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020 - Sermon 19 Verses 145-152 · Sermons on Psalm 119

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Speaker 1: Sermon nineteen of Sermons on Psalm one hundred and nineteen
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Speaker 1: by John Calvin, translated by Thomas Stocker. This LibriVox recording
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Speaker 1: is in the public domain. Quauf, I have cried out
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Speaker 1: with my whole heart hear me, O Lord, and I
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Speaker 1: will keep thy statutes. Yea, even upon THEE have I
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Speaker 1: called help me, and I will keep thy testimonies. Early
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Speaker 1: in the morning I cried unto THEE, for in thy
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Speaker 1: word is my trust. Mine eyes prevent the night watchers,
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Speaker 1: that I might be occupied in thy words. Here my voice,
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Speaker 1: O Lord, according unto thy loving kindness quicken me. According
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Speaker 1: to thy judgment, they draw nigh that follow after malice,
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Speaker 1: and are far from Thy law. Thou art nigh at hand,
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Speaker 1: O Lord, For all thy commandments are true. I have
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Speaker 1: known long since by thy testimonies that thou hast grounded
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Speaker 1: them forever. Forasmuch as the most requisite thing that we
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Speaker 1: can possibly desire for our salvation his prayer unto God,
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Speaker 1: and because we are so slack and cold therein or else,
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Speaker 1: that a very small matter will make us cold. We
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Speaker 1: are to consider of the examples which the Holy Scripture
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Speaker 1: setteth forth unto us of the children of God and
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Speaker 1: of the faithful. Indeed, how they continually were exercised in prayer,
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Speaker 1: even as in this place David his meaning is to
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Speaker 1: set before our eyes, not that he meant to glorify
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Speaker 1: himself of his own strength, thereby to get him estimation,
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Speaker 1: but to the end that this example might direct us
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Speaker 1: the right way. We see, then, how careful David was
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Speaker 1: to call upon the name of God, how he applied
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Speaker 1: his whole affection, and continued therein, because that every of
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Speaker 1: us might do the like. Now in the first place,
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Speaker 1: he saith, I have cried out with my whole heart,
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Speaker 1: whereby he signifieth unto us that he babbled, not even
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Speaker 1: as the hypocrites do, or else, that he cried not
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Speaker 1: out upon God for a fashion or coldly, but prayed
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Speaker 1: with a true and earnest zeal. Neither do we any
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Speaker 1: otherwise but even profane the name of God, when as
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Speaker 1: we pray unto Him with other attentive minds, having our
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Speaker 1: thoughts wandering this way and that way, and on every side.
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Speaker 1: Let us then consider what is principally to be required
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Speaker 1: in our prayers, which is that we must not only
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Speaker 1: wag the tongue and open our mouth with an intent
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Speaker 1: to pray unto God. But we must pray sincerely and
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Speaker 1: purely also unto Him from the bottom of our hearts. Now,
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Speaker 1: in very deed we ought to bring this into a
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Speaker 1: more plain order. But yet according to the manner which
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Speaker 1: we have heretofore kept in handling of this psalm, it
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Speaker 1: shall suffice that we set down everything briefly in certain articles.
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Speaker 1: It remaineth then for this time that every one privately
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Speaker 1: by himself doth more diligently meditate and bestow his whole
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Speaker 1: study herein. Now let us see how we ought to
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Speaker 1: make our prayers to God. To wit, our prayers must
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Speaker 1: not proceed from the midst of our mouth, but from
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Speaker 1: a godly mind and pure truth. This word to cry
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Speaker 1: out importeth vehemency, as shall again soon after be spoken of.
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Speaker 1: Now David meaneth not that he strained his throat to
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Speaker 1: call and cry out, but he rather signifieth that he
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Speaker 1: went not coldly unto it. As they do which pray
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Speaker 1: unto God. They know not why or wherefore, without it
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Speaker 1: be for a fashion, or if they be pressed through
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Speaker 1: any need. Yet are they not at all rightly moved?
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Speaker 1: Because they do not assure themselves that He will hear
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Speaker 1: and receive them. David then showeth that he was not
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Speaker 1: so blockish, but that he had such an earnest desire
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Speaker 1: as pushed him there too, as Saint Paul saith, that
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Speaker 1: when we come to pray unto God, we ought to
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Speaker 1: approach with groaning hearts which no tongue can express, by
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Speaker 1: which we are pushed forward by the spirit of God.
