glory of God might shine in the face of Iesus Christ whose glory we sée in the preaching of his word wherein he declareth the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glory This glory the more the spirituall man beholdeth the more is he moued with desire to sée more and more and can neuer be sufficiently filled with that heauenly Contemplation Much were the Disciples moued at the sight of Christs transfigured glory in so much as they desired to haue enioyed the sight of it still so glorious it was that their minds were euen rauisht with the beauty thereof So Dauid desired to dwell in the Temple of the Lord not for a day but all the daies of his life to behold the beauty the goodnesse and mercies of God reuealed in his Word and to exercise himselfe in prayer Where God is duly and truly called vpon by a holy Congregation there appeareth the glory and beauty of Iehouah There is the Arke of the Lord the presence of the mighty God of Iacob whose glory filleth the Temple which the faithfull man séeth with a spirituall eye but the carnall man though bodily present in the same Temple apprehendeth it not As when Paul was conuerted he saw the glory of God shine vpon him but they that iournied with him though néere him saw nothing So that God is onely séene of them to whom hée pleaseth to reueale himselfe This beauty of the Lord shineth in the hearts of Gods elect children by the reuelation of the holy Ghost which none séeth but themselues And they take such sweet delight in the beholding of the face of God in Christ as they doe receiue in their soules the very Impression of the Image of the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and truth euen as Moses receiued thorow the splendor of the glory of God vpon Mount Sinai in his countenance such an impression of that glory that the children of Israel could not endure to behold with their eies the glory of his countenance What remaineth then but that we neglect not the continuall visitation of the temple of God to accompany the Congregation in the hearing of that heauenly Word to pray vnto God for his blessings and to giue him praise for his benefits And the Lord open our spirituall eies that we may euen here behold his beautie and bee hereafter pertakers of his glory A Praier for spirituall knowledge and increase of our holy desires to visit the Temple of God to heare his Word to pray vnto him and to praise him O Gracious Lord God most louing who reiectest none that come vnto thee with a perfect heart and none can come vnto thee vnlesse thou call him as well by thy inward Grace as by thy outward Word Vouchsafe according to the riches of thy Grace to grant that I may be strengthned by thy Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in my heart by faith and that my whole spirit soule and body may bee kept blamelesse to the comming of the Lord Iesus For thou knowest Lord what I am by nature a man vnworthy to enter vnder thy roofe or to presse into the place where thine honour dwelleth For thou art a God that louest righteousnesse and acceptest of such as are of cleane hearts and whose conuersations are vpright before thee but I am a sinner and corrupt as all my fathers were Cleanse me therefore O gracious Lord God in the bloud of Iesus Christ and make me fit to approach thine holy Temple that I may see thy beautie and behold thy glory Open mine eares that I may heare prepare my heart that I may vnderstand what thou teachest in thy word Enlighten mine inward eies the eies of my soule that I may see thee and take comfort in thy presence And open my lips that I may speake vnto thee in faith and answer mee againe in loue Teach mee that celestiall language that may moue thee to heare me For what booteth it me to come into thy house with deafe eares not to heare thee without attention to vnderstand thee mute and not be able to speake vnto thee Yet I know good Father that thou hearest them that cannot speake and thou teachest them that vnderstand not and thou openest the eies of them that see not such is thy loue towards vs as thou acceptest euen of the language of heartie sighes whither they be for sinne or for want of spirituall graces Thou knowest the inward desires of the heart tending to good or euill I am sorry good Father that any corruption lurketh in my defiled heart to keepe out that blessed guest thy Spirit I cannot of my selfe abandon corruption I cannot of my selfe so mortifie my sinne but that the dregges therefore will still remaine But cast me not out of thine holy Temple because I am a sinner but rather because I am a sinner admit to visit thy Temple to heare thy Word that I may learne to liue more and more obediently vnto thee Make thou my heart cleane and I shall bee all cleane so shall I visit thine house to honour thee and comfort my selfe by thy holy presence and shall take spirituall pleasure in thy beautie and be finally pertaker of thy glory Thou louest righteousnesse