through faith aboue the outward man euen to haue their conuersation in heauen This is the true and swéetest aduancement this is the glorious lifting vp of the head And thus was Dauid also lifted vp spiritually together with his outward lifting vp aboue his corporall enemies Many good men are aduanced to honor and office To what end Not onely not to gaine earthly glory thereby or to enrich themselues by sinister meanes thereby and to abuse their places and wrong their lifter and lifting vp but as Dauid being lifted vp did acknowledge it to be the Lords doing and as he was aduanced by him so did he séeke by all meanes to aduance his glory and though he were lifted vp aboue his enemies he insulted not ouer them but gaue God the praise that his enemies triumphed not ouer him Praise and thanksgiuing are due vnto God for euery benefit and blessing hée bestoweth vpon vs and hée requireth it especially of them whom he lifteth vp aboue their enemies and that they be lowly in their owne eies and louing to all euen to their enemies And to learne also of Paul in a low estate to be patient and being lifted vp to be thankfull neither to be grieued at the one nor to glory too much in the other In the one pray to be constant in the other giue glory to God Dauid when he knew by his anointing that he should be King after Sauls death continued yet humble and was yet contented to kéepe his fathers shéepe a meane office for a man anointed to be a King and thought it no disparagement And when he was indéed exalted hée set not out his glory by outward vanities neither was hée guarded with swaggering swearing Drunkards and with vile and vitious persons though with sufficient noble attendants his Worthies abandoning his house of the knowne wicked and retained such into his seruice as he found to feare God And in stead of worldly vain-glory he went into the Temple of God and there offered the sacrifices of prayer and praise and not himselfe alone but called the people together and with them went not once but many times into the house of the Lord He was not ashamed being a King to be the formost in the seruice of God And let vs praise God for his like mercy vouchsafed vnto vs and let vs imitate godly examples Here is a liuely patterne of a thankfull heart to God for his aduancement contrary to the course of many who being lifted vp not aboue their enemies but aboue their equals of whom many giue rather thankes to their owne wit and policy and to inferior meanes friends or money But such their aduancement is but as the building of Babel though their language be not confounded but many times changed their manners often altered They rise without God and oftentimes we sée them fall of themselues If therefore thou be exalted remember Dauid by whom and by what meanes he was lifted vp He praied and the Lord heard him and he gaue the whole glory to God Whatsoeuer thou art bée thou neuer so eminent think not praier and praising God to be base exercises or things indifferent They are the works of Gods Saints and therein they exercise themselues day and night But woe to them that onely make their praiers and suits vnto men forgetting God and that being lifted vp offer the sacrifice of praise vnto men to their own deuices to their Siluer and Gold c. Forget not God that can winke at ambitious mens lifting vp and laugh at their fals But when God affordeth lawfull means to lift vp any he giueth theÌ„ assurance of his approbation and if they pray for good successe they shall prosper and profit the place they execute and the place shall iustifie their integritie for as without him nothing can come to good effect So to whatsoeuer action he setteth his helping hand it cannot but prosper And he that is by him lifted vp let him not forget to pray and to praise God lest he hurle him downe againe and his latter end proue worse than the beginning A Praier with thanksgiuing to God for defence from enemies in that they haue not preuailed against vs. O Eternall most wise most louing and most powerfull Lord God who guidest gouernest and disposest all things for all men according to thine owne will and knowest what is meet necessarie and expedient for all those that are thine Grant that whatsoeuer befalleth me here in this mortall life be it pouertie or riches prosperitie or aduersitie trouble or peace yea if enemies rise vp against me all may be for my good for as much as nothing commeth to passe but by thy prouidence in loue Pouerty thou suppliest with plentie if thou seest it good for me troubles thou canst remoue if expedient canst send me quietnesse and comfort enemies thou canst restraine and howsoeuer they seeme to insult ouer me thou canst lift vp my head aboue them And though I bee brought low and for a time endure disgrace ignominy shame euen among my familiars yet as long as it pleaseth thee to accept and retaine me in thy fauour I shall not be discouraged being assured that thou canst and wilt in thy good time shew thy selfe the God of my saluation thou wilt giue mee fauour againe euen of those that now scoffe and deride mee for my miseries they shall againe receiue mee in loue seeing thy fatherly respect vnto me For I know that I seeking helpe and comfort of thee shall againe reioyce and be glad in thee for though I be poore and needy though troubles abouâ—d and enemies rage against me thou thinkest on me and according to thy promise wilt neuer leaue me nor forsake me therefore if all the