his afflictions and troubles to repaire vnto God in prayer not to bée daunted or dismaid nor to disquiet himselfe but in patience to possesse his soule waiting the time wherein God hath appointed to deliuer him for it is a vaine thing and vnprofitable for a man in affliction to goe before the Lords prouidence strugling and striuing by sinister and vncommanded meanes to frée himselfe he doth by that meanes the more intangle himselfe as the Bird in the Net warranted meanes hee may vse and those with faithfull prayer vnto GOD to blesse the meanes for lawfull meanes profit not vnlesse they be also lawfully done and that is when and where God is made not onely a party but the principall in the meanes It was a very weake weapon that Dauid vsed against Goliah who was compleatly armed from the foot to the head there was but one small part of his whole body vnarmed and that was the fore part of his head but God so directed the stone that came out of his sling that it found that open way to cast that monster of men to the earth If God had not added strength to Dauids armes and by his prouidence carried the stone aright Dauids aime might haue failed the marke so whatsoeuer means we vse either in preuenting or easing our selues in any kinde of affliction if our hearts be not seasoned with faith in God ioined with praier we may misse of our hope and so faint in the expectation of our deliuery and therefore saith Dauid I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord. Except I had depended on his prouidence for my deliuery from mine enemies and had taken hold and beene assured of the true performance of his promises to ease me of mine afflictions I should haue sunke vnder the burthen of my troubles God who is our Father is goodnesse it selfe of whom and from whom wee obtaine all things through faith in his Sonne by him we liue moue and haue our being and therefore there is none in whom or by whom wée should séeke helpe in troubles but in God alone He is our hope and strength and helpe in troubles ready to bee found Therefore saith Dauid I will neither faint nor feare and againe my defence is in God who preserueth the vpright in heart He is God and none besides he is mighty and none else Why then should we faint in any troubles Why should wee bee daunted though enemies rise vp against vs Séeing this God is our God whose goodnesse helpe and deliuery if we beléeue we shall sée and our very enemies shall sée it euen here here in this vale of misery amongst the sons of men he shall be our guide and defence vnto death Unbeléefe is a most dangerous disease in the heart of man nothing succeedeth comfortably vnto them that beléeue not in God good things vnto vnbeléeuers turne to euill As vnto a raw crude a stomack ouercome with superfluous humors the best meat turnes to increase their disease so to an vnfaithfull man all things worke together to the increase of Gods iudgements against him As to the sonnes in law of Lot in Sodome who would not beléeue the Word of God declared by Lot for the confusion of the City perished So the children of Israel to whom God had promised to giue the Land of Canaan in their iourney towards it did not onely not beléeue the Lord but murmured against him saying Who shall giue vs flesh to eat would God we had died in the land of Aegyt or in this Wildernesse would God wee were dead were it not better for vs to turne into Aegypt With many such reproachful murmurous faithlesse obiurgations as well against God himselfe as against Moses and Aaron but for their infidelity faintings murmurings God answered their impious
desires to die he destroyed them in the Wildernes in his heauy displeasure The frailty of a faithlesse man is great he can beare no troubles hee can endure no afflictions with any kinde of patience because hée hath no true and sound vnderstanding of God and his prouidence He thinkes if he prosper and by his naturall policy and meanes can preuent dangers and troubles or hauing them can vse sinister meanes to ease them hée ascribes it to his owne carnall wisdome but when that preuaileth not but that hée is pinched and déeply plunged in distresses and miseries which he cannot ease then hee begins to faint and to murmur and cry Who shall giue mee flesh to eat How shall I get mony to supply my wants Would God I had died when I was young would God I were dead and the like The troubles and afflictions of the wicked and the godly differ not in the outward shew the wicked may bee poore so may the most godly they may haue like outward crosses and afflictions but their bearing of them is vnequall the wicked as before is said faint and fume and murmur and grudge at euery small crosse or affliction and although they heare the promises of God who is ready to helpe yet they beléeue them not They can bee assured of nothing that hangs vpon Gods promises they would think and speake and obiect against God as that Prince in Samaria did when Elisha foretold from the