O make me righteous Thou hatest iniquity abandon my sinnes Knit my heart vnto thee that I may both feare and loue thy name Giue me a holy desire to seeke thee and to serue thee both in the materiall Temple with thy people and in all places at all times for thou art euery where to be found And where thou art there is thy house for thou dwellest not in Temples made with hands but in the heauens and in the hearts of them whom thou hast sanctified Turne thy face vnto me O Lord for thy face I seeke Shew me thy beauty and glory of thy countenance and change mee into thine owne Image by thy Spirit and in the same Spirit admit me continually to visit thy holy Temple Make my heart stable and vnblameable before thee in holinesse that I may serue thee with a sincere and pure heart and conscience vndefiled That I come not into thine house onely to seeme religious but in true faith and due reuerence and giue thou a blessing vnto my godly desires Amen VERSE 5. In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his Pauilion shall he hide mee and set me vpon a Rocke THe very name of Trouble is fearefull to a worldly man for he loues pleasure ease and when trouble commeth he is cast downe and is as it were at deaths doore but the true childe of God being fore-warned that if he will liue godly he must looke for and prepare himselfe to suffer trouble and affliction in this life Trouble therefore doth little or nothing moue him when it commeth because when he first entred into the schoole of christianity he learned that
world if I say Satan inticed me and I did sinne thou hast commanded me to resist Satan and his tentations so that though I plead with Adam that my Heuah my carnall part that thou gauest me did moue me and I did sinne it will be no excuse for mee if I say the world allured or Satan tempted me it booteth me not and therefore Father I cannot but freely confesse against my selfe that I euen I haue sinned and done all these euills against thee against thee O Lord I haue sinned against my selfe and haue deseruedly stirred vp thy displeasure against me and in thy displeasure is death This this O Lord is the gaine that my sinnes haue gotten not onely a dissolution of the soule and body due to all flesh but the death of body and soule due onely to impenitent sinners among whom I euen I acknowledge my selfe worthy to bee numbred without thy mercy For who hath power Lord by his owne corrupt nature to repent By nature Lord I sinne How can I by the same sinfull part repent of that wherein nature it selfe delighteth A fountaine bringeth not forth bitter water and sweet How then Lord can I bring forth true repentance out of a corrupt heart as it is corrupt Yet Lord though my heart bee corrupt by nature being made in part sincere and holy by thy grace it shall so farre forth worke repentance as is thy grace powerfull and effectuall in me So that though sinne by nature dwell in me by thy grace may sanctity also as Esau and Iaakob in Rebeccahs wombe striuing for superiority Therefore good Father as Esau the elder gaue place and became seruant to Iaakob So let sinne which is in me the first borne giue place in mee vnto sanctity And let sanctity haue the sole dominion in my heart then shall my heart bring forth the good fruits of a godly life though while I liue here the weeds of corruption will also grow but Lord let them not ouergrow the good seed of thy spirit but let them wither and die before they grow vp to beare any fruit vnto death But feed me now at the last with the most wholesome fruits of thy spirit and giue me grace to expresse my sorrow for my sins that I haue done with an inward relenting heart grieued that euer I contriued sin in my inward thoughts that euer I acted it or consented vnto it Lord see and behold my sorrow for my sins if it bring not forth sincere repentance water it so with thy mollifying spirit that it may worke in mee that which may testifie that I repent indeed so that sinne may become loathsome vnto me and sanctitie sweet And although while I carrie about me this vnholy lump of earth my best exercises cannot but sauour of the fountaine from whence they flow if of corruption corruptly if of thy spirit heauenly O season therefore my heart O Lord my soule and whole man with thy spirit that whatsoeuer I thinke speake or doe may sauour from aboue that I may feele in my heart and soule a true and liuely detestation of whatsoeuer sauoureth of the loue of this world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the pride of life Giue me strength to performe all perfect obedience in all righteousnesse euen to the forgetting of sinne And yet to remember my sinnes past and to repent them that thou my louing Father before whose presence I presently stand maiest bee pleased to turne thy louing and fatherly countenance in mercy towards me in the merits and mediation of Christ my Reedeemer Let these mine humble petitions O Lord