THE IMITATION of DAVID His godly and constant resolution in bearing all his trialls troubles and afflictions being a King Whose example of faith patience hope obedience and deliueries thankfulnesse and prayer is left euen for Princes Potentates and all true Christians to imitate Collected by way of Meditations and Prayers out of the 27. Psalme By I N. LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland for Richard Whittakers and George Latham 1624. TO THE HIGH and most noble CHARLES Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and of Yorke and Earle of Chester bee here in this life truest honour highest happinesse and most perfect peace and after this life eternall glory in the Heauens I Know not how to excuse mee most gracious Prince in that I haue presumed to attempt a matter of so high and diuine a subiect considering what I am and to aduenture it to your Highnesse knowing who you are but that my heart was willing ouercame a weake vnderstanding which first it may please your Highnesse of your princely clemency to accept namely the will and to pardon the deed for I may truly protest that I intended herein nothing lesse than to be thought desirous to seeme so impudent as to giue your Highnesse the least or to thinke that you needed any other aduice or counsell in this behalfe than that which you haue so plentifully receiued from him that gaue strength vnto Dauid and wisdome vnto Salomon his son together with the sweet fructifying seed which hath beene so diuinely sowne in your Princely breasts by the wisdome of our second Salomon your most pious and most truly religious Father Humbly beseeching your Highnes to conceiue no other intention in me than an vnwillingnesse to let slip the Interim of my sequestred imploiments in your Highnesse seruice much against my will without some exercise inwardly comfortable though outwardly little profitable yet if any thing vsefull though but to the vulgar it may pray your Princely fauour being done your Highnesse seruice depending beseeching the length of daies to lengthen your daies to his glory your honor and comfort of such as feare God Your Highnesse most humble seruant Iohn Norden TO THE MOST Illustrious Religious and most royally borne Princesse E ETernall happinesse Hearts true content L Long life in peace and plenty permanent I Internall and externall be her graces S Such as to which Heauens Angels daigne imbraces A Amids her foâ—s Iehouah be her shield B By Sea and Land in trenches and in field E Engrau'd b'Elizaes Image in her brest T That Queens that farre in fame surmounts the best H Here then shall highest honour crowne her crest Q Quiuers of Dauids arrowes may she haue V Vpon her head Heauens helmet her to saue EE Earth Aire and Seas all Elements and Winde N Nourish her happinesse the Heau'ns her minde E Estraited neuer let her foes her finde O Order her actions all Iehouah right F Fix in her heart the Target of thy might B Breake thou the rankes and Armies of her foes O O draw thy sword fight for her where she goes H Hem her about with Angels of thy might E Embrace her loue her soone restore her right M Make great thy name in marching on her side I Inthrall her foes and snare them in their pride A Assist her still and still be thou her guide As heartily wisheth her Highnesse faithfully deuoted Io. Norden The Table A Motiue to the Reader touching Meditation and Praier Of Meditation Of Prayer A Premeditation touching the argument of the 27. Psalme pag. 1. Meditation the first The Lord is my light and my saluation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strengâ—h of my life of whom shall I be afraid 11 A Prayer that God will be our light and our saluation in all our troubles and dangers 30 Meditation the second When the wicked euen mine enemies and my foes came vpon me to eat vp my flesh they stumbled and fell If an host pitched against me my heart should not be afraid though warre be raised against me I will trust in thee 35 A Prayer to God that hee will defend vs from our enemies 56 Meditation the third Oâ—e thing haue I desired of the Lord â—hat I will â—â—qâ—ire euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my liâ—e to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple 64 A 〈◊〉 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 92 Meditation the fourth 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 99 A Prayer in whatsoeuer trouble 128 Meditation the fifth That he will now lift vp mine head aboue mine enemies round about me therefore will I offer in his Tabernacle sacrifices of ioy I will sing and praise the Lord. 136 A Prayer with thanksgiuing to God for defence from enemies in that they haue not preuailed against vs. 156 Meditation the sixth Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry haue mercy vpon me and heare me 164 A Prayer that God will haue mercy vpon vs and heare vs. 182 Meditation the seuenth When thou saidst seeke ye my face mine heart answered vnto thee O Lord I will seeke thy face 189 A Prayer that God will neuer hide his face from vs. 197 Meditation the eighth Hide not thy face from mee nor cast thy seruant away in displeasure thou hast beene my succour leaue me not nor forsake me O God of my saluation 206 A Prayer that God will bee alwaies neere vnto vs in our afflictions and not to hide his face and fauour from vs. 225 Meditation the ninth Though my father and my mother forsake mee thou Lord wilt take me vp 232 A Prayer that God will shew himselfe our Father in all our troubles and afflictions when all other helpe faileth 245 Meditation the tenth Teach me thy way O Lord and leade me in a right path because of mine enemies 254 A Prayer that God will be pleased to direct vs in his waies and leade vs vprightly because of our enemies 275 Meditation the eleuenth Giue mee not ouer to the lust of mine enemies for there are false witnesses risen vp against me and such as speake cruelly 282 A Prayer that God will preserue vs from our enemies that they preuaile not against vs and to preuent vs of false witnesses 297 Meditation the twelfth I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing 305 A Prayer that God will not forsake vs in our troubles and that our faith faile vs not 320 Meditaâ—ion the thirteenth Hope in the Lord be strong and hee shall comfort thine heart and trust in the Lord 328 A Prayer for strength patience and hope in troubles 352 A Prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes reformation of life
