my selfe by giving an answer to Davids demand before I come to the question which is VERSE V. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou dâ—squieted in me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance VVHerein hee makes further declaration of his sorrowfull and perplexed estate that his soule in this time of trouble did pant and thirst and was powred out and cast downe and disquieted not finding release from misery nor evasion out of these calamities Now if the light that is in thee be darknesse Mat. 6.23 how great is that darknesse and if the soule that is in thee be sorrowfull how great is that sorrow Pro. 12.25 When heavinesse in the heart of man maketh it stoupe yea to be cast down as Davids was And yet there is great cause that the soule bee lifted up with joy and not dejected with griefe if wee consider the originall of it Igneus est illis vigor coelestis origo Virgil. that it proceedeth from God himselfe Gen. 1.27 2.7 Psal 8.5 Mortalibus alti quantum coelicolae tantundem animalibus isti praecellunt cunctis Silius Eccles 3.21 12.7 who created us after his own image breathing into us the breath of life whereby wee became living soules So that wee who were made but a little lower than the Angels were made much higher than all other creatures For when the spirit of the beast goeth downeward to the earth our spirit shall returne to God that gave it Also there is cause of ioy unto the soule in regard of the body Deus dedit corpus animae ut illud in coelum eveneret Non dedita animam corpâ—ri ut c. God gave the body unto the soule that it might raise the body unto heaven Hee did not give the soule unto the body that it might presse the soule to the earth Admonet figura c. Boet Shall the body be erect towards heaven and the soule decline towards the earth Let us consider how helpfull the body is to the soule in the worship of God when our eyes wait upon him and our tongue is our glory to praise him and wee lift up pure hands and daily bow our knees before him when our feet doe carry us to his house and there wee prostrate our whole body in his presence Thus in our estate of grace there is an happy union and consent betweene them both But as Eve â—en 2.18 who was made a meete helpe proved a cause of the greatest woe and misery So the body which should assist the soule doth rebell against it and thereby becomes a great annoyance Like that kinde of torment when they did binde the dead and the living together Corpora ca daveribus ad versa adversis alligata Val. Max. So the soule that lives for ever and is willing to doe good is ioyned unto a body that is weake yea even dead to any holy duty And then the servant is upon an horse Ephes 2 5. Eccles 10 7. and the Prince doth walke as a servant upon the earth the hand-maide is advanced Eucherius ad Valeâ—ian and the mistresse brought downe to the foot-stoole The body doth bring the soule into captivity and make it of a king to become a servent Modo rex esâ— modo tyraâ—nus Sence oâ— else a tyrant Wherefore when wee finde a law in our members warring against the law of our minde wee must pray to be delivered froÌ„ this body of death Rom. 7. verse 23.24 It was observed that when the body sleepeth Anima dum corpori vires admâ—nistrat nequaquam vacat sibi c. Hippocrat the soule hath most liberty And wee know assuredly that when our bodies shall bee laid to sleepe in the grave our soules shall bee inlarged Terreno carcere resoluta caelum ibera petâ—â— Boet. and delivered from that earthly house wherein they were long pent and imprisoned Vt novus serpens pofitâ cum pelle senectâ c. Ovid. And as the serpent doth become young againe after it hath cast off the skinne so the soule shall bee clothed with maiesty and glory when this fraile body shall waxe old like a garment and bee folded up as a vesture untill the end of all things and then this vile body shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ and being reioyned unto the soule shall enter into the ioy of our Master If that father did so reioyce when he saw his sonne to be alive Gen. 46.30 whom hee thought to bee dead then how excellent shall our ioy bee when the body which was dead shall bee alive and they both being knit together shall live in blisse for evermore 29.20 Did those seven yeares seeme to bee but a few dayes 31.40 for the love that Iacob had to Rachel though hee suffered the drought in the day the frost by night and watched both day and night Then how wonderfull ought the love of the soule be to the body cheerfully serving the Lord patiently enduring all tryals and afflictions not being cast downe as if it were without hope but looking for the Saviour who shall unite both soule and body And wee shall be as the Angels of God in heaven Mat. 22.30 Let us now take notice of