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Speaker 1: See then the second condition which is required in our prayers,
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Speaker 1: that is that we must lift our hearts and minds
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Speaker 1: up into Heaven when as we pray unto God, for we,
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Speaker 1: knowing what great need we have of his help, must
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Speaker 1: pray that He will have compassion of our miserable estate. Yea,
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Speaker 1: and confess that we are the children of perdition, if
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Speaker 1: He stretch not forth his merciful hand unto us. And
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Speaker 1: therefore that hereupon we ought to set out and call
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Speaker 1: upon Him with an earnest affection. Now in the third place,
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Speaker 1: David telleth us that he was very diligent in praying
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Speaker 1: unto God, to wit that he hoped even unto the
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Speaker 1: last caste, as there are very many which do so,
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Speaker 1: when as they see well enough that they can go
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Speaker 1: no further except God help them. And yet for all
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Speaker 1: that they step back from Him as much as in
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Speaker 1: them lieth, and are never carried to the very point
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Speaker 1: with all their hearts to call upon God. Without it
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Speaker 1: be that they can neither will nor choose, and are
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Speaker 1: driven even to their wits ends. As we say. David
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Speaker 1: declareth that he was not so drowsy, for he saith
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Speaker 1: that he prevented the night watchers, that he occupied himself,
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Speaker 1: seeing that it was the true and only refuge of
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Speaker 1: the children of God, and the very faithful to recommend
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Speaker 1: themselves into His protection. Now he lastly declareth that he
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Speaker 1: continued it, that it was no sudden motion or blast,
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Speaker 1: and afterward to wax cold again, as some do. And
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Speaker 1: I would it pleased God that we might not practice
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Speaker 1: it so often as we have done. But there is
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Speaker 1: not that he amongst us, which hath not found by experience,
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Speaker 1: that we are by and by tired in praying to God,
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Speaker 1: and that we wax very cold so soon as we
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Speaker 1: have poured out one only sigh and groan. For we
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Speaker 1: think it enough if we have set down our whole
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Speaker 1: sum to God in a word, and do suppose that
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Speaker 1: if we have made one only prayer, that we are
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Speaker 1: discharged of all together, and that God will help us
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Speaker 1: if he think it good. Now David showeth unto us
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Speaker 1: that he persevered in calling upon the name of God.
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Speaker 1: Lo here the four points which we have to note
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Speaker 1: in this place, to the end that every of us
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Speaker 1: might discharge ourselves of them. For see from whence we
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Speaker 1: must learn the manner to pray well to wit in
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Speaker 1: the first place, not with having our mouth going. But
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Speaker 1: we must lay open our hearts and all our affections
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Speaker 1: before the majesty of God and pray in spiritual truth.
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Speaker 1: And not only so, but we must also be inflamed
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Speaker 1: with such a zeal as that we be fully assured
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Speaker 1: that He will both hear and help us. And for
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Speaker 1: performance hereof we must be touched to the quick with
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Speaker 1: the knowledge of our sins, and know that our a
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Speaker 1: state is most accursed if God hath not pity on us.
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Speaker 1: And also what the salvation is which He hath promised us.
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Speaker 1: We must have always these things in mind to the
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Speaker 1: end we might be the more careful, watchfully to call
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Speaker 1: upon Him, and not to wait until God constraineth us
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Speaker 1: through extreme necessities, but to be always in such a
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Speaker 1: readiness as David here speaketh of, we must day and
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Speaker 1: night and every minute be occupied to look unto God
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Speaker 1: and to call upon Him, and to have this understanding
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Speaker 1: with us, that whensoever any of us shall wake in
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Speaker 1: the night, that it be to this end to pour
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Speaker 1: out some sighs unto our God for our sins and transgressions.
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Speaker 1: And also when as we shall be alone by ourselves,
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Speaker 1: we must do the like, knowing right well that God
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Speaker 1: seeth us, and that we are always as it were
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Speaker 1: in His presence. Lastly, we must persevere herein and not
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Speaker 1: take up the bucklers, and by and by lay them
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Speaker 1: down again, and be soon wearied. But we must still
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Speaker 1: continue in our prayers, as David here showeth us by
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Speaker 1: an example. Now, after he hath made these protestations, he
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Speaker 1: goeth on and saith that after he shall be heard
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Speaker 1: and shall have obtained his requests, that he will keep
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Speaker 1: the testimonies of God. Here David showeth that he will
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Speaker 1: not be unthankful for the grace which was bestowed upon him.
