that they are carelesse of the grace of confirmation wherof it comes to passe that they end in the flesh who made a shew of beginning in the Spirit not considering these two distinct graces requisite to saluation Conuersion and Confirmation Let vs therefore still pray with Dauid that God would stablish and confirme vs. According to thy promise The prayers of the godly are poured out in faith they seek nothing but according to Gods promise Many do otherwise who pray neither looking to Gods promise nor leaning to the Mediator such prayers are vvords poured out into the ayre and carried away with the wind Yet others are more profane who pray not onely without a promise but against the commaund of God for either when they goe to doe wickedlie they pray GOD to prosper them or else in their perturbations they cry for vengeance on their neighbours where they should cry for mercy These praiers are the offring of strange fire to the Lord which is abhomination Yet are wee to remember that if wee vvould haue our prayers grounded well vpon Gods promises wee must also remember the condition whereupon hee hath made the promise Wee reade that when Israel was opprest by the Philistims and cryed vnto God at the first he gaue them a hard answere Goe to the Gods whom yee haue serued and let them deliuer you But beeing humbled by this answer they pray againe and with their prayer put away the salse Gods from among them and then it is subioyned that the soule of God was grieued for the miseries of Israel VVhereof wee learne that it is but a vaine thing to charge GOD with his promise where wee make no conscience of the condition he requires of vs. That I may liue But what life is this he craues Had hee not already the life of a King vvith worldly wealth and honour enough Hee had indeede but this is not the life which Dauid esteemes to bee life There is nothing naturall men loue better then life nor feare more then death yet knowe they not what is the life they should loue nor what is the death they should flee Sunt enim qui viuentes mortui sunt qui mortui viuūt for there are some liuing men who are but dead some dead who are liuing If this be life to grow well and wex strong frō infancie proceeding to old age wil not in this the trees of the field excell man who from little plants grow vp into most excellent Cedars Or if this be life to see to heare to smell c. will not in this the beasts of the earth excell thee for there is no sense wherein some beasts doe not far excell men some see better some heare better some smell better And generally all of them haue a greater appetite to their meat are more strong to digest it But if ye◅◅hou glory in this that thou art indued with reason then remember how many Philosophers and Ethnicks haue excelled thee in the vse of reason So that neither can thy comfort be in the vegetatiue life wherein trees excell thee nor in the sensitiue which beasts haue better thē thou nor in the reasonable life which many reprobates haue that shal neuer see the face of God If man haue no better life then these hee hath but a shadow of life and it may truelie be said of him that while he is liuing he is dead The life of a Christian stands in this To haue his soule quickned by the spirit of Grace For as the presence of the soul quickens the body the departure thereof brings instant death and the body without it is but a dead lumpe of clay so it is the presence of Gods Spirit which giueth life to the soule of man And this life is known by these two notable effects for first it brings a ioyfull sense of Gods mercy and next a spirituall disposition to spirituall exercises And without this pretend a man what he will hee is but the image of a Christian looking some-what like him but not quickned by his life And disappoint mee not of my hope That is in the time of need let mee feele the truth of thy promises to comfort mee as now I hope to find thy helpe in the time of trouble so I pray thee that I may find it It is the manner of the godlie to fore-thinke of that whi◅ is to come and to prouide for trouble ere trouble come VVherefore Salomon describing a wise man saith that his heart is alway at his right hand and that his eye is in his forehead A prudent man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe in time hee knoweth that trouble and heauie tentations are before him and that hee must fight fore battels before hee enter into his promised Canaan and therefore prayeth feruently before hand that God would not be farre from him when trouble comes neere him It is on the contrary the follie of the vvicked They goe on saith Salomon and are snared they neuer fore-thinke what is to come they rest vpon present false comforts which disappoint them in the time of their need Others that stand by may bid them be of good comfort but what cōfort can they haue when outward