Lord I dismay not for thou art my defence and in thine appointed time wilt lift vp my head againe for saluation belongeth vnto thee O God and thou wilt destroy the bloudy and deceitful men But blessed and preserued shall they bee that truly feare and trust in thee thy power is seene in weaknesse and thy helpe in affliction therefore O Lord let not mine enemies haue their lust of me I know thou wilt performe thy promise of my defence in thy good time therefore will I rest in hope I will patiently wait for yet a little while and these wicked men shall not appeare In the meane time I will commit my cause vnto thee my Lord my God my strength and my Redeemer VERSE 13. I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of thee in the land of the liuing ENemies troubles and afflictions are heauy to bee borne of such as are weake in faith and haue not perfect patience to beare them as may appeare by godly Dauid himselfe who acknowledgeth that himselfe though he were a man chosen after Gods owne heart should haue fainted vnder the malice and fury of his enemies and other afflictions but y t he beléeued to sée the goodnes of God namely his timely deliuery in the land of the liuing euen here before the sonnes of men where if hée had not found the goodnesse of God towards him all men would haue thought as his enemies did that God had vtterly forsaken him for euer and therfore prayed God in a liuely faith that his defence might here appeare before he were taken hence no more to be séene although he knew that after this life hée should bee in a farre more happy and blessed estate than his enemies but that hee might finde Gods fauour here to the end that other godly afflicted men séeing the mercies of God towards him in deliuering him out of his troubles might by his faith and patience take like godly resolution to depend vpon the power and prouidence of God for their like deliuery Why art thou cast downe O my soule saith Dauid in his troubles and so vnquiet within mee which argueth that troubles and afflictions euen to a faithfull man doe at the first much disquiet his heart like as they that first are committed to prison they are much disquieted their hearts faint and are much cast downe vntill they haue béene for a time enured to their restraint and then come by little and little to themselues againe so doe they that vpon a sudden fall into any affliction as Dauid did but hauing a little considered that it is the Lords doing hee could then say vnto his sad soule Wait on God for I will yet giue him thanks for the helpe of his presence This sheweth the strong faith and confidence of Dauid who although his troubles were so many and heauy euen at the present that he was ready to faint vnder them yet hee waited with a firme assurance that the time would come wherein hee should reioyce againe and praise God againe for his helpe and certaine deliuery which hee knew was not farre off This teacheth euery faithfull man in his afflictions and troubles to repaire vnto God in prayer not to bée daunted or dismaid nor to disquiet himselfe but in patience to possesse his soule waiting the time wherein God hath appointed to deliuer him for it is a vaine thing and vnprofitable for a man in affliction to goe before the Lords prouidence strugling and striuing by sinister and vncommanded meanes to frée himselfe he doth by that meanes the more intangle himselfe as the Bird in the Net warranted meanes hee may vse and those with faithfull prayer vnto GOD to blesse the meanes for lawfull meanes profit not vnlesse they be also lawfully done and that is when and where God is made not onely a party but the principall in the meanes It was a very weake weapon that Dauid vsed against Goliah who was compleatly armed from the foot to the head there was but one small part of his whole body vnarmed and that was the fore part of his head but God so directed the stone that came out of his sling that it found that open way to cast that monster of men to the earth If God had not added strength to Dauids armes and by his prouidence carried the stone aright Dauids aime might haue failed the marke so whatsoeuer means we vse either in preuenting or easing our selues in any kinde of affliction if our hearts be not seasoned with faith in God ioined with praier we may misse of our hope and so faint in the expectation of our deliuery and therefore saith Dauid I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord. Except I had depended on his prouidence for my deliuery from mine enemies and had taken hold and beene assured of the true performance of his promises to ease me of mine afflictions I should haue sunke vnder the burthen of my troubles God who is our Father is goodnesse it selfe of whom and from whom wee obtaine all things through faith in his Sonne by him we liue moue and haue our being and therefore there is none in whom or by whom wée should séeke helpe in troubles but in God alone He is our hope and strength and helpe in troubles ready to bee found Therefore saith Dauid I will neither faint nor feare and againe my defence is in God who preserueth the vpright in heart He is God and none besides he is mighty and none else Why then should we faint in any troubles Why should wee bee daunted though enemies rise vp against vs Séeing this God is our God whose goodnesse helpe and deliuery if we beléeue we shall sée and our very enemies shall sée it euen here here in this vale of misery amongst the sons of men he shall be our guide and defence vnto death Unbeléefe is a most dangerous disease in the heart of man nothing succeedeth comfortably vnto them that beléeue not in God good things vnto vnbeléeuers turne to euill As vnto a raw crude a stomack ouercome with superfluous humors the best meat turnes to increase their disease so to an vnfaithfull man all things worke together to the increase of Gods iudgements against him As to the sonnes in law of Lot in Sodome who would not beléeue the Word of God declared by Lot for the confusion of the City perished So the children of Israel to whom God had promised to giue the Land of Canaan in their iourney towards it did not onely not beléeue the Lord but murmured against him saying Who shall giue vs flesh to eat would God we had died in the land of Aegyt or in this Wildernesse would God wee were dead were it not better for vs to turne into Aegypt With many such reproachful murmurous faithlesse obiurgations as well against God himselfe as against Moses and Aaron but for their infidelity faintings murmurings God answered their impious