ascend vp vnto thee and let the infallible tokens of thy mercies appeare towards mee that my heart now cast downe for feare of thy iudgements may bee againe lifted vp feeling the inward testimonies of thy mercies in Christ. To whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour praise and glory A Praier for the morning with thankes for rest and safetie O Father mercifull and euermore louing in Iesus Christ who this night past hast beene a powerfull and prouident Watch-man ouer me euen when by the deadnesse of sleepe I was depriued euen of sense care or feare of any danger which yet without thy preseruation and prouidence might suddenly haue seized vpon me and that by infinite meanes For Lord thou knowest what a malicious and watchfull Aduersary we haue who is attended on by a troupe of infernall Ministers that hourely seeke by some meanes to surprize vs Besides the corruption of our owne nature that is alwaies working in vs sinfull thoughts vncleane desires and most vngodly affections mouing vs in our night-wakings in stead of holy meditation and godly praier to purpose the committing of infinite sorts of sinnes when we enter into the day hauing no meanes to preuent the execution of most sinfull actions but by thine owne most gracious working holy feare and godly obedience in our hearts Wherefore louing Father I come this morning into thy holy presence from which I cannot hide mee and vpon the knees of my heart I vnfainedly intreat thee that as it hath pleased thee this night to preserue me and giuing me comfortable rest and sleepe in safetie so thou wilt be pleased to watch ouer mee this day that no danger befall me either in body soule or any thing belonging vnto me But that I may be so led vnder the pauilion of thy protection guided by thy spirit that neither in thought word or deed I may offend thee endeuouring to performe all holy and heauenly duties vnto thee my God who for all thy mercies requirest onely pure and sincere obedience which is also thy gift for none by his owne power can thinke a good thought much lesse Lord worke any thing pleasing vnto thee but the contrary therefore disclaime I all mine owne merit and cleaue onely vnto thy mercy in Iesus Christ Humbly beseeching thee for his sake to take charge of me this day preuent the malicious intentions of Satan and his ministers mortifie mine owne sinfull affections and infuse into my heart all diuine graces that my waies this day may nothing sauour of sinne but of sanctitie And as I haue by thee safely passed this night so I may begin continue and end this day and all the daies of my life in thy faith feare and obedience And that in all mine actions whereunto I am bound by my place and calling I may so walke and so performe them as that thy blessingâ— may accompany whatsoeuer I endeuour Giue me Lord an vpright heart asking and let me euer receiue counsell from thee to be guided in whatsoeuer I purpose that so prospering the glory may bee thine to whom all power wisdome strength and glory belongeth Amen A Praier to be vsed before a man goes to his rest LOrd as it hath now pleased thee to bring mee in safetie to the end of this day and hast therein by many blessings testified thy fatherly care
Wildernesse of Ziph in the holds of Engedy in Maan and Gath vncoth and solitary places hee found the Lord his God euen in his holy Temple for where God is present there is his Temple In the Lions den Daniel found him in the Furnace the three children in the Dungeon Ieremy in the Prison Peter vnder the stones Stephen in Sodom Lot in the floud Noah God is euery where where hée is called vpon faithfully Euery faithfull childe of God is alwaies in Gods house where Dauid desired so earnestly to dwell yet though he found God euery where where he called vpon him he had an earnest desire to bée conuersant euen in that materiall temple where the children of God did assemble to celebrate the praises of God and to heare his Word and though he were their King thought it no disparagement but the greatest part of his duty to accompany his subiects according to conueniencie in the holy exercises of Religion whereof being preuented by meanes of his enemies hée complaineth that hée was as a Pelican in the Wildernesse and as an Owle in the Desert And déemed the Sparrow more happy than he because that silly Bird could at all times resort vnto that holy place to which he could not come Lord saith Dauid who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle and who shall rest in thy holy Mountaine that is who shall worthily enter into thy holy Temple and behold thy beauty he answereth Hee that worketh righteousnesse c. for God is holy and requireth holinesse of life walking vprightly in a liuely faith And therefore though it be the duty of all men to frequent the materiall Temple of God to accompany the congregation in prayer praising of God and hearing his Word yet all come not with that holy desire that