comforts where-to they trusted faile them and inward comforts they neuer knew VER 117. Stay thou mee and I shall bee safe and I will delight continually in thy statutes THis verse contains a prayer in substance and effect one with the former and the repetition of the prayer sheweth that he was touched with a deepe sense of his owne necessitie which made him feruent in prayer and it doth greatly reproue vs who are cold in prayer We may haue store of grace for seeking and alas wee are carelesse to seeke If thou knewest thou wouldest aske and if thou askedst I vvould giue It is true our Sauiour forbids vs to make repetitions in praying like the heathen who thinke to be heard for their much babbling For to offer vnto the Lord multitude of words without spirit or affection is to offer a dead sacrifice to a liuing GOD but certaine it is that words doubled from a feruent and intended affection are euer gracious and acceptable to the Lord. Stay mee Like a man ready to fall hee prayeth God to hold him vp Three things made Dauid afraid First great tentations without for from euery ayre the wind of tentation blowes vpon a Christian. Secondly great corruption within Thirdly examples of other worthie men that haue fallen before him and are written for vs not that wee should learne to fall but to feare least we fall These three should alway hold vs humble according to that warning Hee that stands take heed least he fall Sure it is we are most strong when distrusting our owne weakenesse we leane to the Lord praying him to stay vs otherwise as Peter in his carnall confidence was
dedicated themselues vnto Sathan As the sonnes of Eli despised the rebuke of their father so young men now for the most part are impatient of the rebukes of the word contemning the medicine which Dauid by experience found most effectuall to cure the disordered affections of youth Among those sacrifices where-with God was honored in the law he required their first fruits to be consecrate to him eares of corne dryed by the fire and wheat beaten out of the green eares teaching vs to honour the Lord not onely with the first fruits of our increase but of our selues also It is an euill diuision that is made by many who giue their young age to Satan by the seruice of sin and behight their old age to the Lord for so they incurre that curse of Malachie Cursed be hee that hath a strong beast in his slocke and vowes and sacrificeth a corrupt thing vnto the Lord. The feruency strength of youth should be imploied not in the satisfaction of their lusts but in the seruice of their God in fighting against Sathan This is it which that youngest Disciple of our Lord requires of young men that hauing the Word of God abiding in them they may be strong to ouercom the wicked not louing the world nor things that are in the world such as lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and pride of life These are not of the Father but of the world and the world passeth away and the lust therof but he that fulfils the word of God abides for euer But how-euer mention be made here of young men only yet as no age is without the owne tentations and blemishes so haue they all need to take heed to the word that they may learne to redresle their wayes It is a double shame and sinne for an old man to be of an vncleane life or ignorant of the word Such as had liued long without making progresse in knowledge and godlinesse were properly called by Philo Longaeui pueri The neerer we drawe vnto Canaan the further should we be from the delights of Egypt otherwise it shall come to passe in God his righteous iudgements that when in regard of thy long iourney thou art at the very borders of Canaan thou shouldest be put further backe againe with these carnall Israelites yea neuer suffered to enter into it O miserable condition of that man whose body is declyning to the graue but his spirit hath not learned to ascend to him that gaue it he comes as I said to the border of Cana◅n to the very point of time wherein Gods children make their happy transmigration but by reason of his sinnes he is thrust backe againe when he should die and ascend to the blessed fellowship of God the Father of light he dies and descends to the pit of vtter darkenesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Now the maner of the answer which he makes to his former Interrogatiue commends the certainty of his counsell for he answers by turning his speech to the Lord from whom he had obtained by praier this knowledge How to gouern his life Vt sic non praesumptionis humanae sed dignationis diuinae remedium crederetur that so it might be knowne vnto others that this remedy came not from humane presumption but diuine reuelation VER 10. With mine whole hart haue I sought thee let me not wander from thy Commandements WHat Dauid deliuered by way of instruction vnto