Davids examination of himselfe that wee thereby may learne to iudge ourselves and wee shall not bee iudged Formerly hee had with his whole heart sought unto the Lord to shew him the light of his countenance He had earnestly desired to appeare before God Hee had humbled himselfe in sorrow for his owne transgressions and the sins of other men Now God accepteth the will for the deed And they that mourne have a promise of comfort Mat. 6. Why then art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Psal 4.4 Also hee did commune with his owne heart and was no fugitive from it as many are who have greatest reason to bee sorrowfull and to feare lest their soules should bee cast downe lower than Davids was because they never looke home to examine and prove themselves and to know that Christ is in them 2. Cor. 13.5 except they bee reprobates But David did make diligent search in his owne heart Psal 77.6 and in all things desired the good and comfortable estate of it Then why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Remember the workes of old how graciously the Lord hath dealt with thee Say not within thy selfe that his mercy is clean gone for ever for thou dost stil enioy many blessings and his grace doth now keep thee from fainting Consider that in this chastisement the Lord dealeth with thee as with a childe and it is not his good pleasure that thou shouldest have sorrow upon sorrow but that this light affliction working for thy good may bring thee to an
thirst for the living God and shall thy soule thirst for many gods for dead gods for idols that are no Gods but the works of mens hands Shall he thirst for God who doth satisfie us with all good things and wilt thou desire that thirst whereby thou canst never be satisfied Abstemious men without question For when God hath commanded to keepe a feast they will keepe a fast When God hath given unto all the cup of blessing yet they will refuse it as counting themselves unworthy of so great salvation What can they merit by this their abstinence even to drink of that cup in the hand of the Lord Psal 75.8 which he powreth out for them If they shall plead that the use of the cup is freely given to some of them yet then there must bee a miracle in the change which among the Heathens themselves was thought to bee prodigious Insusum paterae Xerxis vinum in sanguinem conversum est Val. Max. But were not that woman drunken with bloud Revel 17 6. shee could not think that to be bloud which shee drinks 2. King 3. â—3 But now both shee and her followers by thinking that to bee bloud which is not as the Moabites did they run upon their own destruction Now if any shall object that David might well thirst after God who had dealt so bountifully with him who looked upon his poore estate and exalted him when hee was of low degree unto the highest dignity who gave him victory over all his enemies and made a way for him to escape out of the greatest dangers So that it had beene unthankefulnesse in him to have done otherwise As for themselves they desire first to compose their outward affairs settle their estates that they may not appeare to be worse than Infidels and then afterward to devote the remainder of their lives to the service of God Whereunto let mee answer That thy petition is the same with Balaams Let me dye the death of the righteous Thou art therefore unexcusable O man who in thy Testament dost in the first place commit thy soule to God and then dispose of thy estate But in the former part of thy life by a confusion without any good order thy chiefe care hath beene about thy worldly possessions and now in thine end it is not the love of God but the love of thy selfe that constraineth thee to take care of thy soule Whereas such as have alwayes used a cloke of covetousnesse a garment well knowne to Iudas but never worne by S. Paul how can they ever expect to put on the Lord Iesus 1. Thes 2.5 or to be clad with the rich robes of his righteousnesse No that thine unsatiable greedinesse will in the end bee as deadly uncomfortable unto thee as the Babylonish garment was unto Achan Iosh 7 11. And such as addict themselves to voluptuousnesse rejoycing in their youth Eccles 11 9. walking in the wayes of their owne heart and in the sight of their eies but intending to rejoyce in the Lord that their soules shall thirst for the living God in the time of age and trouble when they can find no rellish in vaine delights At last when God doth bring them to judgement can they expect to heare that comfortable saying Well done thou good and faithfull servant enter into thy Masters joy No Luke 16.25 they may feare to bee told that in their life time they received their good things but now there remaines no comfort for them Also such as are ambitious to make themselves a name