desires to die he destroyed them in the Wildernes in his heauy displeasure The frailty of a faithlesse man is great he can beare no troubles hee can endure no afflictions with any kinde of patience because hée hath no true and sound vnderstanding of God and his prouidence He thinkes if he prosper and by his naturall policy and meanes can preuent dangers and troubles or hauing them can vse sinister meanes to ease them hée ascribes it to his owne carnall wisdome but when that preuaileth not but that hée is pinched and déeply plunged in distresses and miseries which he cannot ease then hee begins to faint and to murmur and cry Who shall giue mee flesh to eat How shall I get mony to supply my wants Would God I had died when I was young would God I were dead and the like The troubles and afflictions of the wicked and the godly differ not in the outward shew the wicked may bee poore so may the most godly they may haue like outward crosses and afflictions but their bearing of them is vnequall the wicked as before is said faint and fume and murmur and grudge at euery small crosse or affliction and although they heare the promises of God who is ready to helpe yet they beléeue them not They can bee assured of nothing that hangs vpon Gods promises they would think and speake and obiect against God as that Prince in Samaria did when Elisha foretold from the mouth of God plenty to that distressed and besieged City Though the Lord said hee would make windowes in the Heauen could this come to passe So incredulous are men without sound faith that once downe they thinke they shall neuer rise once in trouble they shall neuer haue ease and this is the cause that men séeming faithfull faint vnder their crosses and despaire in their afflictions but it is otherwise with the truly faithfull indéed who know by the foretelling of the Spirit of God in his Word that troubles attend the godly as the shadow the body and therefore prepare themselues before hand for them and reioyce in them in as much as they are partakers here of Christs sufferings So they are likewise assured that when his glory shall appeare they also shall appeare with him in glory yet the most faithfull may haue a kinde of fearefulnesse and fainting for a time but not such as shall preuaile but they will soone ouercome all such faithlesse qualmes by a liuely apprehension of Gods ready helpe through faith and then they may indéed say as Dauid did I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing There is none of himselfe so strong but when troubles and afflictions come will faint if faith in God faile them A Prayer that God will not forsake vs in our troubles and that our faith faile not HAd I not taken hold O God of thy louing promises and beleeued thy Word I should haue fainted and yet should faint vnder my troubles if I did not beleeue that thou O Lord knowest my troubles and that mine afflictions are not hid from thee thou hast promised to be a refuge for the poore a refuge in due time euen in affliction keepe me O Lord as the apple of thine eye according to thy promise hide me vnder the shadow of thy wings from the wicked that oppresse me I haue called vpon thee in my troubles O Lord and cried vnto thee my God and thou hast heard me and holpen mee yea when I haue beene ready vtterly to haue fainted I haue cried vnto thee and thou hast redeemed mee and deliuered me Those mercies of thine O Lord remember still renue them euermore towards mee for I stand in continuall need of thy continuall presence Thy goodnesse is great O Lord which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee euen before the sonnes of men I haue felt thy fauour and formerly tasted of thy loue How could I but haue fainted but that I still beleeued to bee partaker of thy goodnesse and mercy in my troubles Thou O Lord art my secret place thou preseruest me in trouble and compassest me about with ioyfull deliuerance therefore will I not faint knowing that thine eies are vpon mee and thine eare open vnto my prayers I trust in thee I will not bee afraid what man can doe vnto me Thou Lord hast said concerning the faithfull hee shall call vpon mee and I will heare him so that both my prayers and thy hearing are both thine owne gifts Nay thou addest further Lord I will bee with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him O why should I feare then or faint seeing thou art pleased to be with me in my troubles as to take part as it were with me of mine afflictioÌ„s wonderfull and vnspeakable O Lord is the extent of thy power and wonderfull the limits of thy loue impossible it is to finde out the depth of thy compassions towards thy children thou hearest vs before we call thou giuest before wee aske thou helpest vs before wee cry thou giuest vs power to call thou teachest vs what to aske and thou euen meetest vs when we are but euen comming vnto thee Thus gracious hast thou euer beene O Lord thus gracious thou art and thus gracious wi lt thou shew thy selfe vnto them that beleeue to see and taste of thy goodnesse euen vnto the end of the world and as thou art gracious so art thou absolute in wisdome thou knowest how to releeue the distressed and how to comfort the afflicted yea when they are ready to faint and to giue ouer any more to call for helpe being as it were hoarse with crying as Dauid was thou giuest them of thy water of life and it reuiueth the fainting soules and strengthneth the weake spirits that gâ—oane vnder the burthen of any calamity or trouble Strengthen mee therefore with thy grace O Lord I shall not then faint nor feare for my sure defence is in thee who wilt in time bring the malice of mine enemies to an end and as I beleeue so shall I see thy goodnesse in the land of the liuing for thou that hast promised it art iust of thy promises and powerfull to performe what thou hast said Therefore euen here I doe meerely beleeue to receiue at thy hands free release and pardon of all that hath beene the ground of my troubles and cause of my miseries Grant mee Lord freedome from mine enemies and restitution of what I haue beene depriued of by any of them then shall they finde that I haue not onely not fainted but beleeued to see and haue seene thy goodnesse O Lord euen here in the Land of the liuing where euen mine enemies and my soes shall witnesse that I haue not beleeued in thee my God in vaine VERSE 14. Hope in the Lord be strong and he shall comfort thine heart and trust in the Lord. THis
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
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