other yong men he now shewes that he practised himselfe for this Verse contaynes a protestation of that earnest desire hee had to haue his life ordered by the written worde of God That hee sayes I haue sought thee with my whole heart imports no presumptuous boasting of his owne perfection but rather a sense and feeling of his owne wants which made him the more earnestly to seek for seeking is of those things which a man wants faine would haue And where he saith he sought the Lord with his whole hart he speakes it by comparison Ad differentiam eorum qui Deum non toto corde quaerunt sed illud in curas seculares et concupiscentias absurdas partiuntur Let me not wander As our first calling so our cōtinuing in the state of grace is of the Lord for hee is both the author and finisher of our faith Customablie in holy Scripture elect men are called the Sheepe of Christ to tell vs that all our welfare consists in the prouident care of our Pastor who first must keepe vs that we wander not and next when of infirmitie vvee wander must reduce and bring vs home againe VER 11. I haue hid thy promises in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee IT is not Dauids meaning that hee had hid the talent vvhich hee receiued from the Lord after the manner of that vnprofitable seruaunt for that he did put his talent to the vttermost profit for the edification of others he witnesseth both by this Psalme and many other specially Psal. 40. I haue declared thy righteousnesse vnto the great Congregation lo I will not refraine my lippes O Lorde thou knowest I haue not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart but I haue declared thy truth and thy saluation I haue not concealed thy mercy and truth from the great Congregation What is this then Dauid affirmes that he hath not hid Gods righteousnesse within his heart Here he protests that hee hid Gods promises in his heart Surely here is no contradiction for in the one he shewes how his first care was to comfort and confirme himselfe by the promises of GOD and next to benefite others And truely he that doth not first edifie his owne heart in the assurance of Gods mercy can neuer be a meet instrument to declare the mercies of God vnto others There is great difference betweene Christians and Worldlings The Worldling hath his Treasures and Iewels without him the Christian hath them within Neyther indeede is there any recepracle wherein to receiue and keepe the word of consolation but the heart onely If thou haue it in thy mouth onely it shall be taken from thee if thou haue it in thy Booke onely thou shalt misse it when thou hast most to doe with it but if thou lay it vp in thy heart as Marie did the wordes of the Angel no enemie shall euer be able to take it from thee and thou shalt finde it a comfortable treasure in time of thy need They who possesse earthly riches expose them not to the eyes and hands of euery one they locke them vp in their surest places to conserue them from theeues and robbers it is euen so here with holy Dauid he knew no good spirituall can be possessed here in this earth without temptation That subtill Serpent who stole from our first parents the glorious Image of God wherein consisted their originall felicity and happinesse doth
thy portion but the Lord. Whom haue I in heauen but thee And I haue desired none in the earth with thee Let vs looke to the creatures consider how they are very good let vs vse them also but so that we remember alway how with them a greater good then they are is offred vnto vs namely that good GOD that made them What is the creature if it be compared with him that made it Can the vvorke of a mans hand bee so excellent as man that made it And vvhy then shouldst thou thinke that there is either beautie or vertue in a creature for which it should bee more desired and loued then the Lord vvho made it Pulchrum coelum pulchra terra sed pul chrior qui fâ—…cit illa Ethnicks saw by the light of Nature specially the Platoniques that whatsoeuer good is in the creature it is but Splendor quidam summi illius boni a certaine beame of that great and infinite good which is in God and that then onely was the good which is in the creature rightlie vsed when by it men learned to goe vp and returne to the Creator But alas such is our wretched corruption that the same things which should cary vs vpward toward God drawe vs downe and we are oftentimes so snared with the loue of the creature that wee forget the Creator not that any blame is in the creature but as I saide in our owne corrupt nature for euery creature in the own kind sends vs to him that made it speaking with such a voice as it hath Seeke not rest nor contentment from vs Goe vp and seeke it in him that made vs no contentment no satisfaction haue wee to giue you The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing This then