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
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
other Therefore doth David ioyne light and saluation together because that without that light there is no saluation for light goeth with or before saluation for without the light of knowledge there can bee no faith and without faith no saluation Dauid through faith was bold to affirme that the Lord was his light and consequently his saluation and hee that would defend him from all his enemies and therefore resolueth not to feare what man could doe vnto him Our owne naturall light the light of our eyes is an especiall blessing of God yet for vnruiinesse it may bee compared to the tongue for as the tongue is an vnruly euill in setting as it were the whole world on fire so are the eyes extrauagant and set the heart on fire and therefore saith Dauid Turne away mine eies from regarding vanity for he found by wofull experience that the light of the eye doth administer vnto the minde diuers dangerous obiects as to himselfe the nakednesse of Bershaba with the sight of whom he was so enflamed with the fire of lust which first entred by the eie that he committed grieuous sinnes in the accomplishment thereof Yet was Dauid himselfe reputed as it were the light of Israel which hee assumed not vnto himselfe but attributed the true light that he had vnto the light of lights saying Surely thou art my light O Lord and the Lord will lighten my darknesse And againe the Lord is my light and my saluation By his owne naturall light hee could not sée his owne error of adultery and marther vntill hee was inwardly enlightned then hee could confesse it neither could he see and consider how the Lord had defended him but by that dim light which gaue him courage strength against the â—eare and the Lion the ouercomming of whom gaue him assurance of the victory against Goliah his experience of Gods fauour towards him grew daily more and more encouraging others also to depend on the power prouidence and loue of God by his example saying and assuring them that the Lord would be a sure refuge vnto them in their afflictions for hee faileth none that faithfully séeke him and how can we séeke him but by Prayer I will call vpon the Lord saith Dauid who is worthy to be praised so shall I bee safe from mine enemies though they haue many meanes to hurt yet God that is our light and our saluation hath many more meanes to helpe and to defend vs therefore saith Dauid whom should I feare the Lord is my rocke and my fortresse and hee that deliuereth mee my God and my strength in him will I trust my shield the horne also of my saluation and my refuge of whom shall I be afraid If I haue Iehouah on my side what can man doe vnto me If he be my light I shall liue in light and walke in light for in him is no darknesse at all he offereth light by his liuely Word and enlightneth our inward parts by the bright beames of his heauenly Spirit Being then inwardly armed howsoeuer outwardly endangered wée néed not feare but as Dauid did let vs cast our burthen vpon the Lord and hee shall defend vs and let vs commend our care vnto him for he careth for vs of whom or of what then need we to bee afraid Saluation commeth not of flesh nor by fleshly meanes as the true light is not of the world nor of worldly men Therefore séeke not thy light nor safety through the policy or strength of the flesh neither dreame of saluation by worldly meanes but breake through the walls of flesh and mount vp in true contemplation of that sauing light that shineth from aboue from thence commeth the strength against which no carnall force shall preuaile and beware of such as promise vnto themselues safety and saluation without this true light as the wise by their policies the rich by their wealth the mighty by their much strength and multitudes and as some by their owne workes All which are broken réeds vaine props and weake meanes to saue the outward man much lesse the inward soule How then can they say whom shall I feare of whom shall I bee afraid when indéed they cannot but bee afraid euen where no feare is Could Achitophels counsell Nebuchadnezzars greatnesse Pharaohs stoutnesse Goliahs strength Senacheribs mighty army Hasaels swiftnesse or the Pharisies workes saue them yet doth foolish flesh and bloud account this weake and feeble meanes their glory their life and their saluation But as Achitophel whose counsell was like the Oracle of God did hang himselfe as Nebuchadnezzar in his greatest pompe became as a beast of the field as Pharaoh in his hot pursuit was drowned and his army as Senacherib was slaine by his owne sons as Goliah for all his great strength was slaine with a small stone as Hazael for all his Roe-like swiftnesse was slaine in his running and as the Pharisies for all their workes were condemned by Christ the light So neither the wisest of the world the greatest and most glorious in the world the strongest in strength nor he that iustifieth himselfe most by his best workes worke not onely no saluation vnto themselues as of themselues but their owne destruction But the Lord of Hosts is my light my strength and my saluation therefore will I not bée afraid Consider well the benefit of thy light in the Lord embrace the Lord thy light and thy saluation embrace him in his Word for God is the Word the Word that light that light thy life and thy saluation Here then is the light that guideth the blinde and happy is the soule that hath this glorious light he needs not feare she secret practises of the wicked which this light discouereth nor the force of the mighty which this strength withstandeth for God is his saluation Feare not man then who killeth but the body feare not the fire that consumeth but the body feare not the Sea that drowneth but the body feare not sicknesse that toucheth but the body feare not the sword that pierceth but the body feare nothing that can preuaile but against the body for the Lord is thy light and thy saluation O feare this Lord and reuerence this light he séeth in darknesse feare him that can kill both body and soule and can cast both into vtter darknesse feare this great God feare none but him that can saue and kill that can cast downe and exalt that can with his Word worke what he will when he will and as he will feare him in loue and loue him in feare call vpon him despaire not in him he is thy saluation Feare not the world nor worldly things feare onely firme in the world and flie from euill which this true light hateth then feare not man for if a thousand assaile thee feare not but pray and beléeue and trust in the Lord thy saluation he will open the eyes of thy faith and thou shalt sée with Elisha millions of meanes to defend thée