laying a sure ground-worke as they thinke of honours and titles here upon earth intending with those foolish builders which had begun that they could not finish that the top of their tower should reach up to heaven hoping at last to obtaine a crowne of glory But that their Babel will prove their confusion Gen. 11. for they invert the order of Christ who hath commanded us in the first place to seeke the Kingdome of heaven And as in the creation Gen. 1.1 heaven is named before earth so our best endeavours should be to obtaine that estate of happines not casting our anchor of hope upon earth Heb. 6.19 but into heaven as David here did whose soule thirsted for the living God who did not then begin to serve God when he had received many outward blessings from him Such an objection came from Satan Iob 1. Doth Iob feare God for nought For who ever feared God for nought wee being lesse than the least of all his mercies De antiquâ—s illustrissimus quisque pastor erat Varrâ— But in his first estate in that most ancient kinde of life made famous by so many worthyes as Abel Iacob Moses and the like hee put his whole confidence in the Lord who delivered him out of the paw of the Lion 1 Sam. 17.37 and out of the the paw of the Beare which he remembred with thankesgiving 16.16 And having that leasure which shepheards have Pastor otiosâ—s Otium voluptatis ac lasciviae pater In Scal. he did not abuse it to wantonnesse and folly as they were wont for the most part to doe but being a cunning player on the Harp and a divine Poet Videtur autem modulatâ—o in pastroâ—â—b inventa prâ—mum Id. that art of poetry having its beginning from shepheards as the song of Moses doth testifie who formerly had led the flocke of Iethro Exod. 3.1 who at that time led the people like a flocke Hee composed most heavenly and melodious pastorals in praise of his Creator After that being lifted up by the right of the Almighty who loveth a cheerefull giver and not by his owne pride whereof hee was unjustly taxed by Eliab who foresaw that the elder must serve the younger he kept in tune still and did more excell the best of his nobles in gratitude and zeale than in regall dignity And here in his distresse a time of sufficient triall you see with what patience hee endured the cursing of Shimei and what confidence hee placed in God Hee doth not aske the life of his enemies you know the charge hee gave to the contrary and how hee was blamed for too much love of them 2. Sam. 1â— 6 Hee doth not aske long life that hee might bee restored unto his Kingdome and many yeares added unto his reigne But having a wise and understanding heart hee seeketh for God himselfe his soule thirsted for the living God hee knew if his prayer were acceptable God would give him more than hee asked as hee did afterward to Salomon 1. King 3. â—3 And if God gave himself he would give all things also Wherefore let us bee followers of him as hee was of God Phillip 3.8 And with S. Paul suffer the losse of all that wee may winne Christ It will be our best advantage and greatest gaine by any outward losse or imminent danger to be
of God that no man can put them asunder Where God hath filled the heart with ioy it will breake forth in praise and thankesgiving And to offer the sacrifice of praise without reioycing were to offer a dead sacrifice without any life By both these wee are supported when wee walke in the wayes of salvation If David found such comfort in the passage then how was hee transported with ioy when hee came into Gods house If wee find such consolation in our pilgrimage then how great blessings are prepared for us in our long home If the first-fruits bee so precious how plentifull is the harvest When our lives are ended then begins our perfect ioy when our soules and bodies are againe united then there is fulnesse of ioy yea then both Ioy and Praise shall bee ioyned for evermore VERSE IIII. With a multitude that kept holy-day BEcause we should not be perplexed with the difficulty of these words in regard that our celebration of those dayes which wee call holy doth so far differ from that which is here intended I thinke it most needfull to represent the manner how this day was solemnized In which the desire of David and the people was like that of the Angel the multitude of the heavenly hoste praising God Luke 2.13 14. and saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men So this blessed company did first seeke the glory of God in sacrificing oxen and fatlings in offering burnt-offerings and peace-offerings in the sound of musicke lifting up the voyce with ioy And that there might bee peace upon earth when Gods Arke should bee placed in the midst of the tabernacle and his worship duely observed Lastly good will towards men when the King blessed the people