the loue of God the loue of the world could not stand together with his profession and that there is a kinde of enmity betwéene the children of God and the loue of the world or at least no agréement And that is the cause that the good are most afflicted and the worldlings prosper most The first are innocent in whom there is neither gall nor bitternesse the other as they are couetous so are they commonly proud and enuious The first is commonly iniured and beares it with patience the other triumphs ouer them that resist them not but haue onely in all their troubles recourse vnto God whose they are being assured that he in the time of trouble will be their defence and hide them in his Tabernacle which was onely godly Dauids refuge being often and many waies afflicted as at large before appeareth God sendeth affliction vpon his owne dearest children when oftentimes he letteth the wicked goe frée yet is not God vniust in this nor partiall in sparing the euill and punishing the good Hée hath his ends in both according to his heauenly wisdome who knoweth how to deale with both And he that séemeth most to be spared and thinkes himselfe in best case is in greatest danger and he that séemeth in most danger is néerest greatest happinesse Howsoeuer indiscréet men measure their felicity by this worlds fulnesse and fréedome from troubles and censure the dearest children of God to be surely out of his fauour by reason of their manifold afflictions And yet they sée that the simple nurse though she loue her Infant neuer so dearely she will weane it from the breast by some bitter thing when she thinkes her milke not good for the childe And that a Father if he loue his childe will with the rod of correction restraine him from things dangerous And thinke they that our heauenly Father thinkes it not fit to weane his owne children from this hurtfull world that they perish not with worldlings But when he striketh the wicked it is in his anger as the beginning of their perpetuall sorrowes by whose seuere punishments here his owne children may bee terrified from committing like sins by example of their punishments Hee that will liue godly must suffer affliction yet not aboue their strength for God putteth to his hand to moderate and mitigate the weight of their burden The troubles and afflictions of the faithfull séeme more intolerable to the beholders then to themselues that seele them and haue a liuely faith and constancy to beare them Great and many are the troubles euen of the righteous but God deliuereth them out of all In the time of trouble he hides them in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his Pauilion shall he hide them and set them vpon a Rocke He hid Dauid from Saul and Moses from Pharaohs murderers his Tabernacle is alwaies open to entertaine them that in their troubles fly for shelter to him His fauour is the Rocke that cannot be mooued his prouidence the mountaine of their rest and refuge Troubles are but for a moment and then commeth comfort therefore doe the children of God with patience great alacritie and ioy vndergoe them But contrary the comfort of the wicked is here short and momentany but theâ—r future miserie shall haue no end Séeing then that no man especially such as are Gods dearest children can liue here in this earthly Pilgrimage but he must looke for and endure troubles Who will not then prepare himselfe with constancy and patience to embrace them when they came The holy Ghost by the pen of godly Dauid hath assured the poore oppressed afflicted children of God neuer to be forgotten Their hope shall not perish for euer for God is not an idle obseruer or a carelesse spectator of the afflictions and miseries of those that are his Though he suffer theÌ„ to be oppressed long as some with enemies as Dauid some by losse of goods as Iob some by imprisonment as Ioseph some with sicknesse as Hezekiah and withall to permit the wicked to mocke and deride them for that they trusting in God are suffered thus to be afflicted and notwithstanding their praiers not to be deliuered or reléeued which is no small tentation But these men looke into the outward prosperity of men and commend them entertaine them embrace them as if all cause of loue were due to them that were loaden with lucre As for the poore they are despised contemned and had in continuall derision of such onely indeed as are blinde and sée not ignorant and know not dull and obserue not That there is a God that careth for such as worldlings cast off that hee embraceth his poore that the wealthy despise and that he loueth them that the worldlings hate And that in the time of trouble hee hideth them in his Tabernacle within the secret place of his Pauilion shall hee hide them Nay the very Angels of God whom man séeth not pitcheth round about them that feare him and call vpon him and deliuereth them therefore though the godly be poore the Lord thinketh on them Many a meane contenmed childe of God hauing little mâ—anes by the blessing of God doe eat with more contented and more salutary saturity than many times doe the most wealthy of the abundance of all their table dainties A little that the righteous hath is better than the abundance of the vngodly rich Let no man therefore faint nor feare when trouble affliction or persecution commeth but rather reioyce knowing that tribulation bringâ—th forth patience and patience experience and experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed but assureth the faithfull of the goodnesse and loue of God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost so that howsoeuer we be scorned we néed not blush at our troubles and afflictions but at our sinnes that procure them yet are they vnto the children of God but wholesome medicines to cure them and to preuent them onely vnsauory to the carnall minde which also doe accustome to patience which by experience cherisheth and confirmeth our hope which through faith is an assured testimony vnto our conscience that we are beloued of God so much the more by how much he kéepeth vs vnder and in obedience through afflictions For if he leaueth vs vnto our owne corrupt conuersations without correction so much the stronger grow we in sinne therefore necessary it is that we should often féele his correcting rod lest at the last he should confound vs with his deuouring sword for if we should bée without trouble which is our correction whereof all Gods children are partakers we could not but account our selues bastards and no sonnes And if his corrections kéepe vs in obedience then wée may assure our selues he will hide vs in his Tabernacle that no power or policy of the wicked shall finde vs out to hurt vs. As men are in number many and their affections diuers none liueth without some trouble or affliction not all in one