is the first motiue that as the Lord would not rest till hee had made man so man is bound of his dutie neuer to rest till he find the Lord. The other motiue is It is impossible that man can get rest or contentment to his soule in any thing but in the Lord his God Man vvas made for God and to the image of God and therefore can no other thing fill and content the desires of his soule but GOD himselfe Caeteris rebus occupari potest repleri non potest Other things may busie and vex the spirit of man but cannot fill or replenish it Fecisti nos Domine propter te semper in quietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te thou madest vs ô Lord for thy selfe and our hart is alway vnquiet till it rest in thee As the point of the Mariners compasse touched with the Adamant trembles euer till it be directed toward the North so doth the hart of man till it bee directed to the Lord. And as the Doue which Noah sent forth of the Aâ—…ke went flying abroad and could find no rest for the sole of her foot the earth being couered with waters till she returned againe to Noah so the soule of man may goe through the world caried in the body as a chariot or otherwise flee abroad and view al the creatures vpon the wings of contemplation but it shall find no place of rest no creature to content it till it returne to the Lord. Otherwise anguish of spirit and sore tribulation shall be the portion thereof But heere it is demaunded whether or no is this preiudiciall to the rest of Gods children that Dauid saith The Lord is his portion I answer no manner of way for the Lord shall not be the lesse the portion of one that feares him because he is the portion of another hee is sufficient for all Earthly heritages are the lesse when they are communicated to many and therefore oftentimes is there stâ—…ife among them about the diuision heere it is not so there needs no contention about the diuision of this inheritance one shal not haue the lesse because another hath much the Lord shall bee all in all euery one of his Saints shall be filled with his glory Wee see the Sunne in the firmament shineth vnto all the vvorld neither is there any man who thinks that the light is the lesse because it is common to many If GOD haue created the Sunne with such maruailous wisedome that the light thereof is not the lesse to euery one because it is common to many what may wee looke to find in himselfe The generall vse of this towards vs all is to assure vs of our election If from our heart wee haue made this choise that we can say in sinceritie with Dauid O Lord thou art my portion we may be assured that first of all hee did choose vs to bee his inheritance Yee haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you saith Christ. Heerein is loue saith Saint Iohn not that wee loued him first but that hee loued vs. If the Lord had not chosen vs to be his peculiar people we should neuer haue chosen him to be our portion The particular vse of it is first to those vvho are poore in worldly things let this comfort them that GOD is become their portion The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want vvhat matter is it who haue the greatest measure of Gods mooueables sith the permanent goods of the inheritance are ours His mooueables I call the things of this world which goe from hand to hand the permanent good is himselfe his fauour his loue toward vs in Christ Iesus It was the infirmitie of our father Abraham when the Lord said vnto him Feare not I shall be thy buckler and exceeding great reward that hee answered What canst thou giue mee Lord seeing I goe childlesse As if this were no more then all children or gifts temporall whatsoeuer that the Lord promised to giue himselfe to him for a reward It is marked in him that by his weakenesse wee may learne to gather wisedom and strength neuer to thinke vvee can vvant any thing seeing we haue the Lord himselfe for our portion The other particular vse of it is toward those who haue receiued a greater measure of worldly things from the Lord if with it they haue also grace to loue and feare him Let them knowe they haue gotten a double portion which obligeth them in a double seruice beyond their brethren I wish of God men of honour in the world professors of the Gospel could shew as much holy zeale for the maintenance of the gospel which is the testimony of God witnessing that he is become their father and portion in Christ as they can declare carnall zeale against those that would preiudice them in the smallest portion of their earthly inheritances yea for a foote bredth of their land But this is the time wherin men are fallen from their former zeale not onelie is the fruite decaied but the leaues also are fallen away and there is no courage