in the name of the Lord and did distribute bread and flesh and wine Tanquam necessarium laboâ—ibus interponentes temperamentum Sen. So that hee did not exclude the outward refreshing of the body after the serious and devout performance of all heavenly duties The makers of lawes in ancient time did institute festivall dayes that the people might not bee overcharged with too much labour Quia aliquando nihil cum populo agi utile futurum erat T. Livi. Luce sacrâ requiescat humus requiescut arator Tibul. but re-gaining strength and vigour by the cessation might proceed in their worke with alacrity and diligence The best use and benefit that wee can make of any holy-day is to take off the minde from worldly cares wherewith we are naturally surcharged and to addict our selves to divine meditations and religious exercises Even among the Heathen Et adhuc Mincia proles Vrget opus spernitque Deum festumque profanat Ovid. those Sisters mentioned in the Poet were thought to bee iustly punished for being too intent to their domesticke labour which made them omit the publike rites 2. King 7.9 Wee doe not well this is a day of good tidings and wee hold our peace Wee may feare lest the leprosie of those foure men should cleave unto us if wee neglect to praise and glorifie God for his manifold blessings Livius Drusus dixit uni sibi nec puero quidem unquam ferias cont giâ—â—e Senec. Wee cannot complaine as Drusus did that from his child-hood hee never had a good day For though we should endeavour to keepe every day in the yeare holy yet we could not correspond in thankfulnesse with the riches of his bounteous love and plenteous mercy yea wee may rightly acknowledge that every day in our life hath beene an holy-day For as it was the custome of most nations not to punish malefactours upon dayes of festivity and reioycing 2. Sam. 19.22 Mar. 14. â— so the Lord hath beene gracious in pardoning our offences Observatum ne quoties introiret urbem Oct. Aug. supplicium de quoquam sumeretur Suet. not dealing with us after our sinnes nor rewarding us according to our iniquities And therefore wee must blesse his holy name who hath not only delivered us from evill but also hath bestowed so many blessings upon us who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindnesse tender mercies who satisfieth thy mouth with good things Hilaritatis instrumenâ— a dâ—mesticâ—s prae bebat Causabon And as the master of the family upon such dayes did bring out unto his children and servants all things which might bee a meanes of delight and recreation so God like a good housholder hath accomodated us his servants with all things usefull and convenient for our cheerefull service of him that wee might make a ioyfull noyse unto the God of Iacob Psal 81.1 Omnia iam fesâ—a fervet domus utraque pompâ Stat. Tibia pro li. tuis c. Claud. Iste dies semper dapibus celebretur opimis Idem Pro 9.2 Upon those dayes they had instruments of musicke and what a sweet harmony is there when the will and the affections and every power and faculty of the soule doth consent in praising the name of the Lord They had plenty of provision and abundance of wine And hath not Wisedome killed her beasts and mingled her wine and furnished her table Doth not God give unto us that heavenly Manna the bread of life satisfying our soules as with marrow and making our cup to runne over They did then put on their costliest garments Quaeque semei toto vestis nâ—ni sumitur anno Ovid. Psal 45 13. 32.1 Revel 7 9. Aperta multa recta collucent face Senec. in Thyest And wee have a wedding garment at this feast which is as a clothing of wrought gold and as a white robe whereby our nakednesse is covered They did set up many lights And wee have many golden candlesticks and shining lights yea the word is a light unto our feete Therefore let us keepe the feast in sincerity and truth Let it be our chiefe aime and endeavour that the inward man as well as the outward may thereby bee renewed Pas iura sinunt Insidias avibus moliri Virgil. Among the Heathen it was thought to bee lawfull upon the best dayes to spread nets to take birds Sure I am that Satan who is a cunning fowler upon these dayes is most industrious in setting of snares In festis diabolus occupatissimus How circumspect ought wee to bee in avoyding this danger mounting up with the Eagle Iob 39.27 which makes her nest on high raising our soules by the wings of fervent prayer and heavenly contemplation Sine causâ educebat praecipuè pluviis festis diebus Suet. Sic Epaminondas And as Cesar did leade out his souldiers upon festivall dayes and have them in a readinesse lest that the enemy should get an advantage against him So ought we to exercise our selves and to stir up those gifts that are in us that our adversary may not bring us to destruction How happy is that man which doth thus