Dauid did nor qualified as Dauid was yet hée that is vnprepared to day may bée fit to morrow for the Word of God is as a Net and often times catcheth men ere they bee aware therefore ought all men to desire as Dauid did to visit Gods Temple where this Net of the Word is spread for being once taken hee will then with Dauid require that one thing namely to dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of his life and often to visit his Temple Dauid did not onely make a bare request vnto God but did euen presse him hée required him as if he had béen familiar with him as the faithfull may vse a holy familiarity with God in their prayers praying God to afford him that blessing of blessings as to admit him into his holy presence wherein is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore not for a day a moneth or a yéere as worldlings haue and then perish but begun here and shall neuer haue end To dwell in the house of Iehouah is to dwell abide in his fauour to be partaker of his sanctifying grace to haue the true knowledge of his diuine will and to practice it by faith obedience zeale prayer and to beare about vs the markes of the Lord Jesus in patient vndergoing the burthen of the Crosse and in continuall exercise of holinesse and righteousnesse whosoeuer is in this case is safe in the holy Temple of God as in a safe Sanctuary and is a true member of the mysticall body of our conquering Christ the head of that Church which is the true Temple neither made with hands and which hands cannot pull downe Out of which are barred all such as trust in lying miracles and workes that cannot profit such as steale commit idolatry adultery such as sweare falsly and such as fall downe and worship false gods or the true God after a false and idolatrous manner Though these stand in the materiall Temple or seclude themselues in Cloisters in séeming deuotion to sequester themselues from the world to God and yet commit many barbarous sinnes and grosse impieties thinking themselues safe and to be reconciled to God by a confessory penance God will not onely not heare them but reiect them their prayers for they seeme religious and are not obedient to God and are not faithfull and are not but are méere Hypocrites who resorting to the Temple of God commit rather sacrilege than offer sacrifice acceptable to God These visit not the Temple but rather defile if with their counterfeit holinesse who would séeme in shew Saints but in heart enemies to Christ and Christians yet cry they the Church the Church and yet farre from being members of it So many séeming-good Christians cry out Preach Preach and séeme neuer satisfied with Sermons this desire is good if their hearts desire it to profit and practise the word but if it be but to séeme religious and inwardly retaine their corrupt desires if they amend not their waies and their workes séeme they neuer so holy they are but Hypocrites for this is to bée in the Temple of God by his Word preached to learne to execute iudgement not to oppresse the poore nor the stranger the fatherlesse nor the Widow not to deceiue nor to walke after other gods after riches and pleasures If this fruit of hearing appeare in them they are no doubt of the family and house of God and shall dwell in his Tabernacle and rest securely vpon his holy Mountaine for they are of the generation of the iust but there is a generation saith Salomon that are pure in their owne conceits and yet are not washed from their filthinesse they follow the deuices of their owne hearts And assume vnto themselues a peculiar manner of seruing of God not according to the sincere truth but as God abhorreth all sacrifices of vncleane things so doth hee all counterfeit showes of sincerity God admitteth not sinners namely such as make no conscience of sinne to come into his holy presence much lesse to dwell in his holy Temple though they may séeme to honour him with their lips He detesteth their forged sacrifices and their very praiers are abhominable though they pertake of the holy Sacraments and performe outwardly other diuine duties Hee is not pleased with them neither behold they the beauty of the Lord but his seuere and fierce countenance is bent against them But such as desire with the like affection as Dauid did to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visit his Temple are such as the Lord enuiteth and willeth to come and louingly embraceth them They come not for a spirt and away but desire to make their continuall abode where they may still behold his beautie and his glory his louing kindnesse and mercies towards them shewed in his word as in a glasse which appeareth more swéet and amiable to the cies of their sanctified soules than the most beautifull feature of Angels This most heauenly beauty Dauid desired to sée saw it as Paul teacheth saying That God cōmanded the light to shine out of darknesse euen in our harts that the light of the knowledge of the