The Lord when hee exhorts to repentance cryes My sonne delay not to turne to the Lord. This day vvhile it is called vpon you harden not your harts but Satans voice is Tarry till the morne Let me first goe and kisse my father that is delight yet a space in the pleasures of this life It was offred by Moses to Pharao When shall I pray for thee and he answered To morrow It is offred by the Lord to man When wilt thou that I haue mercie on thee and in effect it is answered by many Not till mine old daies Miserable was Pharao who delayed Moses but one day and more miserable are they vvho delay the Lord for many yeeres vvhen hee offers them mercy I knowe no difference betweene the vvise Virgins and the foolish but that the one did that in time which the other would faine haue done out of time and could not The most profane men of the world are forced in death to make their refuge to the Lord then the eye and the hand are lifted vp vnto him then they cry for mercie and desire all others to pray for them If wee be wise let vs doe that in time which al men are faine to doe at the length VER 61. The bands of the wicked haue robbed me but I haue not forsaken thy law TRue godliness will indure great tentations euen as trees wel rooted abides the blast of strong winds and gold that is fine abides the triall of fire Many waies was Dauid tempted and among the rest the wicked by troupes and multitudes combined against him yet did he not forsake the law of the Lord. The godly liue in this world like sheep among vvolues euery wicked man in whom Satan ruleth is like a Cananite to an Israelite a thorne in our eye a prick in our side yea and as a dart of Satan shot at vs to driue vs away from the fear of God if so wee can take them it should greatly strengthen vs to indure all troubles that come from them There will neuer be peace among those two parties between whom the Lord himselfe in Paradise proclaimed inimity And howsoeuer to strengthen themselues in an euill cause the wicked goe together by bands and companies yet shall it not availe them nor hurt vs. Babels builders Moab Ammon Edom conspyring in one may tell vs Though hand ioyne in hand the wicked shall not escape vnpunished the wickd are like thornes before the fire their multitude may well embolden it but cannot resist it VER 62. At midnight will Irise to giue thanks vnto thee because of thy righteous iudgements IN this verse we haue a protestation of Dauid his thankfull affection toward the Lord wherein we haue three things 1. The dutie promsed namely to giue thanks 2. The time at midnight 3. The cause because of thy righteous iudgements As for the dutie of thanksgiuing wee spake of it verse 7. As for the time hee saith hee will rise at midnight and giue thanks to God We pray that we may doe Gods will on earth as it is done in heauen now in heauen we know they praise God continually without ceasing we should doe so vpon earth but our necessities of sleeping eating and such like interrupt vs that wee cannot doe it as we should yet happy shall we be if wee season all our dyets and doings with prayer and thanksgiuing That as God in nature hath made the knee to bow at euery step so the hart in euery action might bow and blesse the Lord acknowledging our Maker and Redeemer and directing all our dooings to his glory When Salomon made harps and other musicall instruments for the praise of God he made them of Almuggim trees that is of such trees as rotte not Teaching vs by like signification how induring should bee those instruments of our heart and affections wherewith wee praise God that we should not suffer them to decay But alas how soone do we faile Oftentimes we begin the day with some feruencie in praysing and prayer but wee faintere euen yet shall we haue great comfort if when our performance faileth our purpose remaine for this will reuiue our former zeale and make vs to returne vnto an earnest calling vpon God and that with the greater feruencie That we finde our great infirmity hath carried vs away from our former purpose Let vs againe consider here how Dauid spends the time of his life that we may learne at him to be wise Time is a most pretious thing not such a jewell among all things perteyning to this life By this it may be esteemed that in a small point of time an infinite weight of glory may be acquired and men who haue beene prodigall of it spending yeares and moneths without consideration would haue giuen great riches yea all the jewels of the world if they had beene in their possession for prorogation of their life one year yea one moneth Let vs therefore learne at Dauid how he vsed his time when he lay downe at night he watered his couch with teares after the examination of his heart At midnight againe he rose vp to giue thankes there-after he preuented the morning watch that he might meditate on the word of the Lorde then in the day time morning noone and even hee made a noise to the Lord yea seauen times in the day