doth behold us as hee did his servant David delivering us out of all afflictions And in the performance of holy duties hee seeth us as he did Nathaneel Ioh. 1 48. sending his grace to prevent accompany and follow us Lastly when that which is perfect is come wee shall with Paul see him face to face 1. Cor. 13.12 Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun Eccles 11.7 If this outward light bee so delightfull then what an excellent blessing is it Num. 6. verse 25 26. when the Lord doth make his face to shine upon us and is gracious unto us and doth lift up his countenance upon us That wee may obtaine this benediction wee must bee obedient unto his Word When hee saith Psal 27.8 Seeke yee my face Our heart must answer Thy face Lord will I seeke Not for a short time 105.4 but continually And though a man beholding his naturall face in a glasse goeth away Iam. 1.24 straightway forgetteth what manner of man hee was yet wee when the Lord hath in mercy revealed himselfe unto us must not forget his benefits but ever bee mindfull of his gifts that are without repentance and alwayes praise him for the help of his countenance Wee cannot expect deliverance out of trouble unlesse God doth helpe us and when wee have received many blessings wee shall neither desire nor yet bee able to praise him without the helpe of his countenance So that God doth provide both the altar and the sacrifice Hee freely bestowes his benefits and he doth enable us to offer our thankes-giving and to praise him for the help of his countenance VERSE VI. O my God my soule is cast down within mee VVHen the disciples could not cure him that was lunaticke Mat. 17.15 they bring him to Christ himselfe So when David could not by his owne endeavours cast out this spirit of heavinesse hee seeketh unto the Lord of life to speake the word and this disease of his â—oule shall bee healed Haâ— he recovered his life of comfort by a stedfast hope in Gods mercy which hee laboured for in the formeâ— verse yet then hee must have confessed that it was the grace of God whereby iâ— was effected But that which is obtained by prayer doth come more immediately from Gods right hand and for such blessings wee are most thankfull Wee come with confidence unto the throne of grace when wee have used and doe use all good meanes to recover strength and assurance Doth God bid us doe some great thing we doe it willingly Doth hee command some small thing therein also we yeeld our cheerefull obedience I cannot give sufficient testimony unto these two so excellent duties serious examination of the soule and fervent praier unto the Lord The former like Mount Sinai full of terrour when by looking into our selves wee feare and tremble because of our guiltinesse having offended against the lawes of God The latter like Mount Sion Heb. 12. bringing consolation through Iesus the Mediator of the New covenant whose bloud speaketh better things than that of Abel In the right performance whereof our griefe is asswaged if we prostrate our selves before the Lord in prayer hee will raise up our soules with spirituall comfort This is the best refuge of every beleever whereby he hopeth for these sure mercies of David And this is the Sanctuary of a Christian from whence hee cannot bee taken and wherein hee shall not perish Our sorrow may often cause us to call upon the Lord but the soule is never cast downe so low as to bee wholly disabled from prayer Being of a sorrowfull spirit though wee cannot expresse our misery yet wee can speake in our heart unto the Lord. David being dejected by griefe and heavinesse doth yet lift up his soule in prayer and beleeves that God is his God though now hee seemed to forsake him When the winde doth blow wee wrap our garments more close about us in trouble wee draw neere unto God and labour to apply his promises unto our soules The childe walking in the darke doth adhere unto his father and takes hold upon him that hee may guide him and preserve him from danger So wee in the most disconsolate estate doe cleave unto the Lord and repose our whole confidence in his love Our Author in speaking of God and his soule doth thus plead for himselfe Thou art my God and I am thy servant Let the wicked bee clothed with shame and dishonour let their heart dye within them But redeeme my soule that I may not bee desolate because I trust in thee Deliver mee from all my feares and thou Lord shalt bee magnified which hast pleasure in the prosperity of thy servant My soule is thy gift it came from thee and I have given it unto thee How can it ascend towards thee when it is thus pressed downe by manifold troubles The waters are come in unto my soule Psal 69.1.2 I sinke in deepe mire where there is no standing My soule