procure thine attention any thing at all Why then should I say vnto thee hearken Why did Dauid say vnto thee hearken He was assured to bee heard Therefore I pray thee hearken O my God Hearken vnto the voice of my cry haue mercy also vpon me and heare me Heare the voice of my renewed heart the voice of my soule that figheth for my sinnes haue mercy therefore vpon me O Lord and pardon me that I may so cry and it may please thee so to heare as I may heare thine answer within as I cry within Lord let thy holy Spirit both speake to thee and answer me for I cannot preuailingly cry vnto thee vnlesse thou cry in me by thine owne Spirit sanctifying my spirit and answering my spirit again by thy spirit Hearken euen vnto thy selfe speaking in me and let my spirit heare thy spirit speaking to me and in mee So shall my soule sound forth a glorious voice a sharpe and piercing voice a voice whose sound shall ascend aboue the clouds where I haue a most louing and preuailing Mediator with thee euen Iesus Christ the righteous in whose name and for whose sake thou wilt deny nothing vnto those that come and cry faithfully vnto thee Then I euen I shall heare a most sweet and comfortable Eccho of Grace resound in the eares of my soule that shall assure me of answer of euery my petitions When I cry Lord forgiue me my sinnes I shall heare Thy sinnes O man are forgiuen thee when I shall say Open thou my lips I shall heare Open thy mouth and I will fill it When I shall say Lord I beleeue I shall heare Thou beleeuedst therefore shalt thou be saued When I call for strength in my tentations I shall heare My grace is sufficient for thee When I shall call vnto thee in my necessities for helpe I shall heare I will neuer faile thee nor forsake thee This is thy goodnesse O Lord and thy mercy therefore will I euermore pray vnto thee O hearken vnto my voice when I cry vnto thee haue mercy also vpon me and heare me The ground of all my comforts in all my troubles to bee eased is thy mercy yea thy mercy onely In mee there is nothing worthy to bee regarded of thee it is thy mercy only that maketh me to dwell in safetie And had it not beene of thy free mercy I had bin confounded long agone therefore in thy mercy heare me when I call vpon thee and in thy mercy releeue mee in thy mercy helpe mee Then shall neither enemies preuaile against me pouertie and want shald not ouer-much oppresse me sicknesse shall not dismay me nor any outward or inward trouble sinne nor Satan preuaile against me For thou O God art the God of my saluation my glory the God of my strength in thee will I euer trust So be it VERSE 8. When thou saidst seeke yee my face mine heart answered vnto thee O Lord I will seeke thy face IN this verse there is as it were a familiar conference betwéene the Lord and Dauid God saies vnto Dauid and in the plurall number to all that are his Seeke yee my face And Dauid againe in the name of the faithfull replies Thy face O Lord will I seeke It séemeth to be a strange command that we weake Creatures that cannot looke with stedfast eies vpon the Sun that is but one of his inferior Creatures but shall be striken blinde with the radiant beames thereof should séeke and behold his face which none could euer sée and liue And it séemeth likewise to be as strange a promise in Dauid to say that hée would séeke the face of God To séeke the Lord is in many places of Scripture enioyned vs but to séeke and to sée his face is not so frequently commanded But these phrases of spéech differ not for both signifie the séeking of his helpe and are not literally to be vnderstood as if God had a visible face to be séene or that he had a corporall being to be felt God is a spirit and spiritually to be sought and spiritually to be discerned and is not otherwise to be séene but in the face of Iesus Christ who is also now glorified in the heauens not visibly to bee apprehended by vs vntill his second comming What is then meant by the séeking of the face of God onely his fauour and his protection in the time of our danger And to séeke God is to implore his power prouidence and helpe in our afflictions As Ieremiah comforting the captiue Israelites in Babylon You shall goe and pray vnto me saith God and I will heare you and if you seeke me yee shall finde me if you seeke me with all your hearts And againe Azariah said to Asa Iuda and Beniamin The Lord is with you while yee be with him And if yee seeke him he will be found of you but if yee forsake him hee will forsake you God is present with the faithfull by his continuall helping power as long as they hold him fast by their praiers and wrastle with him with their faithfull petitions as Iacob did with the Angell and cry vnto him till he answer and neuer leaue seeking of him till hee finde him If we séeke him in the Word wée shall finde him there as the spirit hath described him both a mercifull God and a consuming fire The faithfull finde him mercifull