world disdaine me be thou fauourable vnto me O helpe me and deliuer me from them that afflict me and saue me for I trust in thee and none that trusteth in thee shall bee cast downe for euer I powre out my whole desire before thee my sorrowes and my sighes are not hid from thee and though I seeme to faint and my heart to faile me because my louers and my friends leaue me by reason of my miseries yet I wait on thee for comming I know thy helpe will come for thou art an vpright Iudge though thou haue brought me low I know thou canst and wilt lift me vp againe and they that thinke thou hast vtterly forsaken me shall see that there is a God that hath a care of his deiected people though they say now Where is thy God in whom thou seemest so much to trust Doth he helpe thee or releeue thee thou callest vpon him but he heareth thee not thou seemest to seeke him but findest no helpe at his hands O grieuous tentation to a weake-minde but it daunteth me not I am confident in thy mercies I faint not at these reproaches for they vpbraid not me but thee saying as it were in their hearts it is bootlesse for the
procure thine attention any thing at all Why then should I say vnto thee hearken Why did Dauid say vnto thee hearken He was assured to bee heard Therefore I pray thee hearken O my God Hearken vnto the voice of my cry haue mercy also vpon me and heare me Heare the voice of my renewed heart the voice of my soule that figheth for my sinnes haue mercy therefore vpon me O Lord and pardon me that I may so cry and it may please thee so to heare as I may heare thine answer within as I cry within Lord let thy holy Spirit both speake to thee and answer me for I cannot preuailingly cry vnto thee vnlesse thou cry in me by thine owne Spirit sanctifying my spirit and answering my spirit again by thy spirit Hearken euen vnto thy selfe speaking in me and let my spirit heare thy spirit speaking to me and in mee So shall my soule sound forth a glorious voice a sharpe and piercing voice a voice whose sound shall ascend aboue the clouds where I haue a most louing and preuailing Mediator with thee euen Iesus Christ the righteous in whose name and for whose sake thou wilt deny nothing vnto those that come and cry faithfully vnto thee Then I euen I shall heare a most sweet and comfortable Eccho of Grace resound in the eares of my soule that shall assure me of answer of euery my petitions When I cry Lord forgiue me my sinnes I shall heare Thy sinnes O man are forgiuen thee when I shall say Open thou my lips I shall heare Open thy mouth and I will fill it When I shall say Lord I beleeue I shall heare Thou beleeuedst therefore shalt thou be saued When I call for strength in my tentations I shall heare My grace is sufficient for thee When I shall call vnto thee in my necessities for helpe I shall heare I will neuer faile thee nor forsake thee This is thy goodnesse O Lord and thy mercy therefore will I euermore pray vnto thee O hearken vnto my voice when I cry vnto thee haue mercy also vpon me and heare me The ground of all my comforts in all my troubles to bee eased is thy mercy yea thy mercy onely In mee there is nothing worthy to bee regarded of thee it is thy mercy only that maketh me to dwell in safetie And had it not beene of thy free mercy I had bin confounded long agone therefore in thy mercy heare me when I call vpon thee and in thy mercy releeue mee in thy mercy helpe mee Then shall neither enemies preuaile against me pouertie and want shald not ouer-much oppresse me sicknesse shall not dismay me nor any outward or inward trouble sinne nor Satan preuaile against me For thou O God art the God of my saluation my glory the God of my strength in thee will I euer trust So be it VERSE 8. When thou saidst seeke yee my face mine heart answered vnto thee O Lord I will seeke thy face IN this verse there is as it were a familiar conference betwéene the Lord and Dauid God saies vnto Dauid and in the plurall number to all that are his Seeke yee my face And Dauid againe in the name of the faithfull replies Thy face O Lord will I seeke It séemeth to be a strange command that we weake Creatures that cannot looke with stedfast eies vpon the Sun that is but one of his inferior Creatures but shall be striken blinde with the radiant beames thereof should séeke and behold his face which none could euer sée and liue And it séemeth likewise to be as strange a promise in Dauid to say that hée would séeke the face of God To séeke the Lord is in many places of Scripture enioyned vs but to séeke and to sée his face is not so frequently commanded But these phrases of spéech differ not for both signifie the séeking of his helpe and are not literally to be vnderstood as if God had a visible face to be séene or that he had a corporall being to be felt God is a spirit and spiritually to be sought and spiritually to be discerned and is not otherwise to be séene but in the face of Iesus Christ who is also now glorified in the heauens not visibly to bee apprehended by vs vntill his second comming What is then meant by the séeking of the face of God onely his fauour and his protection in the time of our danger And to séeke God is to implore his power prouidence and helpe in our afflictions As Ieremiah comforting the captiue Israelites in Babylon You shall goe and pray vnto me saith God and I will heare you and if you seeke me yee shall finde me if you seeke me with all your hearts And againe Azariah said