mouth of God plenty to that distressed and besieged City Though the Lord said hee would make windowes in the Heauen could this come to passe So incredulous are men without sound faith that once downe they thinke they shall neuer rise once in trouble they shall neuer haue ease and this is the cause that men séeming faithfull faint vnder their crosses and despaire in their afflictions but it is otherwise with the truly faithfull indéed who know by the foretelling of the Spirit of God in his Word that troubles attend the godly as the shadow the body and therefore prepare themselues before hand for them and reioyce in them in as much as they are partakers here of Christs sufferings So they are likewise assured that when his glory shall appeare they also shall appeare with him in glory yet the most faithfull may haue a kinde of fearefulnesse and fainting for a time but not such as shall preuaile but they will soone ouercome all such faithlesse qualmes by a liuely apprehension of Gods ready helpe through faith and then they may indéed say as Dauid did I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing There is none of himselfe so strong but when troubles and afflictions come will faint if faith in God faile them A Prayer that God will not forsake vs in our troubles and that our faith faile not HAd I not taken hold O God of thy louing promises and beleeued thy Word I should haue fainted and yet should faint vnder my troubles if I did not beleeue that thou O Lord knowest my troubles and that mine afflictions are not hid from thee thou hast promised to be a refuge for the poore a refuge in due time euen in affliction keepe me O Lord as the apple of thine eye according to thy promise hide me vnder the shadow of thy wings from the wicked that oppresse me I haue called vpon thee in my troubles O Lord and cried vnto thee my God and thou hast heard me and holpen mee yea when I haue beene ready vtterly to haue fainted I haue cried vnto thee and thou hast redeemed mee and deliuered me Those mercies of thine O Lord remember still renue them euermore towards mee for I stand in continuall need of thy continuall presence Thy goodnesse is great O Lord which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee euen before the sonnes of men I haue felt thy fauour and formerly tasted of thy loue How could I but haue fainted but that I still beleeued to bee partaker of thy goodnesse and mercy in my troubles Thou O Lord art my secret place thou preseruest me in trouble and compassest me about with ioyfull deliuerance therefore will I not faint knowing that thine eies are vpon mee and thine eare open vnto my prayers I trust in thee I will not bee afraid what man can doe vnto me Thou Lord hast said concerning the faithfull hee shall call vpon mee and I will heare him so that both my prayers and thy hearing are both thine owne gifts Nay thou addest further Lord I will bee with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him O why should I feare then or faint seeing thou art pleased to be with me in my troubles as to take part as it were with me of mine afflictioÌ„s wonderfull and vnspeakable O Lord is the extent of thy power and wonderfull the limits of thy loue impossible it is to finde out the depth of thy compassions towards thy children thou hearest vs before we call thou giuest before wee aske thou helpest vs before wee cry thou giuest vs power to call thou teachest vs what to aske and thou euen meetest vs when we are but euen comming vnto thee Thus gracious hast thou euer beene O Lord thus gracious thou art and thus gracious wi lt thou shew thy selfe vnto them that beleeue to see and taste of thy goodnesse euen vnto the end of the world and as thou art gracious so art thou absolute in wisdome thou knowest how to releeue the distressed and how to comfort the afflicted yea when they are ready to faint and to giue ouer any more to call for helpe being as it were hoarse with crying as Dauid was thou giuest them of thy water of life and it reuiueth the fainting soules and strengthneth the weake spirits that gâ—oane vnder the burthen of any calamity or trouble Strengthen mee therefore with thy grace O Lord I shall not then faint nor feare for my sure defence is in thee who wilt in time bring the malice of mine enemies to an end and as I beleeue so shall I see thy goodnesse in the land of the liuing for thou that hast promised it art iust of thy promises and powerfull to performe what thou hast said Therefore euen here I doe meerely beleeue to receiue at thy hands free release and pardon of all that hath beene the ground of my troubles and cause of my miseries Grant mee Lord freedome from mine enemies and restitution of what I haue beene depriued of by any of them then shall they finde that I haue not onely not fainted but beleeued to see and haue seene thy goodnesse O Lord euen here in the Land of the liuing where euen mine enemies and my soes shall witnesse that I haue not beleeued in thee my God in vaine VERSE 14. Hope in the Lord be strong and he shall comfort thine heart and trust in the Lord. THis