euen in this life the wicked shall finde him a seuere Judge hereafter The first shall sée his face and reioyce the second shall sée his face and tremble The first shall sée and behold the beauty of his countenance with great gladnesse for euer the second shall sée his face for a moment in his last sentence and that with horror God saies vnto all Seeke yee my face but few with their hearts doe séeke him And that is the reason that many call vpon him and are not heard they séeme to séeke him and finde him not but vnto the truly faithfull hée offereth himselfe as he did to Moses My presence shall goe with thee and I will giue thee rest This is the true beholding of the face of God to enioy his presence namely when he is ready in his power and prouidence to helpe vs in our afflictions and to deliuer vs in our dangers any other presence of his in this life we néede not séeke his glory is aboue the Heauens What is man then that he should séeke to sée his all-glorious face here in earth which Moses saw but in a bush obscurely in respect of his full and compleat glory and yet with that sight his face did shine so as the people could not abide the glory of his face How much lesse the glory of the most vnspeakable beauty of y e face of y e most high whose dwelling is in the heauens and whose power is ouer all his works in heauen and earth And therefore saith Dauid O Lord our God how excellent is thy name in all the world which hast
though his errors no way concerne the matter in controuersie betwéene them but méerely his frailty falling as a naturall man whereof Dauid being afraid he prayeth vnto God that he would teach him his way which is vncorrupt and to leade him in an vpright path not onely in his ordinary calling but in the sincerity of his religion and profession lest his enemies that are alwaies watchfull should haue cause to accuse him of some grosse sinne and so draw him into the censure and condemnation of the world Dauid was a man chosen of God but by nature apt and inclined to sinne like other men who all haue their peculiar faults No man liueth so sincerely but if his life in all points at all times be narrowly obserued and examined by his owne conscience he may be taxed or tax himselfe either for committing things which God hath forbidden or omitting things which God hath commanded And therefore as Dauid here prayeth God to teach him his way and to lead him in a right path and as Moses before him prayed vnto God saying If I haue found fauour in thy sight shew me now thy way that I may know thee and that I may finde grace in thy sight So ought euery Christian to pray that God would not onely teach him but lead him also not onely because of his enemies whose slanders hée feareth which yet is necessary but because God should not be dishonoured by his corrupt conuersation and sinne There is no man especially Gods children but haue enemies not onely corporall but spirituall among whom the subtillest and strongest is Satan who looketh not so much into what a man doth as into the inclination of his heart by the things hee doth for by his workes he findeth what is in man for thoughts are hid and by his outward actions he can collect whereunto hée is inclined and vpon that he workes and laies his plots accordingly and most commonly he obserueth in euery man some sinne that raigneth and ruleth aboue all other sinnes which he hugs as it were in his bosome there doth Satan apply his greatest battery knowing that if he vanquish him in it and sée him to continue in it it is as much as if he had inticed him to a thousand sins and therefore hee laieth baits according to a cunning Fowler or Fisherman that hath one especiall bait for each kinde of Fowle or Fish according to the desire of that peculiar sin wherein a man most delighteth entertaining euery occasion or fit opportunity to féed his desire which Satan finding vseth his instruments to féed him with varieties Euery raigning or rather raging sinne in man may be compared to the disease in mans body called the Wolfe which if it be not continually fed with some kinde of satisfactory matter will soone deuoure the very flesh of y t part of the body wherupon it hath seized so that sinne that a man holdeth so deare to which hee cannot but yeeld vpon euery opportunity afforded must be fed with the satisfying of those corrupt desires which best agree with the nature of that woluish disease otherwise it will euen eat vp their senses and they will become as mad men when they are restrained from what that sinne desireth As for example take game from the couetous man hee will become euen cut of his wits barre the drunkard of his liquor and he will rage like a shéebeare robbed of her whelps preuent the lasciuious man of his Harlots he will swagger sweare and aduenture his life to haue them and so of the rest If therefore a man fall into any of these dominant sinnes and liue in it what an aduantage is it vnto his