measure or in like degrée so is euery man comforted or cast down according to the measure of his faintnesse or faith for many men may bée equall partakers of one and the same trouble yet not of equall resolution to beare it Some men haue great afflictions and beare them with great patience some small and yet cry out vnder the burthen of them some men haue many troubles and yet account them few some few and yet account them many some haue fearefull afflictions yet they repute them fauourable some very fauourable crosses yet esteeme them very fierce and cruell some haue long and tedious afflictions yet supposed short some very short yet conceiued long and cumbersome This ariseth onely of the difference of mens faith and frailty The first is bold and strong able to beare and vndergoe whatsoeuer it pleaseth God to lay vpon them saying with faithfull Dauid God is my hope and strength and my portion The second is weake and sinketh vnder the burthen of most easie trialls because they cannot say in their hearts as Dauid did the Lord is my rocke and my saluation nor assure themselues y t God will hide them in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his pauilion And what is this hiding of his Saints but his continuall watchfulnesse ouer them and his prouidence in keeping and defending them hee sets them vpon a rocke namely hée taketh them into his owne protection and none is able to take them out of his hands therefore are they constant in all their troubles let them lose their children let them be robbed of their goods afflicted in their bodies vpbraided of their enemies condemned for Hypocrites persecuted as Heretikes or brought to extreme pouerty let them endure all these and more troubles with holy Iob yet will they retaine their constancy confidence in God still knowing that hée in whom they trust is faithfull in his promises and his power is absolute and that in the time of their trouble hee will hide them in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his pauilion hee will hide them and set them vpon a rocke There is no trouble triall or affliction of what kinde soeuer but the dearest and most beloued of God haue béene partakers of them Abel was murdered by Cain his wicked brother for his sincere worship of God Faithfull Abraham was not free from troubles from doubting and feare he was commanded to offer his dearest sonne Isaak in sacrifice in whose séede the generall blessing was promised being afraid of his life for his wiues sake was twice driuen to faine vntruths both to Pharaoh in Aegypt and Abimelech King of Gerar Hée had trouble by Lot his brother he had griefe for the destruction of Sodome besides many other troubles Isaak likewise for feare of his life for Rebeccah his wife by his vntruth exposed her chastity to the will of a heathen King he was afflicted by the Philistines he was crossed in his desire of preferring Esau before Iaakoh in the blessing Iaakob was forced to flie out of his owne Country and from his friends and to be a seruant in a strange land for feare of his brother Esau that threatned to kill him being enuied by Labans his Uncles sonnes he fled with his wiues and children he was pursued by Laban hée was encountred by an Angel that wrestled with him all the night shooke him fearefully and lamed him he marched in great feare and perplexity with his wiues children and droues towards his offended brother Esau who came against him with foure hundred men he was miserably tormented for the supposed death of his dearest sonne Ioseph and much perplexed for his sonnes murthering his neighbour Seehemites Ioseph was guiltlesly accused and wrongfully imprisoned Moses was like to haue béene slaine by the Angell in the Inne for not circumcising his sonne preuented by Zipporah his wife who after circumcised him and cast the fore skinne of her sonne at Moses féet saying Thou art indeed a bloudy husband vnto me many other troubles he had for the disobedience of the people of Israel Not one of Gods children haue béene frée from troubles therefore let none refuse to take vp the Crosse of Christ who in his owne person suffered many reproaches ignominies and at last the death of the crosse for vs None of his Apostles escaped most cruell torments some were stoned to death some slaine with the sword euery of them had their troubles and torments and all the Fathers of the Primitiue Church had their seuerall miserable ends for Christ and yet tenderly be loued of God Shall wée then that haue the like and the same benefit by the death of Christ be ashamed of his Crosse Shall we thinke to enioy his glory and shall we suffer none of his disgrace We are his members and he is our head and shall our head suffer and wée liue at ease Satan is malicious hée can endure none that liueth vprightly but hée will vse his instruments to molest them if hée cannot induce them to sinne against God with a high hand hée will procure them troubles and such as wherewith if it were possible he would so weaken their faith in God that they should vse any vngodly meanes to frée themselues and will perswade them that God punisheth none but such as he hath no loue vnto but the truly faithfull know that he is a lier from the beginning and therefore will not giue eare vnto his false suggestions and therefore when any afflictions doe befall them they will take them as indéed they are Gods louing corrections and wholsome preseruatiues to kéepe them from all things that may offend God and will in their troubles séeke no other refuge but as the little Chiekens flye to the wings of the Hen so they runne and hide-themselues in Gods protecting Tabernacle who is ready to receiue them into his sauing pauilion and to set them vpon the rocke of his saluation Experience hath found it a dangerous thing to liue in carnall security and without trouble as long as Dauid was pursued by his enemies as long as he was visited with troubles he could séeke the Lord he was exercised in continuall prayer and finding God ready to helpe him he could say I will goe forward in the strength of the Lord then he could declare that God was his defence and that he should neuer bée confounded But when he had no enemies and all his troubles were remoued he forgat that euer hée was in danger hée liued at ease tooke his pleasure and delights walking without feare on the top of his house securely delighting himselfe in his pleasant prospects and behold a woman bathing her selfe then his heart which was before set vpon God was set on fire of lust committed grieuous sins without remorse vntill God sent Nathan to put him in minde of that which hee had forgotten a whole yeere together then was he stricken with another kinde of feare not of humane enemies but of Gods iustice