within the same the fountaine of all perfect hope the giuer of patience and maintainer of our strength thou knowest my troubles and beholdest mine afflictions and what and how many they are and how burthensome vnto mee thy weake creature in stead therefore of my weake ability giue mee thy preuailing strength giue me hope in thee let mee be strong in thee let my comfort be of thee and let me truly trust in thee then shall I with patience beare these and whatsoeuer troubles it shall please thee to lay vpon me Arme mee with faith O Lord that I trusting in thy defence may not sinke vnder the weight of my troubles importable to flesh and bloud thou hast promised to bee the God of my saluation so shall nothing hurt mee my glory so nothing shall disgrace me my rocke and my strength so nothing shall moue mee nor remoue mee from my trust in thee I am thine saue mee keepe me as the apple of thine eye hide me vnder the shadow of thy protecting wings then shall no enemy annoy mee no trouble dismay mee nor affliction or feare shall cast mee downe by thee I shall withstand or escape the fury force fraud of all my foes by thee I shall bee timely releeued in all my necessities and in thee shall I bee comforted in all mine afflictions I will not feare thou art my God I will not faint thou art the comfort of my heart Let mee still taste of thy goodnesse and behold thy saluation in hope let mee hold fast by thee in faith let me be strong in thee with comfort let mee reioyce and be glad in thee Continue thy mercies towards mee O Lord for my soule trusteth in thee knowing and confessing that I haue no other Comforter but thee no Defender but thee nor any Helper but thee Forsake me not therefore O my God in my greatest need send from Heauen and saue me for all power belongeth vnto thee therefore doth my soule cleaue vnto thee it longeth and thirsteth for thy saluation O let mee plentifully taste how sweet thy goodnesse is thy goodnesse appeared in my creation more in my redemption but most in mine election thou formedst me in the wombe thou broughtest me thence giuing me hope euen from my Mothers brest and I was euen then cast vpon thy prouidence therefore leaue me not nor be farre from mee now trouble is befalne mee but as thou hast taken charge of me from the beginning so continue still to defend me for I haue none besides thee to helpe me therefore cast I my burthen vpon thee for thou hast taken vpon thee to nourish me In thee O Lord I trust let mee neuer be ashamed nor confounded deliuer me according to thy promise for thou art my hope O Lord in thee haue I trusted from my youth Let my prayers O Lord enter into thy presence heare me and helpe me let nothing hinder the worke of thy mercies towards me not mine vnworthinesse O Lord but accept me worthy in thy most worthy then shall not the weaknesse of my faith diminish my hope nor extenuate my strength nor depriue me of my comfort in thee but my faith hope strength and comfort shall increase more and more and patience shalâ— haue it perfect working in me to wait vntill thine appointed time come for my deliuery out of some of my troubles for I endure many O Lord and the least of them of weight more than sufficient to presse mee downe vnlesse thou support mee yet I acknowledge them easie in comparison of my euill deseruings O pardon mine offences cleanse me of my sinnes and make mee vpright in thy waies then shall I with perfect patience beare my troubles and rest in hope vntill it shall please thee to ease me of my troubles or to bring them to an end which grant gracious Lord God in Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be honour power and praise for euermore Amen A Prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes reformation of life and comfort in affliction O My God my God hide not thy face from mee stop not thine eares at my prayers and refuse not to heare the words of my complaint though I cannot but confesse O Lord against my selfe that by reason of my sins I haue deserued thy displeasure and that in so high a measure as if thou shouldest vtterly confound me yet were there no iniustice in thee for the euills that I haue committed and the good duties I haue omitted in thy seuere iustice deserue the same but Lord looke not so narrowly into my waies as to obserue and register against me euery sinne committed and euery duty omitted by me knowing that I am by nature corrupt and sinfull as all my fathers were Lord what were Abraham Izaak Iaacob Iob Noah Lot Moses Eliah or Dauid though a man chosen after thine owne heart Paul that elect vessell but men by nature carnall and euen sold vnder sinne vntill thou of thine owne free mercy vouchsafedst to infuse heauenly wisdome into their hearts and diuine graces into their soules vntill thou diddest fully season them aboue others by thy holy Spirit yet