enemies It is a double aduantage first it makes him scandalous in the world whose good opinion with the vertuous and religious hée loseth It offends GOD whose hand is alwaies ouer the righteous to defend them against the wicked to confound them How sottish then are these men that will giue entertainment at the first to such seruants as at last shall become their masters Sinne in the beginning is weake and with ease may be subdued but when it hath beene cherished and nursed vp awhile in our brests as beloued and fed as it will require it beconuneth predominant facing as it were a man and as if it should say I haue thus long ouerruled thée I will yet make thée my slaue O fearefull estate yet not a few liue in this miserable seruility and doth not that enemy Satan triumph to obserue his vassals thus subiected and doth he not stirre vp enemies to vpbraid them some to mocke and scorne them some to reproach and reuile them and finally doth hee not laugh at their destruction Had not holy Dauid thē good cause to be afraid to be thus carried away with the violence of his owne corrupt nature which no doubt hée felt something inclinable rather to goe astray than to goe on y e way the Lord taught him had he not good cause as eueryman hath instantly to pray vnto God Teach me thy way O Lord and leade me in thy right path because of mine enemies Where it appeareth that it is not enough to know the way of God vnlesse wee walke in it and what power haue we of our selues to walke aright vnlesse the spirit of God leade vs we may thinke wee are right when wee are cleane out of the way as many deceiued silly soules doe that thinke themselues right and others out of the way when indéed they walke in darknesse and haue no light at all Enemies are alwaies enuious against the prosperity good that the godly receiue and reioyce when any disgrace misery or misfortune befalls them When my foot slipt saith Dauid mine enemies reioyced So doth Satan and his instruments who neuer rest day nor night seeking to draw if it were possible Gods owne children into the waies of the wicked and then againe to moue and instigate the wicked to reproach vs for our sinnes so that wée must not looke to liue here securely euen in our séeming most quiet estate for when wée thinke of none and deserue least disgrace Satan will raise vp one railing and reuiling Shemei some one traiterous Iudas or one trecherous Achithophel or another to trouble vs. And if wee haue committed any knowne sin be it neuer so small whether in our place conuersation or profession wee shall be sure to heare it Let vs liue neuer so warily neuer so ciuily neuer so sincerely we haue enemies enow to espy out our secretest actions to heare our most priuate speech for in the most godly little sinnes seeme great and are soone discouered and great sinnes in the wicked séeme no sinnes therefore haue the wicked few enemies whom they feare to sée their waies but the godly many It is no disgrace to a wicked man to bée wicked it is his profession as it is no blemish to the beauty of an Aethiopian to be blacke it is his naturall
Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan Sauls sonne who accused him most falsly to Dauid perswading him that Mephibosheth went about to take from Dauid the kingdome onely to get Mephibosheths patrimony as it is commonly the end of all the testimonies false witnesses giue to gaine outward reward thereby As the Iewes hired and suborned false witnesses against that most sanctified man Stephen to put him to death The like against innocent Naboth by wicked Iezabel who was likewise stoned to fulfill the lust of enemies It is a dangerous thing for the most innocent man in the world to fall vnder the testimony of false witnesses The accused seldome escapes vnlesse there be a Daniel to examine circumstances to finde out the truth A false witnesse is one of the six things that God himselfe abhorreth for of all men he is the most dangerous and therefore no maruell that Dauid hauing such enemies as made no conscience of whatsoeuer deuillish inuention to betray him and to haue their lust of him did pray Giue me not ouer to the lust of mine enemies for there are false witnesses risen vp against mee and such as speake cruelly Dauid feared more false witnesses than the open force of his enemies who when they came vpon him they stumbled and fell and therefore was not dismaied if an Host pitched against him Secret false combinations of enemies accompanied with false witnesses who can withstand or auoid The tongue which God made in the beginning good and to be a faithfull witnesse of the heart the Deuill hath made the instrument of falshood and lies For now in many the heart the tongue are so estranged as the one vttereth what y e other thinks not the other thinks what y e other vtters not The tongue becomes an instrument to deceiue which was made to explaine the true meaning of the heart But where the tongue