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
spirit he found his inward part the weaker and so suspecting as it were the loue and presence of God to aid the one and to suppresse the other hee thought God had left him But it séemeth his outward enemies did more preuaile against him than before and being so oppressed by them or afraid of them he turned himselfe vnto God but he séemed to hide his face from him and therefore praied so instantly that God would not cast him away being his seruant in displeasure yet Dauid had the true feare of God in his heart although hée were a little shaken with doubting for the absence of Gods presence and necessary it is that wee should sometimes feele the want of Gods presence with vs that wee should not too much presume vpon our owne worthinesse power and strength to stand firme without him for if he leaue vs be it neuer so little such is our frailty that we begin to faint and our spirituall strength saileth vs which if we can apprehend it is an argument that we are not altogether destitute of the grace of God for if we be so carried away with our owne corruptions as we neuer féele our owne wants of spirituall graces we haue no grace at all The wicked and such as sinne without touch of conscience they neuer féele the want of that they neuer had the spirit of God therefore run on stil in their impieties following euery kinde of carnall destres with greedinesse It is not so with them that God hath chosen and enlightened for they finde in themselues the least of Gods absence if but for a moment for they are seldome idle in one kinde of holy duty or another they either meditate on the word and works of God they pray or offer the sacrifice of thankes to God and when they finde in them selues a dulnesse to pray or ignorance how to pray they presently suspect that they haue deserued by some meanes that God hath left them to themselues who of their owne power without the helpe of the Spirit of God cannot thinke a good thought much lesse faithfully and seruently pray vnto him and then féeling the griefe of their hearts that they cannot be comforted by the exercise of these holy duties finde the fault to bee in themselues and that God for some sinne committed or some good dutie omitted is angrie with them And therefore as Dauid doth here they crie out vnto God O hide not thy face from me nor cast thy seruant away in displeasure So fearefull are the children of God to lose the benefit of his presence as they thinke nothing so irksome vnto them as his absence and therefore haue alwaies a kinde of holy iealousie that the least sinne they doe coÌ„mit wil cause the Lord to hide himselfe from them Therefore when Dauid considered his infirmities hée could confesse and say Wicked deeds haue preuailed against me but thou wilt bee mercifull vnto my sinne God is mercifull to them that are sorry for their sinnes which sorrow and repentance is the gift of God and the children of God instantly and often call to God for it as a meane whereby they may redéeme his loue and obtaine his presence and the beauty of his face againe And therefore saith Dauid being as it were forsaken and had lost his chiefe comfort the louing countenanâ—â— of the Lord. Turne vs againe O Lord God of hosts saith he cause thy face to shine and we shall be safe Returne wee beseech thee O God of hosts looke downe from Heauen and visit vs againe with the brightnesse of thy louing countenance and hide not thy face from vs nor cast vs away in displeasure There is nothing more causeth the Spirit of God to leaue vs than our sinnes and neglect of the true seruice of God and nothing retaineth him more than the continuall meditation of heauenly things seruent prayer with a godly life he that thus exerciseth himselfe hath God alwaies with him he hideth not his face from such but in what misery trouble feare or affliction they are they are sure either to receiue outward deliuerance or inward comfort and to say with Dauid yet my soule keepeth silence vnto God of him commeth my saluation yet he is my strength my defence therefore shall I not much be moued not much we may haue some doubtings in our heauy afflictions and cry out with Dauid O God why hast thou forsaken me and though we be moued we shall neuer be remoued from the louing fauour of God we shall neuer fall finally into his displeasure though for a time he séeme to hide his face from vs which he neuer doth vntill we couet to hide our sins from him and to doe the things which we thinke hée séeth not we may not thinke that God hideth his all-séeing cies from our transgressions though he turne not his face towards vs to flatter vs as it were in our sinnes for he loueth righteousnesse and hateth iniquity righteousnesse and equity are the establishment of his throne therefore dealeth he iustly when he hideth his face from them that deale vniustly from them that obey him not from them that neglect to call vpon him in â—aith and omit those holy duties which he requireth How can hee looke vpon them in loue that leaue him How can he but hide his face and as it were cast them away in his displeasure that neuer séeke him or serue him Nay that séeke him not with a pure heart and that continually for it is not enough to sinne and serue him by turnes as if he allowed vs a time for our selues to take our carnall pleasures delights in and a time againe for him to haue our times wherein wée cannot sinne either being glutted with sinne or vnable to sinne How can hee but hide his face from such How can it be but he must cast away such in his displeasure Dauid that thus crieth out that God had hid his face from him neuer tooke such prophane liberty and yet through his humane frailty fell and that grieuously but he lay not in it as the reprobate doe he examined his heart and found it corrupt and falted it with the teares of repentance Thou hast fed mee with the bread of teares saith he and giuen mee teares to drinke This is the true medicine to cure the soule that hath sinned Faith and Repentance And who so applieth it truly to himselfe as Dauid did shall finde ease and although God séeme sometimes to hide his face it is but to cause vs the more to séeke it and though he séeme to cast vs off in displeasure it is but as a louing father that dissembleth extreme anger to his childe that hath offended him and maketh a shew as if he will vtterly cast him off determining yet nothing lesse So though God the most louing father to his children séeme often angry with vs as he séemed to bee with Dauid it was more in shew than in déed which we may not