he called vpon God Our Sauiour hath commended the like care vnto vs both by his precept and practise in the Temple at the table in the garden in the mountaine did he pray all night Vt te proprio ad de precandum inuitaret exemplo Happy were we if so we could spend our dayes for certaine it is when our last day coms we shal haue comfort of no by-gone time but that which we haue spent in the seruice of God Sleepe is most necessary for the intertainment of bodily health it is Ros naturae the dewe of nature more necessary then meate or drinke yet as Dauid protests ver that hee loued the word of God more then his appointed food so heere hee preferres the prayses of God to his sleepe and rest in the night This may make vs ashamed when we see how wicked men cannot rest except they haue done euill and how they defraud themselues of sleep that they may commit iniquity and how againe the superstitious Priests of Baal can wake in the night to attend vpon their Idols that Christians professing Gods true worship should so pamper themselues that they will not rise out oâ—… the bedde to bowe their knee to the Lord yea scarsely lying still with their bodies will raise vp their spirits to praise him Sleepe is compared by one to a sory customer that eyther takes vp more then wee should giue or then his Master allowes him The Lord allowes a certaine time for our sleepe and rest as he doth to all the
watered by the earth For the teares of the godly fall not to the ground the Lord gathers them like most pretious pearles vnto him and puts them in his bottell and they bring still increase of comfort to such as shed them They are sowen like good seede on earth the first fruite whereof is reaped on earth but the fulness thereof in heauen according to that of the Psalmist They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy ZADE. VER 137. Righteous art thou O Lord and iust are thy iudgements HEere Dauid sore troubled with griefe for the wickednesse of his enemies yea tempted greatly to impatience and distrust by looking to their prosperous estate notwithstanding their so grosse impiety doth now shew vnto vs a three-fold ground of comfort which in this dangerous tentation vpheld him The first is a consideration of that which God is in himselfe namely iust and righteous the second a consideration of the equity of his word thirdly of his constant truth declared in his working and doing according to his word When we find our selues tempted to distrust by looking to the prosperity of the wicked let vs looke vp to God consider his nature his word his workes and we shall finde comfort Righteous art thou There is the first a meditation of the righteousnes of Gods nature he alters not with times he changes not with persons he is alway and vnto all one and the same righteous and holy God Righteousnesse is essentiall to him it is himselfe and he can no more defraude the godly of their promised comforts nor let the wicked go vnpunished in their sinnes then hee can denie himselfe to be God which is impossible Iust are thy iudgements The second ground of Dauids comfort is heere and in the next verse VER 138. Thou hast commanded iustice by thy Testimonies and truth especially AS the tree is so is the fruit From so righteous a God nothing can proceede but righteousnesse God forbid that the Iudge of all the world should doe vnrighteously This meditation of the equity of Gods command flowing from his most righteous nature confirmes Dauid in this sure conclusion It cannot be but well with them who walke after his word and by the contrary such as goe a whooring from it cannot but make a miserable end how-euer they prosper for a time And out of this we may further learn how the law of God expresseth to vs the liuely linâ—…ments of his image for from his righteous nature flowe his commandements commanding righteousnesse This lets vs sâ—…e 〈◊〉 fearfull an euill sinne is sith it is a transgression of that holy law which flowes from Gods righteous nature it is a direct impugning violating of the diuine nature so farre as the creature may The lawes of Kings may be broken and their persons not touched farre lesse their nature violated yea oft-times their nature likes of that euill which their lawe forbids It is not so with the lawe of God it flowes from his righteous nature and God and his lawe are so straitly vnited that the breaking of his lawe is an impugning of his very nature so farre as the creature may as I haue said already By thy Testimonies The word of God is called his Testimony both because it testifies his will which he will haue vs to doe as also because it testifies vnto men truely what shall become of them whether good or euill Men by nature are curious to know their end rather then care full to mend their life and for this cause seeke answers where they neuer get good but if they would know