Lord thou knowest that euen these select vessels of thine were not without their owne naturall infirmities They stood not vprightly by their owne strength but by thee if they had had will and power of and in themselues to worke righteousnes they might haue had whereof to boast but not with thee but being only supported by thee they gaue the sole glory to thee Seeing then gracious Father that all our most godly fore-fathers had their defects by nature and their perfection through thy grace I being corrupt as they were by nature borne corrupt and brought forth the fruits of corruption vntill thou begattest them anew by thy Spirit what differ I from them by nature And therefore Lord as they became holy not of themselues but by thee so canst thou make me holy as they were holy by the same grace There is none O Lord that by his owne wisdome is capable of that wisdome whereby to know thee aright how much lesse able by his owne power to performe that obedience which may make him accepted of thee If then it be as indeed it is of thine owne free mercy and grace that any man becomes wise in thee and righteous before thee who hath cause to boast of his owne merit Or who needs despaire of his owne vnworthinesse seeing thou art equally mercifull to all whom thou hast called and accepted into the number of them that shall be saued O send downe send downe from Heauen that thy sanctifying Spirit into my heart that that liuely faith whereby our most godly fore-fathers were accepted of thee may be more and more inkindled and breake forth into a holy flame of godlinesse and zeale and my whole man be changed into the same image of sanctity which appeared in them in whom thou most delightest then thou my God now deseruedly offended with me for
my sinnes past shalt bee so fully reconciled vnto me againe though not by my best renued workes which are and will be for euer here imperfect but through the merits and mediation of thine owne and onely Sonne whose death is my life and thy mercies in him my saluation This is my hope O Lord though I bee yet in the estate of corruption and enforced to vndergoe infinite infirmities of body and minde by nature Thou who art the God of Abraham and of all our godly fore-fathers dead to the world art no lesse the same God vnto those that are thine yet liuing in the world And as they already dissolued are now in glory with thee in the Heauens so confirme my faith in thee and order my waies that I being likewise dissolued through Christ my Redeemer may be also glorified with them and with them giue glory to thee Make me therefore gracious Father to abound here as they here abounded in all spirituall graces and heauenly vertues that I may finde thee a like louing father vnto me as thou wert a father vnto Abraham and a helping God as thou wert vnto Iaacob and then shall I offer euen here the sacrifice of vnfained praise vnto thy name and make mine humble prayers vnto thee in his name whose death and mediation thou acceptest aboue all other whatsoeuer sacrifices O accept that his sacrifice made once for all for all beleeuers it is sufficient Lord to purge me from all my sins that formerly haue offended thee and to keepe mee from future wilfully displeasing thee My sinnes O Lord I doe confesse haue worthily moued thee to correct me I feele thy rod but the rod of a louing father not to confound me but to confirme me not to destroy me but to saue me O let me not faint vnder thy correcting hand which thou hast promised shall be no more heauily laid vpon mee than I shall be able to beare Let not therefore Lord my faith faile me but let perfect patience haue it effectuall working in me then whatsoeuer it shall please thee to appoint mee to beare I shall beare it for my heart through thy grace is prepared to obey thee Thou hast beene euer my helper since I was borne thou hast vpholden me sustained and relieued mee O forsake me not now when all carnall helpe faileth me There is no certaine hope in the helpe of man though he promise he may be vnable or vnwilling to performe if he yeeld me helpe it is of thee and among thy promised meanes of helpe and nothing hindreth the performance of thy promise of helping mee but the weaknesse of my faith in not stedfastly beleeuing mine impatience in not willingly bearing and my want of liuely hope in not contentedly waiting thine owne good time in effecting what thou hast promised Yet I haue hope louing Father that comming thy helpe will come and that in a time most cōuenient in thine owne wisdome although through mine infirmity I thinke it long but when it commeth it shall be as a Well not only of releeuing but of liuing water springing vp not onely to my corporall comfort but to my spirituall eternall glory In the meane time O Lord let mee euermore taste of thy goodnesse that I faint not vnder the burthen of my troubles but as thou hast worthily corrected me so vouchsafe mercifully to relieue me In hope and assurance of this thy mercy