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
within the same the fountaine of all perfect hope the giuer of patience and maintainer of our strength thou knowest my troubles and beholdest mine afflictions and what and how many they are and how burthensome vnto mee thy weake creature in stead therefore of my weake ability giue mee thy preuailing strength giue me hope in thee let mee be strong in thee let my comfort be of thee and let me truly trust in thee then shall I with patience beare these and whatsoeuer troubles it shall please thee to lay vpon me Arme mee with faith O Lord that I trusting in thy defence may not sinke vnder the weight of my troubles importable to flesh and bloud thou hast promised to bee the God of my saluation so shall nothing hurt mee my glory so nothing shall disgrace me my rocke and my strength so nothing shall moue mee nor remoue mee from my trust in thee I am thine saue mee keepe me as the apple of thine eye hide me vnder the shadow of thy protecting wings then shall no enemy annoy mee no trouble dismay mee nor affliction or feare shall cast mee downe by thee I shall withstand or escape the fury force fraud of all my foes by thee I shall bee timely releeued in all my necessities and in thee shall I bee comforted in all mine afflictions I will not feare thou art my God I will not faint thou art the comfort of my heart Let mee still taste of thy goodnesse and behold thy saluation in hope let mee hold fast by thee in faith let me be strong in thee with comfort let mee reioyce and be glad in thee Continue thy mercies towards mee O Lord for my soule trusteth in thee knowing and confessing that I haue no other Comforter but thee no Defender but thee nor any Helper but thee Forsake me not therefore O my God in my greatest need send from Heauen and saue me for all power belongeth vnto thee therefore doth my soule cleaue vnto thee it longeth and thirsteth for thy saluation O let mee plentifully taste how sweet thy goodnesse is thy goodnesse appeared in my creation more in my redemption but most in mine election thou formedst me in the wombe thou broughtest me thence giuing me hope euen from my Mothers brest and I was euen then cast vpon thy prouidence therefore leaue me not nor be farre from mee now trouble is befalne mee but as thou hast taken charge of me from the beginning so continue still to defend me for I haue none besides thee to helpe me therefore cast I my burthen vpon thee for thou hast taken vpon thee to nourish me In thee O Lord I trust let mee neuer be ashamed nor confounded deliuer me according to thy promise for thou art my hope O Lord in thee haue I trusted from my youth Let my prayers O Lord enter into thy presence heare me and helpe me let nothing hinder the worke of thy mercies towards me not mine vnworthinesse O Lord but accept me worthy in thy most worthy then shall not the weaknesse of my faith diminish my hope nor extenuate my strength nor depriue me of my comfort in thee but my faith hope strength and comfort shall increase more and more and patience shalâ— haue it perfect working in me to wait vntill thine appointed time come for my deliuery out of some of my troubles for I endure many O Lord and the least of them of weight more than sufficient to presse mee downe vnlesse thou support mee yet I acknowledge them easie in comparison of my euill deseruings O pardon mine offences cleanse me of my sinnes and make mee vpright in thy waies then shall I with perfect patience beare my troubles and rest in hope vntill it shall please thee to ease me of my troubles or to bring them to an end which grant gracious Lord God in Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be honour power and praise for euermore Amen A Prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes reformation of life and comfort in affliction O My God my God hide not thy face from mee stop not thine eares at my prayers and refuse not to heare the words of my complaint though I cannot but confesse O Lord against my selfe that by reason of my sins I haue deserued thy displeasure and that in so high a measure as if thou shouldest vtterly confound me yet were there no iniustice in thee for the euills that I haue committed and the good duties I haue omitted in thy seuere iustice deserue the same but Lord looke not so narrowly into my waies as to obserue and register against me euery sinne committed and euery duty omitted by me knowing that I am by nature corrupt and sinfull as all my fathers were Lord what were Abraham Izaak Iaacob Iob Noah Lot Moses Eliah or Dauid though a man chosen after thine owne heart Paul that elect vessell but men by nature carnall and euen sold vnder sinne vntill thou of thine owne free mercy vouchsafedst to infuse heauenly wisdome into their hearts and diuine graces into their soules vntill thou diddest fully season them aboue others by thy holy Spirit yet Lord thou knowest that euen these select vessels of thine were not without their owne naturall infirmities They stood not vprightly by their owne strength but by thee if they had had will and power of and in themselues to worke righteousnes they might haue had whereof to boast but not with thee but being only supported by thee they gaue the sole glory to thee Seeing then gracious Father that all our most godly fore-fathers had their defects by nature and their perfection through thy grace I being corrupt as they were by nature borne corrupt and brought forth the fruits of corruption vntill thou begattest them anew by thy Spirit what differ I from them by nature And therefore Lord as they became holy not of themselues but by thee so canst thou make me holy as they were holy by the same grace There is none O Lord that by his owne wisdome is capable of that wisdome whereby to know thee aright how much lesse able by his owne power to performe that obedience which may make him accepted of thee If then it be as indeed it is of thine owne free mercy and grace that any man becomes wise in thee and righteous before thee who hath cause to boast of his owne merit Or who needs despaire of his owne vnworthinesse seeing thou art equally mercifull to all whom thou hast called and accepted into the number of them that shall be saued O send downe send downe from Heauen that thy sanctifying Spirit into my heart that that liuely faith whereby our most godly fore-fathers were accepted of thee may be more and more inkindled and breake forth into a holy flame of godlinesse and zeale and my whole man be changed into the same image of sanctity which appeared in them in whom thou most delightest then thou my God now deseruedly offended with me for