to Asa Iuda and Beniamin The Lord is with you while yee be with him And if yee seeke him he will be found of you but if yee forsake him hee will forsake you God is present with the faithfull by his continuall helping power as long as they hold him fast by their praiers and wrastle with him with their faithfull petitions as Iacob did with the Angell and cry vnto him till he answer and neuer leaue seeking of him till hee finde him If we séeke him in the Word wée shall finde him there as the spirit hath described him both a mercifull God and a consuming fire The faithfull finde him mercifull euen in this life the wicked shall finde him a seuere Judge hereafter The first shall sée his face and reioyce the second shall sée his face and tremble The first shall sée and behold the beauty of his countenance with great gladnesse for euer the second shall sée his face for a moment in his last sentence and that with horror God saies vnto all Seeke yee my face but few with their hearts doe séeke him And that is the reason that many call vpon him and are not heard they séeme to séeke him and finde him not but vnto the truly faithfull hée offereth himselfe as he did to Moses My presence shall goe with thee and I will giue thee rest This is the true beholding of the face of God to enioy his presence namely when he is ready in his power and prouidence to helpe vs in our afflictions and to deliuer vs in our dangers any other presence of his in this life we néede not séeke his glory is aboue the Heauens What is man then that he should séeke to sée his all-glorious face here in earth which Moses saw but in a bush obscurely in respect of his full and compleat glory and yet with that sight his face did shine so as the people could not abide the glory of his face How much lesse the glory of the most vnspeakable beauty of y e face of y e most high whose dwelling is in the heauens and whose power is ouer all his works in heauen and earth And therefore saith Dauid O Lord our God how excellent is thy name in all the world which hast
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
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
distressed to trust in thee O consider this my God and permit mee not though sore oppressed to giue ouer calling continually and faithfully vpon thee for with thee there is mercy and with thee is timely redemption though thou seeme to tarry long and to giue no eare vnto my prayers which maketh those that are ignorant of thy waies to thinke thou hast vtterly forsaken me yet I know and am assured that thou forgettest me not neither dost thou so leaue mee but that thou wilt returne vnto me again and in the multitude of thy mercies lift me vp againe and then shall they that thus haue censured me finde and confesse that indeed I haue not trusted in thee in vaine and that thou art a God indeed powerfull able and louing willing and ready to helpe thine in the time of most need I am thine O Lord for in all my troubles I haue hitherunto found thee my God my helper and my refuge though there be that haue said there is no helpe for me in thee I haue found them lyers for thou hast neuer failed me nor forsaken mee hitherunto neither wilt thou faile me or forsake me for euer Thou hast euer beene my rocke and fortresse and hast euer deliuered mee therefore art thou worthy to be praised yea I will praise thee for I was left vnto thee as soone as I was borne and thou hast euer beene a louing father vnto me though as a father thou hast gently corrected me yet thy louing kindnes thou hast neuer withholden from me but when in my greatest troubles and afflictions I haue beene like to perish thou hast not left mee to the will of mine enemies and when they they thought to reioyce most at my miseries thou hast lifted vp my head aboue mine aduersaries in thee therefore will I trust and not be afraid what man can doe vnto me Haste thee to help me O God of my saluation and praised bee thy holy name for euer Amen VERSE 7. Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry haue mercy also vpon me and heare me THese words of Dauid import a most earnest praier vnto God though séeming short yet coÌ„taineth matter of good consideration euen of vs y t in all our necessities we should cry vnto God teacheth vs that when we are in distresse wée may not lie still thinke that God will helpe vs if we call not vpon him and againe we may call and cry and not bée heard As Dauids enemies when they were deseruedly ouercome cryed for helpe at God but he neglected them and reiected them because they cried being a wicked people in their distresse for helpe at Gods hands whom they before despised But contrarily the children of Israel the people of God cried vnto him in their distresse and the Lord heard them and deliuered them 1. Sam. 12. 