O Lord I commend and commit my selfe my soule and body vnto thy fatherly disposing for thou hast promised to take care of me therefore cast I my care vpon thee not as carelesse of mine owne duty but in a liuely faith going forward waiting thy leisure and thy good pleasure when thou wilt come and how thou wilt deliuer me O Lord make no long tarrying Amen An effectuall Prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes O Lord when I doe consider the account that I am to make for the time which I haue so sinfully spent in this life and how I haue walked here as in a Wildernesse of all impieties I feele my conscience burthened with so heauy a weight of feare and trembling that I am cast downe as into a gulph of ineuitable danger and know not which way to turne mee with any hope of comfort if I turne me to the consideration of my best workes I finde them rather to aggrauate than to extenuate my feare if I appeale vnto thee as thou art a seuere Iudge I shall be condemned in thy iust iudgement I therfore as the prodigall son doe vpon the knees of mine vnfained heart fall downe before thee imploring mercy though I deserue it not but Lord I know that in thy seuerest iustice thou art accustomed to remember mercy and in thy hottest displeasure thou shewest compassion euen to greatest sinners euen vpon their vnfained desire to repent how much more vpon their actuall and sincere repentance especially of such as through a liuely faith take hold of Christ who hath taken vpon him to stand betweene thy iustice and a sinner O accept his death and merits for the forgiuenesse of my sinnes who by reason of them am become deepely indangered and indebted vnto thee And if thou shouldest exact the vttermost farthing at my hands I were neuer able to make the least satisfaction and the more hardly can I answer the committing of so many sinnes and the omitting of so many good duties by how much I haue receiued a great measure yea many talents of grace and a great portion of heauenly knowledge at thy hands which I should haue vsed not onely to the good of mine owne soule and comfort of mine owne conscience but to the increase of spirituall knowledge in others whom I should haue endeuoured to haue drawne to the obedience of thy will by the example of mine obedience Alas good Father such hath beene the neglect of my duty in this behalfe that I haue not onely laid these heauenly treasures vnder the earthly corruption of mine owne heart but haue laid out the wicked dregs of originall sin and haue therewith gained vnto my selfe infinite iniquities and innumerable actuall sinnes in so much as iniustice thou maist condemne me as a most vnprofitable disposer of thy manifold graces and the more good Father by how much I haue not onely sinned my selfe and that oftentimes as it were with a high hand but in alluring and stirring vp others to sinne by mine example nay Lord many times by mine owne instigation and thereby the more dangerously drawne downe thy displeasure vpon my selfe and them that haue sinned by the example of my sinne Lord what shall I say to excuse me What shall I bring vnto thee to appease thee If I say the corruption of mine owne nature prouoked mee and I did sinne thou hast commanded mee to mortifie the deeds of my corrupt flesh by thy Spirit If I pleade that the world allured mee and I did sinne thou hast forbidden mee to loue the world or the things in the
and where before hee continually besought God to hide him from his enemies now he cryeth Haue mercy vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies put away mine iniquities I know my iniquities and my sin is euer before me Sinne we see is the fruit of security and by that godly mans example it appeareth that some troubles are better than a quiet and secure estate as appeareth also by Hezekiah who being magnified in the sight of all Nations and was free from feare of trouble he became proud his heart was lifted vp but when God had sent him an enemy Senacherib to rouse him by threats sicknes to afflict him then he became humble then he fel to his prayers to God and God then did hide him in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his pauilion did he hide him in his sicknes set him again vpon the rocke of health Gods owne children are knowne by his fatherly correcting them and they that come into no troubles in this life liue they neuer so carnally contented may suspect themselues and may be suspected to be none of his and therefore faith Eliphaz to Iob Blessed is the man whom God correcteth and afflicteth here If then affliction and troubles be the way to become blessed or at least an argument of Gods fauour with what patience should we endure them nay with what ioy should we embrace them Saint Paul accounted the afflictions of this present life not to be worthy of the glory which we shall enioy hereafter Why therefore should we feare or repine against trouble séeing it is so necessary for vs It is not yet