let them goe to the word and testimony they need not to seeke any other Oracle If the word of God testifie good things vnto them they haue cause to reioyce if otherwise it witnesse euill vnto them let them hast to preuent it or else it shall assuredly ouertake them VER 139. My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word THroughout this Psalme we see that Dauid cannot satisfie himselfe in declaring the loue he had to Gods word for that comfort which hee had felt in it as likewise his insatiable affection crauing more comfort by it What he speakes of himself he speakes it not like that Pharise who boasted of his good not mourning for his euill nor yet longing for better Such presumption is farre from the godly If at any time they make mention of any good disposition in them they doe it to the glory of God from whom all good comes and to comfort themselues for the beginnings of Gods grace in them but still they know their wants and mourne for them Neuer contented in this life with the grace receiued with earnest affection they crie for more Three things haue we to consider in this his his protestation first the nature secondly the sorts thirdly the effects of zeale As for the nature of zeale It is a mixed affection of griefe and anger flowing from loue for what a man loues earnestly he is carefull to see it honoured and by the contrary grieued when it is dishonoured The sorts of it are many for according as our loue and griefe are so is our zeale If our loue be vpon the right obiects moderate in due measure it causes a zeale which is holy and spirituall otherwise if our loue be inordinate it begets a carnall or inordinate zeale Sometime the zeale is not vpon the right obiect and then it may be great but it cannot be good such is the zeale of Heretiques who compasse Sea and Land to make one of their owne profession Sometime againe the zeale is on the right obiect not in the due measure eyther too colde which is remission or too hote which is superstition Of these saith the Apostle It is a zeale but not according to knowledge Zelus ad mortem non ad vitam a zeale which tends to death not vnto life The effects of Dauids zeale he toucheth when he saith it had consumed him Affections of the soule are very forcible to moue the body A sorrowfull heart saith Salomon dryes vp the bones But men should carefully marke what spirit inflames their zeale and what zeale moueth their bodies There are som who vnder shew of zeale or at least because they thinke it zeale neglect the duetie which they owe to their bodies not remembring the seruice which God craues of the body is a reasonable seruice not vnreasonable Others with their zeale fight against the Gospell so did Paul before his conuersion Let vs try the Spirits and see that our zeale be according to knowledge For these two Knowledge Zeale are compared by Bernard to the two wings of a fowle the Bird that hath but one wing falleth the more that it mindeth to flie These are two excellent giftes Knowledge and Zeale but if the one be without the other it were better to want it And now sith zeale
that as Dauid first got life to his soule by the word so by it life was conserued vnto him and if at any time hee fell it was the word that wakened him to turne againe to the Lord by repentance When we are tempted vnto sinne the word armes vs to resist it when we are vvounded with sinne the word lets vs see how to cure it And as the crowing of the Cock wakened Peter to mourne for the deniall of Christ so the warning of the word wakens vs to repent when we haue sinned Happy vvere we if such affection vvere in vs toward the vvord of God as here was in Dauid So should we finde that manifolde comfort in it which hee found to the reioycing of his heart If vve receiue it vvhen vvee heare it vvith a liuelie faith Fiet nobis quodcunque desideramus It shall be vnto vs what euer we desire if wee be in trouble it shall be to vs a word of consolation if we be in ioy it shal augment our ioy Certainly if vve knew it we would be more delighted with it It is the seede of our new birth it is the foode that conserues an immortall life in vs it is a preseruatiue against all euill it is the restoratiue of our soules in all diseases it is the staffe of our infirmityes it is our armour against our enemies it is the light of our eyes euen that day starre that shineth in darknes If we walke in the light thereof it shall leade vs to the bright-shining sunne of righteousnes Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the Holy-ghost be praise honor and glory for euer Amen FINIS A Prayer commonlie vsed by the Author before his Euening Doctrine to the people O Lord prepare our hearts to seeke thee and open thou thy mercifull eare to heare vs. Let the meditation of our heart the words of our mouth and the lifting vp of our hands be vnto thee an