my sinnes past shalt bee so fully reconciled vnto me againe though not by my best renued workes which are and will be for euer here imperfect but through the merits and mediation of thine owne and onely Sonne whose death is my life and thy mercies in him my saluation This is my hope O Lord though I bee yet in the estate of corruption and enforced to vndergoe infinite infirmities of body and minde by nature Thou who art the God of Abraham and of all our godly fore-fathers dead to the world art no lesse the same God vnto those that are thine yet liuing in the world And as they already dissolued are now in glory with thee in the Heauens so confirme my faith in thee and order my waies that I being likewise dissolued through Christ my Redeemer may be also glorified with them and with them giue glory to thee Make me therefore gracious Father to abound here as they here abounded in all spirituall graces and heauenly vertues that I may finde thee a like louing father vnto me as thou wert a father vnto Abraham and a helping God as thou wert vnto Iaacob and then shall I offer euen here the sacrifice of vnfained praise vnto thy name and make mine humble prayers vnto thee in his name whose death and mediation thou acceptest aboue all other whatsoeuer sacrifices O accept that his sacrifice made once for all for all beleeuers it is sufficient Lord to purge me from all my sins that formerly haue offended thee and to keepe mee from future wilfully displeasing thee My sinnes O Lord I doe confesse haue worthily moued thee to correct me I feele thy rod but the rod of a louing father not to confound me but to confirme me not to destroy me but to saue me O let me not faint vnder thy correcting hand which thou hast promised shall be no more heauily laid vpon mee than I shall be able to beare Let not therefore Lord my faith faile me but let perfect patience haue it effectuall working in me then whatsoeuer it shall please thee to appoint mee to beare I shall beare it for my heart through thy grace is prepared to obey thee Thou hast beene euer my helper since I was borne thou hast vpholden me sustained and relieued mee O forsake me not now when all carnall helpe faileth me There is no certaine hope in the helpe of man though he promise he may be vnable or vnwilling to performe if he yeeld me helpe it is of thee and among thy promised meanes of helpe and nothing hindreth the performance of thy promise of helping mee but the weaknesse of my faith in not stedfastly beleeuing mine impatience in not willingly bearing and my want of liuely hope in not contentedly waiting thine owne good time in effecting what thou hast promised Yet I haue hope louing Father that comming thy helpe will come and that in a time most cōuenient in thine owne wisdome although through mine infirmity I thinke it long but when it commeth it shall be as a Well not only of releeuing but of liuing water springing vp not onely to my corporall comfort but to my spirituall eternall glory In the meane time O Lord let mee euermore taste of thy goodnesse that I faint not vnder the burthen of my troubles but as thou hast worthily corrected me so vouchsafe mercifully to relieue me In hope and assurance of this thy mercy O Lord I commend and commit my selfe my soule and body vnto thy fatherly disposing for thou hast promised to take care of me therefore cast I my care vpon thee not as carelesse of mine owne duty but in a liuely faith going forward waiting thy leisure and thy good pleasure when thou wilt come and how thou wilt deliuer me O Lord make no long tarrying Amen An effectuall Prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes O Lord when I doe consider the account that I am to make for the time which I haue so sinfully spent in this life and how I haue walked here as in a Wildernesse of all impieties I feele my conscience burthened with so heauy a weight of feare and trembling that I am cast downe as into a gulph of ineuitable danger and know not which way to turne mee with any hope of comfort if I turne me to the consideration of my best workes I finde them rather to aggrauate than to extenuate my feare if I appeale vnto thee as thou art a seuere Iudge I shall be condemned in thy iust iudgement I therfore as the prodigall son doe vpon the knees of mine vnfained heart fall downe before thee imploring mercy though I deserue it not but Lord I know that in thy seuerest iustice thou art accustomed to remember mercy and in thy hottest displeasure thou shewest compassion euen to greatest sinners euen vpon their vnfained desire to repent how much more vpon their actuall and sincere repentance especially of such as through a liuely faith take hold of Christ who hath taken vpon him to stand betweene thy iustice and a sinner O accept his death and merits for the forgiuenesse of my sinnes who by reason of them am become deepely indangered and indebted vnto thee And if thou shouldest exact the vttermost farthing at my hands I were neuer able to make the least satisfaction and the more hardly can I answer the committing of so many sinnes and the omitting of so many good duties by how much I haue receiued a great measure yea many talents of grace and a great portion of heauenly knowledge at thy hands which I should haue vsed not onely to the good of mine owne soule and comfort of mine owne conscience but to the increase of spirituall knowledge in others whom I should haue endeuoured to haue drawne to the obedience of thy will by the example of mine obedience Alas good Father such hath beene the neglect of my duty in this behalfe that I haue not onely laid these heauenly treasures vnder the earthly corruption of mine owne heart but haue laid out the wicked dregs of originall sin and haue therewith gained vnto my selfe infinite iniquities and innumerable actuall sinnes in so much as iniustice thou maist condemne me as a most vnprofitable disposer of thy manifold graces and the more good Father by how much I haue not onely sinned my selfe and that oftentimes as it were with a high hand but in alluring and stirring vp others to sinne by mine example nay Lord many times by mine owne instigation and thereby the more dangerously drawne downe thy displeasure vpon my selfe and them that haue sinned by the example of my sinne Lord what shall I say to excuse me What shall I bring vnto thee to appease thee If I say the corruption of mine owne nature prouoked mee and I did sinne thou hast commanded mee to mortifie the deeds of my corrupt flesh by thy Spirit If I pleade that the world allured mee and I did sinne thou hast forbidden mee to loue the world or the things in the