slightly regard for so we may indéed turne his fatherly displeasure into iust reuenge let vs obserue in wisdome the Lords waies how indéed he neuer winketh long at our least sinne for many little sinnes make a great cry and when God heareth their clamour hée turneth away his face as a thing loathsome vnto him as he did from Dauid for a time who féeling it ranne crying againe vnto God O hide not thy face from me O Lord nor cast thy seruant away in displeasure Thou hast beene my succour saith Dauid leaue mee not neither forsake mee O God of my saluation though Dauid found that God had hid his face from him and séemed displeased with him yet he tooke a godly courage through saith to put God in minde of his former fauours towards him saying Thou hast beene my succour and thou changest not thou art still the same and whom thou hast once chosen thou neuer forsakest He may be angry with his dearest children for a time but he endureth not long in his displeasure but when he with rebukes doth chastise a man for his sinne his beauty consumeth and all carnall delights are as it were irkesome vnto him in respect of the losse of Gods fauour Though Dauid séemed much to bee troubled that God did hide his face from him and to withhold his helping hand against his enemies yet he had hope to redéeme his fauour againe because he was before his succour which no doubt hee in his heart acknowledged not to procéed of his owne deseruing but of the meere and frée mercy of God And therfore as hee first fréely chose him without his desert he would not cast him off in regard of his humane frailties incident to all men euen to y e best men but would rather renew maintaine and confirme those diuine graces which it had pleased God before to plant in him and so would returne againe vnto him in loue and turne his face towards him againe and not vtterly to leaue him nor forsake him and why because he was assured that as God had promised to be so he was and would be the God of his saluation for euer for he neuer faileth the performance of his promises to a thousand generations And his gifts and callings are without repentance Therefore if we be chosen of God we cleaue vnto God if we cleaue vnto God God is faithfull to succour vs will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs. Though he seeme to hide his face from vs a little as he did from Dauid and to be displeased with vs as he seemed to be with him we may with like boldnesse build our assurance of his future helpe as Dauid did by his former succouring of vs And as Dauid held it as an argument of Gods neuer failing help in that hee was ence his succour how much more may such as haue often found him their defence and succour assure themselues that though he hide his face for a while he will neuer faile them nor forsake them But that he will establish his according to his promise y t they may yet liue not be disappointed of his louing fauour again howsoeuer they seeme to be forsaken Hee that trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compasse him about on euery side A Prayer that God will be alwaies neere vnto vs in our afflictions and not to hide his face and fauour from vs. O Lord hide not thy face from me and cast mee not away in thy displeasure Thou diddest not in the beginning choose mee for my worthinesse O cast me not off for my weaknesse thou knewest before whereof I was made and that in me neither was nor is any goodnesse at all and therefore if thou shouldest hide thy face from me I could not iustly accuse thee of leuity or lightnesse soone to loue and as soone to reiect but condemne my selfe in that I haue cast away thy feare and haue forgotten and neglected thy due praises for thy former succour and goodnesse towards me I haue runne too farre in the way of sinne and vanity by a lewd law that is in my members rebelling against the law of thy Spirit incensing thee to displeasure against mee wherein thou seemest to hide thy face from me as if thou hadst neuer knowne me to be one of thine yet Lord I know thee and doe acknowledge that thou hast beene my succour thou hast beene a gracious God vnto mee when I haue called vpon thee thou hast heard mee when I haue sought thee thou hast turned thy louing countenance towards me thou hast not left me nor forsaken me therefore Lord forsake me not for euer giue mee not ouer leaue mee not vnto my selfe but keepe mee vnder the shadow of thine owne wings shew me the light of thy countenance againe and as thou hast beene formerly my succour leaue me not now nor forsake me O God of my saluation If thou turn from me altogether I shall altogether perish Remember that I am thine and the worke of thine owne hands destroy me not therefore ô my God that which thy selfe hast made for there is none that can plead or maintaine my cause against thee but as sinne hath cast mee downe thy grace can raise mee vp I haue falne through frailty I may rise againe by faith in thee I haue lost the view of thine amiable countenance by turning my face vnto vanity I may finde it againe if it please thee to turne me to thee and thy face to me I haue beene too negligent when thou saidst Seeke my face I gaue not such eare vnto thy words nor such eye vnto the beauty of thy face as I ought But be thou pleased now to be found when I seek thee I pray thee heare mee now I intreat thee And cast mee not away in displeasure though I haue displeased thee As long as I see thy face I am safe but as soone as thou turnest thy face from me I am troubled When thou leauest me I am left without spirituall hope or helpe and busie my selfe in things that profit not And therefore I cannot but confesse indeed that thou maiest turne away thy face from me a sinner but remember then I became a sinner when thou didst hide thy face from mee Yet haue not I forsaken thee O God neither can I goe from thee wheresoeuer I should couet to hide my selfe No I will not onely not couer to hide my selfe but I come euen as Dauid to Saul to discouer my selfe vnto thee Alas to discouer my selfe when I cannot hide my selfe from thee Though thou mayst hide thy face from me I cannot hide my waies from thee No Lord I seeke thee let mee finde thee Leaue me not nor forsake mee O God of my saluation nor cast me thy poorest and meanest seruant away in thy displeasure But as thou hast euer beene my succour sustaining me releeuing me defending me and comforting me So gracious Lord God in Iesus Christ continue my louing and helping father still And then