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
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
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
generation to generation Preserue vs therefore O God from these cruell men and the praise and glory shall bee thine the comfort ours And the example of thy so fatherly protecting vs shall be a motiue to others in like danger to call vpon thee So be it VERSE 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his temple GReat is the difference betwéene the worldling the true Christian betwéene a carnall and a spirituall minded man The one coueteth to dwell and to haue his continuall abode here below the other soareth and aspireth vpward the one resembleth the Swine the other the Eagle the one is neuer satisfied with earthly and carnall things for hee hath as many desires as he hath senses and euery pleasing thing that offereth it selfe to any of them he coueteth for euery sense hath its particular delights as many senses so many fantasies numberlesse yet neither of them can be satisfied for the heart of a carual man ingrosseth them all and the more vanities it apprehendeth the more desire increaseth for the eye is neuer satisfied with seeing nor the care with hearing pleasing things But the spirituall minded desireth onely one thing namely to be assured of his saluation and the glory to come And therefore holy Dauid desired as all true Christians ought this one thing for this only one thing is necessary Bershaba the wife of Dauid and mother of Salomon desired but one thing of her sonne and hee promised her faire but performed it not according to her desire But Dauid the father of Salomon desired one thing which hée longed for of a King greater than Salomon and a matter of far greater moment than was Bershabaes and his Petition was accepted both their Petitions séemed to procéed of loue but the difference of their issues was great the one procured hatred and death the other a most blessed successe Shée made her request to man in whom to put confidence is vaine He made his request to God the holy one of Israel in whom there is mercy and truth To whom also Salomon made one especiall request only for wisdome and obtained it and with it many earthly blessings which he asked not So bountifull is God as if wée aske that one thing necessary namely the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof he will also adde blessing vpon blessing though we aske them not Dauids only Petition was y t he might dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of his life A blessed yet a strange request of a King in the opinion of worldly men who might thinke Dauid not to be so wise as some ambitious and carnall polititians are at this day who had rather be in Kings Courts to take their pleasures than to bee restrained in a Temple for a day And Dauid being a King might haue retired himselfe in his Palace and haue taken what pleasure and delight hee would hauing a Kingdome to supply whatsoeuer might haue pleased any of his senses But these delights hée found not answerable to his affection which was seasoned from aboue hauing tasted so swéetly of the loue of Iehouah who of a Shepherd made him a King and who had so often deliuered him from his enemies he had rather bée conuersant with him in his house one day than a thousand in the Court of Saul or in his owne Court among his Gallants Nay he would choose rather to be a doorekéeper in the house of God than to command an earthly kingdome and to be depriued of his heauenly exercises in the house of God It is a most glorious estate indéed to be a King but farre more glorious to be a godly King He is Gods Uice-gerent in that part of the earth wherein God in his prouidence hath set him yet must he looke to haue some discontents mixt with his greatnesse and necessary too otherwise greatnesse might cause forgetfulnes that he is a man as former examples haue discouered And therefore did God visit Dauid chosen after his own heart with many troubles to the end he should not be vnmindfull what he was whence and from what estate God had raised him to that place of eminence and that hée should serue the Lord and maintaine his lawes and defend his people cherishing the good and chastising the euill And therefore was Dauid to forward in calling his people to serue the Lord and himselfe to be the leader of them to the Temple of God to which he had so sincere a desire that hée requested of the Lord that hee might dwell therein all the daies of his life or at least haue frée liberty often to visit it to the praise of God and exercise of prayer This desire is commonly the last and least in great men for the most part though no doubt they desire as Balaam did to die when necessity requireth the death of the righteous and greater glory would it be vnto them if they would practice while they haue time the life of the righteous as they seldome doe yet few or none of whatsoeuer quality are so irreligious in shew but they will looke into the house of God peraduenture once it may be twice in a Sabbath And peraduenture thinke it long as loth to spare their pleasures delights or profits to liue a whole day in the Temple of God with fasting and prayer Some would thinke it as hard a taske as the bondage of Aegypt or the captiuity of Babylon But blessed bée God some there are that haue Dauids desire though not to dwell really in the Temple yet to bee comfortably conuersant among Gods people in hearing God speake vnto them and they to speake vnto God This is that that great men should principally desire for their example in well doing much moueth inferiours to imitation for it is commonly obserued that example doth draw more to good or euill than documents or dehortations The godly life of a great man is as a Towre séene a far and many especially his followers will imitate his steps at least in shew and euen that shew of a godly life is a good motiue to others to liue godly indéed and as a good life giues comfort encouragement to others to be good so the president of euill makes many euill If greatnesse and goodnes goe together it is the swéetest consort y t a mortall man can make in this life 〈◊〉 the contrary as harsh hellish This holy desire of Dauid was not for a day for hée speakes of the time past I desired which implies a continuall inward Petition and argues his constancy in desiring though he were often in such straits and distresses as he could not visit the materiall temple as he desired yet wheresoeuer he was driuen by the malice and rage of his enemies he euen there found Bethel the house of God in the