abiding in this darke house of earth lyeth prostrate upon the ground and is not able to rise Lord heare the poore and despise not thy prisoner Let thy salvation O God set me up on high let thy light and thy truth lead mee and bring mee unto thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles VERSE VI. Therefore will I remember thee from the land of Iordan and of the Hermonites from the hill Missar ANother help which David used to sustaine himselfe in this time of trouble was by calling to minde the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of Iordan Iosh 3. where God provided a passage for the Israelits preserved him when he passed over to shun Saul So now going over the river 2. Sam. 17.22 hee hoped that God would make a way for him to escape the danger that might come by Absalom Whereas hee nameth the land of Iordan and of the Hermonites he suggesteth to our remembrance the victory which God gave unto his people when they tooke the land that was on this side Iordan from the river of Arnon unto Mount Hermon at which time Og Deut. 3.8 who was of the remnant of the giants was overthrowne And thereby his hope might bee confirmed that although high-minded Absalom was swoln with proud conceits 1. King 20.11 and girding on his harnesse diâ— boast himselfe as if hee had put it off yet the right hand of God was not shortned noâ— his power diminished Buâ— hee will save and deliver all them that put their trust in him Now these three places here mentioned being the bounds of that countrey inhabited by the Israelites Iordan towards the East Hermon the North and the hill Missar the South hee might from thence have this comfortable assurance that God who was pleased to give unto his people so fruitfull a land after their tedious passage through the wildernesse would likewise in
otherwise than Herod thought to worship Christ Mat. 2.7 when he enquired diligently after him He hoped to have killed the Lord of life and they purpose to doe no lesse comming out with swords Mat. 26.55 as against a theefe though they aime at the members yet they smite the head it selfe in their persecution Act. 9.4 5. What is done to one of those little ones is done unto Christ and what is done to Christ is done to one of them A servant of God cannot heare His holy name which wee ought not to use without great reverence to bee dishonoured but his righteous soule must be vexed thereat It was this which did strike so deepe into David and vexe him so sore See the coherence which hee makes in the same verse Psal 69.9 For the zeale of thine house hath eaten me up and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are falne upon me How free hee was from anger and revenge in his owne particular case may appeare by his carriage when Saul had a quarrell against him For though Saul had so highly offended God by his folly in offering a burnt offering for the which hee was told that his kingdome should not continue God having sought a man after his owne heart And againe hee rebelled by disobedience in sparing Agag the best of the spoile at which time the Prophet threatned him that his kingdome should bee rent away from him And though David was anoynted by Samuel and might have set upon Saul when hee cut the skirt of his robe privily and another time might have suffered Abishai to smite him and make him sleepe his last yet hee would not upon these pretences put forth his hand against him but lamented at his death and calls to the daughters of Israel to weepe over Saul But here when God was contemned he was pricked to the heart and his marrow was turned into the drought of Summer He was upon the racke and all his bones were broken when he heard their evill speeches whereby they infected the ayre and poysoned their owne soules Now between David and most men living in these daies there is as great a difference as betweene the King upon the throne and the meanest subject grinding at the mill Hee had a soveraigne command over him selfe and was slow to anger not sinning by wrath yet most sensible oâ—e malicious words tending to the dishonour of God Whereas many that in Gods cause are like dumbe idols which have eares and heare not as if it did not concerne them being never touched with inward compunction when his name shall bee blasphemed but will rather give some consent thereunto as if they were well pleased with such lewdnesse And yet when their owne reputation shall be brought in question they will whet their tongue like a sword in sharpe invectives and will whet their swords also that they may wash off the least disgrace with the bloud of other men But if God doth whet his glittering sword and his hand take hold on judgement Deut. 32.41 he will render vengeance to all those which are of that mercilesse disposition that Cain was who