speakes falsly the heart cannot be right and where the heart is corrupt the tongue cannot be sound There was once a confusion of tongues not of that part which moueth to frame the voice for the tongue it selfe remained as before it was but inforced to alter the language but now there séemeth to be a confusion betwéene the tongue and the heart which should be as one Both which being so farre disioyned in consent now as it séemeth to be another confusion of our language One knew not what another said when that one language became so changed and who vnderstands now what another speakes when he speakes what he meanes not How then can hee bee truly vnderstood what hée speakes Men indéed are become as it were false witnesses against themselues when the tongue beares witnesse against the heart and the heart against the tongue If then we become so confounded in our language when we call for one thing we bee offered another all good men had néed to craue a diuine Interpreter who knoweth the heart for by the tongue we cannot truly vnderstand what some men meane And that is the reason so many are at this day deceiued and vniustly many times condemned and therefore not vnfit for euery man though he obserue to haue no professed enemy as Dauid seemed to haue to pray as Dauid did vnto God the searcher and disposer of all hearts and she restrainer of all false tongues O giue me not ouer to the lust of mine enemies for there are false witnesses risen vp against mee and such as speake cruelly A Prayer that God will preserue vs from our enemies that they preuaile not against vs and to preuent vs of false witnesses O Most mighty God Defender of the faithfull the Protector of them that betake themselues vnder thy protecting hand the mightiest among men cannot hurt the least whom thou protectest the subtillest cannot circumuent them whom thou guidest in thine owne waies Saul could not hurt Dauid though he pursued him with deadly hatred pursuing him to take away his life Thou neuer leftest him to the lust of his enemies Thou art powerfull and in respect of thee my most powerfull and politickest Aduersaries are weake and foolish O let them not haue their wished desires against me though they suborne false witnesses against me let their false tongues falter in their mouthes Let their lying lips be shut vp with shame and let all those that take malicious counsell against me and combine together to hurt or to destroy me be turned enemies one to the other and let them doe each to other as they intend to doe vnto me Let their tongues wherewith they thinke to speake falsly against me cleaue to the roofes of their mouthes For thou hearest how proudly hatefully and disdainfully they speake against me falsly as if I were their enemy But thou art a righteous Iudge and markest theirs and my waies their thoughts and their practises and policies and my simplicitie None of their inward inuentions none of their wicked proiects policies and secret practises are hid from thee and therefore Lord leaue me not vnto their lust Confirme my faith in thee powre thy grace and holy spirit into the inward parts of my soule that I sincerely seruing thee may either win their vnfained friendship or that thou wilt preuent their malicious deuices against me and that I may possesse mine owne in peace Although they now stand vpon the open stage of the world and sound out the Trumpets of their enuious and slanderous tongues of reproach against me And although they suborne false witnesses against me let my vprightnesse approue them lyers Let my course of life so contrary to their false reports try and approue proue them false witnesses risen vp against me Though I cannot but confesse against my selfe not onely vnto thee in secret but vnto them openly that I come short of some duties that I ought to performe yet consider my willing minde to performe them without reproofe Lord I am weake in strength I am not wise enough to deale with the Politicians of this world I cannot withstand nor finde out the practises that mine enemies contriue against mee who haue a strong desire to haue their wills to execute their lust especially false witnesses being suborned against mee but giue me not ouer to the lust of mine aduersaries that speake so cruelly against me falsifying the cause of their hatred as if I had done them iniury extenuating their owne malice and mischiefe as if their wicked deuices were lawfull and grounded vpon Iustice and their violence rather charitable than malicious what they haue done and what they intend thou knowest and how vniustly they afflict me thou seest who art a God that iudgest right Rise vp therefore O Lord and take my cause into thine owne hand make their wicked counsells as Achithophels for haue they not said in their hearts Come let vs cut them off from being a people and let their name bee no more had in remembrance In so much as many of them say There is no helpe for me in thee Yet