10 11. There are vocall cries and there are cries that none heare but God as the guiltlesse bloud of Abel yet cryeth vnto God for vengeance Likewise the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorrah cryed vnto God for iudgement as sin and murther daily doe these are wofull cries silent and yet God heareth them in displeasure whereby wée may learne that sinne and chiefely the murther of Innocents be it neuer so secret doe cry and shall be reuealed and though neuer so séeming to be grounded vpon pretended deuotion zeale it crieth to God for vengeance Dauids cry was of another kinde for where the former cries were the cries of the sinnes of the wicked against their wils for reuenge against their owne impieties Dauids tended to the glory of God and his owne succour and safetie and therefore said he Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry Which teacheth vs not to bée mute when any occasion of feare or affliction may moue vs to séeke the helpe of God We must cry vnto God not vnto dumb stocks and stones nor to any dead creature or Angell whom they are fondly framed to represent but vnto the liuing God he onely can heare be our praiers neuer so secret and silent He heard Moses and Anna onely mouing their lips without sound So that it is not the loudnesse of the voice but the affection of the heart that maketh the cry where unto God giues eare many no doubt can and doe cry Lord Lord and that loud enough and yet they are not heard because they cry not in faith And therefore Dauid did not onely say Lord hearken vnto my cry but withall craued that God would haue mercy vpon him for men may cry long enough and loud enough and not be heard vnlesse GOD shew mercy Therefore saith Dauid Hearken vnto my voice when I cry haue mercy also vpon me heare me for God heareth no mans prayer but in his mercy and therfore is mercy in the first place so be sought but by faith for he y t trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compasse him about though we be in neuer so great misery or danger if wee cry faithfully vnto God he will heare vs and in his mercy helpe vs As Dauid complained vnto God saying I am in a wonderfull strait let vs now fall into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and let vs not fall into the hands of men God sheweth mercy vnto thousands that loue him and kéepe his Commandements and heareth them but the wicked and such as contemne his Word he will not heare for they cry not in saith they cry onely for their owne necessities not referring the end of their desires to Gods glory they cry of themselues with the lips only they come in their owne names and respect onely themselues and their owne outward wants and féele not nor acknowledge their inward defects they are sinners and repent them not they aske therefore and receiue not They cry vnto mee saith God but I will not heare them because they pray without faith and repentance Therefore when affliction anguish shall fall vpon them they shall call vpon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me but shall not finde me But the faithfull afflicted he heareth and such as depart from their sinnes and walke righteously before him he considereth as Dauid himselfe confesseth I cried vnto the Lord saith he and hee heard mee and deliuered mee out of all my feare and trouble They that feare the Lord néed feare no trouble for mercy compasseth them about on euery side Gods prouidence attendeth them they no sooner cal vpon God but hée heareth nay before they cry he is ready to helpe them for his eie is euer vpon them euen at an instant to preuent whatsoeuer danger therefore may the faithfull goe comfortably forward in the strength of the Lord trusting in him and they shall neuer be ashamed he is our strength and saluation and our defence let vs powre out â—ur hearts before him and say Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry haue mercy also vpon me and heare me Then will he assuredly
heare vs and helpe vs he will delay no further time than may be for our good hee may séeme vnto vs long in comming but he will come in a time conuenient and his delaies worke onely patience and hope in vs which if these graces haue their perfect working in vs we shall finde that he will neuer faile vs nor forsake vs howsoeuer such as are ignorant of Gods power and prouidence may thinke that vnlesse God come at our first call he will not come at all which is an argument they beléeue not Gods promises for if they did they would make no such haste but wait the Lords leisure not that he is so busted as he cannot intend either to heare vs or helpe vs for his eare is alwaies open to heare and his hand alwaies able to helpe euery man as well as one and that at an instant but we may not limit the holy one of Israel for hee knowes the times and seasons fit for euery of his intentions shall wee thinke that Dauid in his extremest dangers did not pray for deliuery yet though his saith were great he was not presently set frée though he cried out How long Lord how long wilt thou absent thy selfe for euer Ioseph likewise in his captiuity and imprisonment shall wee thinke that hée cried not vnto the Lord for deliuery and that instantly and yet he suffered him to endure the very iron setters and stocks vntill Gods appointed time came and then when the counsell of the Lord had sufficiently tried them then he deliuered them and shewed the abundance of his mercies towards them in aduancing them both we may not therefore murmure or repine at Gods corrections though they continue in our opinions long it is not onely that it is vnsauory to our carnall mindes but for want of faith for where faith is strong it produceth hope and in hope we wait with patience and we finde by experience that hope and patience shall not be in vaine Then whosoeuer is afflicted let them cry vnto God to haue mercy vpon them and that in a liuely faith and he will at least case them if hée doe not altogether deliuer them hee will kéepe his owne vnder his owne hand and not suffer them to haue the fréedome of the raines at their owne pleasure knowing the