thought the life of his brother to bee the most acceptable sacrifice VERSE XI Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within mee Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God VVHereas David so often repeateth these words we may observe the manifold troubles which befall us in this life Having mentioned his teates and his banishment in the beginning at the fift verse he rebukes his soule for sadnesse Having rehearsed his other afflictions he now againe chides himselfe for this distrustfull heavinesse As Peter Mat. 14.30 though he began to sinke the first time hee went to Christ upon the water Yet he was not thereby discouraged from casting himselfe into the sea againe Iohn 21.7 and then he passed safely to the shoare where Christ was So though the waves billowes went over David when hee hoped to approch unto God by faith yet here againe hee calls upon his soule and casting himselfe upon Gods mercy he arrives at the port of blessednesse Hee did not overcome these temptations and trialls at the first assault nor yet was he wearied with the continuance of them But whensoever he was molested with any evill he labours to strengthen his confidence in Gods love that he may be restored to comfort As Paul prayed thrice that the messenger of Satan might depart from him 2. Cor. 12. â— So our Author shutting up the next Psalme with the same conclusion doth the third time seek to be freed from this thorne in the flesh this heavinesse that was so offensive unto him By this we may learne that lesson which we shall have cause to remember and occasion to practice That through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdome of heaven Act. 14.22 2. Cor. 7.5 Without are fightings within are feares A wounded spirit who can beare What sorrow so neere what trouble so heavy as this when the soule shall be disquieted with doubt of Gods love or sense of his displeasure And yet wee must not faint and forsake our assurance but continue faithfull unto the death that wee may receive the crown of life In afflictions wee must not thinke some new thing doth come upon us which hath not beene before Wee will not compare our sufferings and trials with those which David endured Wee may take this one Prophet for an example of suffering affliction yet did hee not cast away his confidence but hoped in God therfore let us also hold fast the profession of our faith Iam 5.7 Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill hee receiue the earely and later raine let us also stablish our hearts that wee may bee refreshed with Gods favour As in water face answereth to face Pro. 27.19 so if wee looke unto the Lord Psal 42.5 we shall praise him for the helpe of his countenance who is the health of our countenance and our God The consideration hereof may be of speciall use and importance in all the casualties of this life but chiefly at the time of death Iob 18.14 when wee are brought to the king of terrors when this earthly house is dissolved we shall be conducted to the kings palace when these old garments be laid aside we shall be arraied in long robes I shall yet praise God yea I shall for ever praise God when I shall alwayes appeare in his presence Who is the health of my countenance who raised me from sicknesse to a sound estate who gave me strength after infirmity who filled me with plenty after adversity who revived me with comfort after sorrow and who will bring me to life after death Being then especially the health of my countenance when hee makes my face to shine as the sunne by beholding his glory And doth change this vile mortall corruptible body into a glorious body The lame man Act. 3.4 who was laid at the gate of the temple looking upon Peter received strength and entring into the temple praised God Though now our soules be cast downe yet if we trust in the Lord all our infirmities shall be cured entring into the holiest place we shall blesse the name of the Lord for evermore Then be not discouraged with present afflictions let thy hope be stedfast and sure Though in tempests sometimes they cut the anchors leave them in the sea Act. 27.40 that the men may be saved yet if we let our hope depart from us we perish The time of our life is but as sixe dayes of labour and sorrow and in this space we have so many nights of quiet and comfort yea we have an evening before the morning a time of strength before a time of triall But in the end there is the eternall Sabbath of blessednesse when we shall for ever magnifie the name of the Lord Amos 8.5 Though the carnall man doth with the Sabbath gone that he may set forth wheate and falsifie the ballances by deceit yet let not beleevers make hast by impatience but waite upon the Lord knowing that by this difficult ascent we come to sit upon the throne FINIS