meant neither is it required of vs voluntarily to runne into or to séeke troubles as some Voâ—aries do wilful pouerty other néedlesse crosses which is not onely not required of them of God but offensiue vnto him being méere idlenesse one of the sinnes of Sodome It is required of vs onely when troubles of what kinde soeuer befall vs to vndergoe them with patience faith and constancy and then shall God hide vs in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his Pauilion shall hee hide vs and set vs vpon a Rocke To him let vs commit our soules in well doing as vnto our faithfull Creator knowing that we are not afflicted by chance but by the will of God our most louing Father in Jesus Christ the Rocke of our saluation him let vs séeke in trouble and to him let vs pray A Prayer in whatsoeuer trouble O Lord my God in Iesus Christ who art onely wise in disposing all things for all men and to whose will all creatures in Heauen Earth and Sea are subiect and none be he neuer so mighty can withstand what thou wilt haue done Open thine eyes and behold me open thine eares and heare mee open thine hands and releeue mee I am in trouble not by chance but of thine owne wil not in thine anger to destroy me but in thy loue to reforme me my sinnes I doe confesse haue offended thee and yet are they strong in mee it is a deadly disease which none can cure but thou through the bloud of thy sonne O wash me throughly from mine iniquity cleanse me from my sinnes vse not thy seuerity against me O Lord for I were neuer able to abide it but as thou hast begunne gently to correct me so proceed not as a iust Iudge but as a louing Father so shall not I wax worse and worse but shall grow from vertue to vertue from faith to repentance and consequently to newnesse of life by thy spirit Make therefore thy corrections light vnto me by thy supporting hand that though they be many they exceed not my power to beare them for I am of my selfe weake but assisted by thy spirit I shall become strong and though I be ignorant how to ease mee of this burthen he shall teach mee that repentance that through faith in thy Sonne shal procure the mitigation of mine afflictions though they be many and of diuers kinds they are all knowne of thee and all necessary for mee because thou hast sent them and that not in vaine for all worke and worke together for my good through thy blessing I am cast downe I am brought low I am scorned because of my basenesse and troubles but I beare it and keepe silence when I heare the vpbraidings and contempt of my late familiars who abandon my ancient-society because they wax aloft and I become low this yet comes not to passe without thee thy hand is in euery action for the good of thine if enemies assaile me thou biddest them if pouerty and want oppresse me thou sendest it if sicknesse afflict me thou doest it and therefore good and none of these shall exceed my strength through thy strength As for mine enemies thou canst bridle them for pouerty and want thou canst supply them for sicknesse and carnall infirmities thou canst cure them all these haue their turnes to visit me onely to turne mee to thee Lord I come vnto thee reiect me not I pray vnto thee deny me not but as thou hast eares to heare and eyes to see euen from Heauen heare my prayers and behold mine afflictions they are great yet they shew the greatnesse of thy loue that wouldst not that I perish therefore imbrace I thy corrections as a gentle yoke not heauy but only to my carnall part to which euery crosse seemeth a curse and euery medicine seemeth mortall Beare with my weaknesse Lord and lay not much trouble vpon mee but according to the measure of mine affliction let the measure of my patience be and the measure of thy mercies aboue measure And as thou obseruest my sinnes so consider what correction is fit for my reformation I know thou art iust but most sweetly tempered with mercy yet no equality betweene thy mercy and thy iustice for all thy waies are mercy and truth and there is no iniustice in thy feuerity for thou shewest mercy to whom thou wile shew mercy and executest iustice iustly Who then can complaine in whatsoeuer sharpe affliction when all mens sinnes are the cords that draw them vpon them and no man deserueth thy mercy to bee freed from them therefore disclaime I any merit of mine Lord to bee released and craue onely mercy for thou in thy mercy wilt blesse the righteous and with fauour wilt compasse him about as with a shield so that no affliction crosse or trouble shall be too heauy for him Thou Lord hast promised to be a refuge for the poore yea a refuge in due time euen in greatest afflictions O hide me therefore in thy Tabernacle in the secret place of thy pauilion hide me and set me vpon a sure rocke VERSE 6. That he will now lift vp my head aboue mine enemies round about me therefore will I offer in his Tabernacle sacrifices of ioy I will sing and praise the Lord. DAuid hauing bin long beset with enemies