vnrulinesse of our owne naâ—ure which if he curbe it not will runne into euery sinne and make no conscience of any impiety as we may sée by holy Dauid himselfe when God permitted him but to haue a little liberty a small breathing time from his troubles into what sinnes did he runne yet a man chosen of God if he so farre forgat himselfe how shall we that haue not his spirituall gifts refraine our selues from offending God more grosely in our security Troubles and afflictions fall not vpon vs without Gods prouidence though Satan worketh what he can to trouble vs as appeareth in his trying of Iob to draw vs from God but howsoeruer he aimeth to make vs distrust God by his tentations and afflicting vs the more doe the children of God cleane vnto God for succour and cry vnto him for mercy and that which Satan intendeth to be for our hurt God worketh it for our good for all things worke together for the good of them that loue God and are called of his purpose namely his owne elect who as they are truly Gods owne so they depend vpon him alone and know that what crosse or affliction soeuer befall them it comes from none but from their owne louing father for their especial good to preuent greater danger as the holy Apostle Paul himself confesseth y t lest he should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto him a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him because he should not be exalted out of measure God seeing our corrupt nature alwaies apt to be puffed vp with a kinde of pride and security when wee féele the abundance of Gods graces and fauours towards vs in his wisdome and mercy taketh downe our ouer good conceits of our selues by corrections as Dauid before he was afflicted went awry Manasses a great Idolater by troubles was reclaimed and then he praied vnto God and humbled himselfe wée may sée it also in the prodigall sonne who as long as hée had money to bestow vpon his vanities and lusts he liued a rebellious life against his father but when he was afflicted by penury and want he returned home to his father repenting and crying vnto him in effect as here Dauid doth O father hearken vnto my voice I cry vnto thee for pardon haue mercy also vpon me and heare me as much as if hée had said Father forgiue mée Gods corrections though grieuous and vnsauory for a time yet good and profitable for vs we are thereby the more drawne from the delighting in sinne and made more obedient vnto the will of God especially if they bée seasoned with reuerence to God that sends them with faith repentance and feruent praier then shall wée finde that they will bring vs being exercised with them the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Wherefore let vs not onely not be discouraged at the chastisements of God for they are in loue but rather make vse of them for our humiliation and vnfained reformation Adding daily and continuall praiers vnto God who smiteth vs neither to kill vs orto maime vs but onely to kéepe vs in awe hauing a speciall eye vnto his hand for when we intend or are committing of any sinne against God let vs do as schollers do who when they are in their vnhappinesse haue one eie as it were to sée whether the master obserueth them or no and should giue them a clap before they were aware We are to be as wary of the hand of God and as the maiden of the hand of her mistrisse so shall God hearken vnto our voice when we cry hée will haue mercy also vpon vs and heare vs. A Praier that God will haue mercy vpon vs and heare vs. HAue mercy vpon me O God haue mercy vpon me for my soule trusteth in thee and in the shadow of thy wings will I trust vntill mine afflictions come to an end I will call vpon thee O hearken vnto my voice when I cry vnto thee haue mercy also vpon me and heare me But how canst thou heare vnlesse I speake Yes Lord I know that thou hearest the very silent sighes and groanes of the faithfull heart As for my vocall voice it is but the voice of a sinfull man but an outward voice that soundeth but in the aire it only entreth into the eares of man and beasts passing thorow the throat and soundeth by the lips a voice of no force to pierce the skies to sound through the clouds to mount the heauens it is a low voice a weake voice it ascendeth not where thou my louing God sittest in the heauen of heauens and therefore how can it
colour and therefore as long as none but wicked men scandalize vs and condemne vs we néed not be ashamed no though they raile reuile and curse vs wee néed not feare it for in stead of their curses God will blesse vs yet let vs pray Teach me O Lord thy way and leade me in thy path aright because of mine enemies None but enuious and wicked men are malicous enemies vnto such as feare God and they indéed cannot sléepe vntill they haue contriued some mischiefe against the innocent whom they would disgrace taking all occasions and aduantages to worke them any violence though they be already afflicted they will afflict them more if they bee already fallen they will euen tread vpon them to kéepe them downe that they may not rise It is their glory if they can adde more sorrow to the sorrowfull and more griefe to the grieued they are continually trauelling with wickednes conceiuing mischiefe but they commonly bring forth a lie for the mischiefe y t they intend to others fals in the end vpon their owne heads and their cruelty vpon their owne pates they are snared euen with the works of their owne hands