acceptable Euening sacrifice and let thy blessing descend vpon vs thy people that by the ministery of thy word holy spirit light may increase in our mindes by which wee may knowe thee life in our hearts by which we may liue vnto thee that so long as wee are here in this miserable absence from thee we may continually be guided with thy grace and in thy owne good time receiued vp to thy glory through Iesus Christ to whom with thee and thy holy spirit be praise and glory for euer Another LOrd quicken vs that we may call vpon thy holy name Lord make vs wearie of our sinnes that we may come to thee and thou may refresh vs powre thy spirit vpon vs that we may hunger and thirst for thy righteousnesse and saluation that thou according to thy promise may satisfie vs. Declare thy presence in mercie vpon vs who heere wait for thy louing kindnes in the midst of thy Temple Water thine inheritance with the deaw of thy grace that we may fasten our roots in Christ and may growe vp in him in all holines fruitfull in euery manner of good worke which may be to thy glory through Iesus Christ. To whom with thee and thy holie spirit be praise and honour and glory for euer Amen A TABLE DIRECTING the Reader how to finde out the Principall points of Doctrine contained in this Book A A Brahams infirmity to teach vs strength P. 143. Gods Acceptation of any thing at our hands a great fauour for three respects 246. Accesse to God by Prayer while we are in the body will make vs not affraide to go out of the body 137. Adam had all graces except Perseuerance 260. Affections to be feruent in seeking spirituall things 356. Affections if strong will breake forth in Actions 368. Afflictions are fauours and proued such 166. 245. They are profitable 206. Afflictions and offences humble the Godly 170. Affliction not affecting Purgation is an argument of fearefull induration 171. In Affliction we see three things better then in prosperitie viz. What of the Lord what of our selues what of the world 181. The goodnes of the Wicked endeth with their Affliction It doth not so with the Godly 182. In Affliction to praise God a great grace 189. Afflictions of good and bad differ and how in the measure and in the end 191. They make the fruitfull more fruitfull 219. Alexanders and Caesars parting the night 159. Almuggim trees are such as rot not 156. The Anchor of the soul is Gods word 340. Angels to be imitated 332. Answere of Prayer delayed and why 199. Appeale to God frō the wrongfull iudgements of men 62. 344. Application of the word a speciall grace 377. Armour of the godly the Word and Prayer 65 The Art of Arts is the practise of piety 187. Assurance of saluation is no Arrogance 123. 215. Assurance confirmed by Arguments 124. The Awe-band of the wicked is without them of the godly within them 362. B THe Bands Combinings of the Wicked auaile not P. 155 Banishment and Pilgrimage bringeth vs neerer to God the farther from Men. 131. Beginnings nothing without perseuerance 252. God is a Beholder of our afflictions and Wrestlings 342 Benefits receiued well vsed beget Boldnes to aske more 38. Benefits should binde vs to Obedience 308. The fruite of Gods Benefits is our profit and Gods praise 393. Benignity of God generall speciall 163. Blessednes of Man described foure wayes 6. Mans Blessednes is in Gods Approbation 9. Desire of the best Blessings pleaseth God best 93. Blindnes of Man by Nature 51. Our Bodyes are houses of Bondage 132. Christs Burden beareth the Bearer 79. C CAlumnies are heauy Crosses Page 275. To commend a wrong Cause to Gods protection is dangerous 276. Bee our Cause neuer so good our owne wisedom will not help it ibid. Christians more honourable then Kings not Christians 48. Christians maimed which haue an eare to hear a tongue to speak but no hand to practise 119. Christians called Christs Companions 162. Christians are Prophets 388. Commandements all to be kept not with halfe obedience 21. Solide Comfort and Counsell commeth from the word 67. Comforts to bee sought from God for Gods sake 110. The Comfort of the Crosse vnknowne to Worldlings 171. Comfort the lesse worldly the greater heauenly 182. Comfort not comming from Gods word hath two euils with it 218 Comfort cōsisteth in two things 254. A three-fold Comfort 314. The Comfort of the worde is common to all the Godly 370. A man knowne by his Company 161. 257. Wicked Company to be for born for two causes 257. A threefolde Complaint against three sorts of Enemies 383. Confession of Sinnes confoundeth Sathan 274. 396. Confusion twofolde either a Desertion of God or Oppression of Men. 88 A Good Conscience affordeth continuall boldnesse in Prayer 273. 302. 343. 354 Consideration necessary in all things 150. Dauids Constancy in religion 174. Constancy of Christiās 250. 351. Conuersion to God not of any freewill in nature 85. Nothing can giue a