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
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
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
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
ouer me so let my heart within me through faith and faithfull obedience testifie mine vnfained thankfulnesse to thee The light of this day hath afforded vnto mee that benefit which the darknesse of the night could not though to thee the day and night are of equall light for with thee is no darknesse at all But to me as I am blinde by nature the day and night are of like darknesse and obscuritie though the light of the day discouer visible creatures yet as long as the darkenesse of the ignorance of heauenly things possesseth my inward parts I see not at all as I ought to see the light of the day doth administer vnto my corporall eies many outward obiects which often causeth me inwardly to erre and outwardly to goe astray as the sinnes which I haue this day committed by the miscarriage of mine eye may witnesse against me Forgiue it Lord vnto me and grant that the light which thou hast created good turne not through my corruption to thy dishonour and my shame but as the light of the day is a most especiall blessing to the good to doe good offices in this life so let me vse it to the doing of the works of diuine light not of darknesse Let it hence-forth serue vnto mee as a Motiue to the Contemplation of that celestiall-light that is neuer ouershadowed with darknesse and to the obseruation of thine immensurable greatnesse and power in creating and preseruing of thy Creatures visible numberlesse Giue me grace that I beholding the infinite works of thy hands may with diuine modesty consider thy wisdome in framing and disposing them thy deepe and vnfathomable prouidence in oftentimes turning those things to the comfort of those that are thine which their enemies suppose and hope will tend to their confusion This also is thy doing maruellous in the eies of such as either know thee not or that thinke all things to come to passe without thy direction and limitation Lord I haue this day found that thy wisdome hath directed me thy power hath preserued mee and thy prouidence guided me And in thy great mercy I haue finished this day in safetie and receiued many blessings at thy hands acknowledging yet my selfe vnworthy of the least of them by reason that I haue many waies offended thee Though I haue not noted in my thoughts all my sinnes yet thou knowest them And if the righteous man fall seuen times a day how often haue I that am all corrupt sinned this day None is so iust as sinneth not but he is blessed to whom thou O Lord imputest it not Sinners couet secrecy they hate to be seene but loue the sinne darknesse is their desire and the night is as a Closet to hide them in conceit when thou O God seest their actions in the darke as at noone day O preserue mee in thy light Lord and grant I neuer couet to doe that in secret whereof I should be ashamed to commit it openly and euen this night now come vpon mee vouchsafe Lord to ouerspread the bright beames of thine all shining light ouer me that sinne enter not into my heart in the darknesse of the same And let me make my night wakings as interims gained for Meditation and Praier And that I may spend the intermissions of my sleepe in preparing my selfe to my finall rest That through thy power and prouidence I may rest safely this night free from all danger of soule and body And that rising againe in the morning I may not bee forgetfull to giue thee the glory And as the night succeedeth the day and the day the night so let my faithfull praiers succeed holy Meditation and a holy endeuour to worke righteousnesse succeed my faithfull petitions Let thine eares be open vnto my praiers Let thine eies by way of blessing be vpon all mine actions Let thy prouidence preuent whatsoeuer mischiefe Satan or any mine enemies his complices shall plot practise or endeuour to execute against me In hope whereof I doe commit and commend my selfe my soule and body and whatsoeuer concerneth me into thy most powerfull protection this night in the name of Christ thine alone beloued To whom with thee and the holy Ghost be ascribed as most due all honour praise and glory for euer Amen Lord euermore increase my faith