for God hath euer he doth and euer will preserue his owne from these wicked men though he suffer them somtimes bodily to perish vnder their tyranny it is but to aggrauate the sins of their persecutors and the sooner to bring his vnto their finall glory Therefore behoueth the most godly to bée wary of their waies for how much the more godly religious and zealous they are in walking with God so much the more malicious is Satan to raise vp troubles slanders and reproaches against them by such as he can stir vp against vs who howsoeuer inwardly enuious they are yet haue they learned of their master to speake plausibly though deceitfully flattering with their lips hauing a venomous heart within whereby they oftentimes allure the innocent without suspicion to bewray vnto them their secret thoughts and intentions and in simplicity by their inchanted subtilties discouer that which these wicked serpentine wretches worke vpon and wrest to bring not only their names reputation and credit but their estates and liues in question By their wicked counsell they compasse our steps they set their enuious eyes vpon our waies If they finde wée walke vnblameable they wil plot to haue some blockes to be laid in our waies that if it be possible we might stumble though they could not make vs fall altogether If we erre on the other side neuer so little they will insult ouer vs they will blow the trumpet of our defamation and cry There there so would we haut it But these deuices of theirs God séeth and what they practise against such as feare him therfore let vs only say Teach vs O Lord thy way and leade vs in the right path because of our enemies As long as wee walke in the way of God truly and be lead that path that is right let vs not feare Heare what Dauid said vnto Salomon his sonne whom he exhorted to walke in the waies of the Lord to keepe his Statutes and his Commandementes his Iudgements and his Testimonies We must endeuour to haue Gods lawes euer before our eies and neuer depart from his precepts This is the way walke in it Though it bee a strict way and vnpleasant to a carnall minde it is a most swéet and comfortable way a way that leadeth here to happinesse and after to Heauen There is another way a common high way much beaten by diuers passengers all carnall men traffike this way a very pleasant way wherein yet many haue walked for a time but they haue found that as a man that eateth too much hony may surfet through the swéetnesse of it so they were euen glutted with the vanities that are strewed in the way It is a way full of carnall content indeed but it is but short men are at their waies end many times when they think themselues not halfe way there and are grieued their iourney is so soone done But when they come to the end of the race they suddenly finde a most fearefull gulph which they cannot auoid turne backe againe they cannot as ordinary trauellers often doe when they haue mistaken their way and take another but they that walke this high and pleasant way must bée enforced to stay and to take vp their hideous Inne not for a night as waifaring men doe but remaine there for euer with the Deuill and his Angels A Prayer that God will be pleased to direct vs in his waies and leade vs vprightly because of our enemies O Gracious Lord God most mercifull and louing father in Iesus Christ vouchsafe to looke in mercy vpon me teach mee thy way O Lord and lead me in a right path because of mine enemies Giue mee grace that I may walke aright and pray aright and beleeue aright and in all mine actiōs be guided by thee aright Reframe me from the way of the wicked and guide me in the paths of righteousnesse make thy way plaine before my face for of my selfe I am blinde I cannot see the right way direct and guide me that I stumble not to cause mine enemies to laugh and reioyce at my fall Send out thy light and thy truth let them leade me and bring mee to thine holy mountaine where I shall be safe from mine enemies order and direct my goings O Lord aright according to thy word reclaime me from euery euill way and direct my feet in the way of truth in that way that leadeth to life preuent mee of that forbidden way which is pleasant yet perillous seeming plaine and delectable but the end thereof is death Lord let my walkings bee vpright because of mine enemies who watch euen the course of my life they pry into all mine actions they obserue my conuersation and if they see mee but slide or slip neuer so little awry they sound the trumpets of my disgrace If they see mee to fall into any sinne through my frailty they cry out and say That there is no feare of thee before mine eies O my God consider this and in mercy remember I am but dust by nature subiect to great infirmities which I doe acknowledge O Lord reclaime mee from my euill inclination by thy grace set me in the way of truth and obedience and leade me therein for euer and learne mee to liue after thy Commandements and yeeld mee thy feare and thy direction that I may walk in them for mine owne waies are as my will is by nature euill euermore but thy waies are mercy and truth and such as truly feare thy name thou teachest the waies of perfect obedience and reducest euen sinners to walke aright reclaiming them by thy grace from their euill waies Guide me that I may know thee and thy waies and leade me aright in them let me neuer goe astray from them lest mine enemies take occasion by my transgressions to say that I haue