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Speaker 1: And this is a point which ought greatly to be
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Speaker 1: considered of by us. For what is the cause that
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Speaker 1: God so easily granteth unto us, whatsoever we demand according
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Speaker 1: to His holy will, that he so lovingly entreateth us yea,
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Speaker 1: that his hands are continually open unto us, to the
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Speaker 1: end liberally to bestow his benefits and riches upon us.
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Speaker 1: Wherefore showeth he himself so liberal every way unto us.
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Speaker 1: It is to the end that we might have wherefore
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Speaker 1: to yield him our hearty thanks and to glorify him.
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Speaker 1: Let us then learn that it is impossible for us
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Speaker 1: rightly to pray unto God, except we be already prepared
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Speaker 1: to acknowledge his benefits and to have this full resolute
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Speaker 1: mind that David had to it to glorify God, when
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Speaker 1: as he shall have heard our prayers. As also we
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Speaker 1: see these two things to go together in another place,
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Speaker 1: where it is said, call upon me in the day
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Speaker 1: of trouble, and I will deliver thee and thou shalt
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Speaker 1: glorify me. See then what we have to note upon
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Speaker 1: this saying, where David saith that he will keep the
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Speaker 1: ordinances and testimonies of God. But we are to consider
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Speaker 1: in the second place, what the thanks are which God
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Speaker 1: requireth of us, after He hath hope in us, and
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Speaker 1: that we have filled his goodness in not rejecting our prayers.
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Speaker 1: Now this is true, that it is meet that the
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Speaker 1: mouth doth his offers to magnify the name of God
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Speaker 1: in confessing how greatly we are beholden unto Him. And
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Speaker 1: yet it is not enough that our mouth hath spoken,
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Speaker 1: But we must glorify Him with the whole action of
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Speaker 1: our life, and to show this acknowledgment how greatly we
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Speaker 1: are bounded unto Him, in serving and honoring Him in
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Speaker 1: all and through all. David, then, in saying that he
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Speaker 1: would give thanks unto God because he hurt him, saith
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Speaker 1: not that he would do it only with the mouth,
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Speaker 1: but showeth that he will pass farther, that is, to
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Speaker 1: keep the testimonies of God, and to submit him unto
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Speaker 1: his ordinances. See how the glory of God ought to
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Speaker 1: resound not only at the tongue's end of the faithful,
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Speaker 1: but also in the whole action of their hands and
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Speaker 1: feet and whatsoever else ought to apply them to honor
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Speaker 1: this good God, that we should do him homage all
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Speaker 1: our life long, considering that we hold all of Him,
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Speaker 1: and not only for our creation, but also for our
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Speaker 1: maintenance and conservation, And for that he continually sheweth himself
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Speaker 1: to be our protector. For there passeth not one hour
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Speaker 1: over our heads, wherein God delivereth us, not from one
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Speaker 1: mischief or another. We have then a large matter to
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Speaker 1: thank Him for, not only with the mouth and in words,
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Speaker 1: but also in making protestation. Thereof all the days of
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Speaker 1: our life, we see now the sum and effect of
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Speaker 1: that which is here spoken to wit. I have called
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Speaker 1: upon THEE with my whole heart, O hear me, and
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Speaker 1: I will keep thy statutes. And afterwards I have called
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Speaker 1: upon THEE save me, and I will keep thy testimonies.
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Speaker 1: And after that I have prevented the dawning of the day.
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Speaker 1: I have called upon THEE yea in trusting in thy word.
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Speaker 1: Now Here he again repeateth the point which we have
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Speaker 1: noted in another sermon, that is that for our well
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Speaker 1: praying unto God, we must build upon the trust of
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Speaker 1: His promises. And this is the true preparation which we
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Speaker 1: ought to make, even such a one as this. It
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Speaker 1: is true that we had need to feel our miseries
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Speaker 1: and necessities, as it hath been before declared. For we
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Speaker 1: shall never pray unto God with a right affection and
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Speaker 1: from the heart without this and Besides, it is very
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Speaker 1: needful also that we so lay open our hearts, as
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Speaker 1: that we come boldly to present them before our good God,
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Speaker 1: to discharge and unburden those our hearts of all their
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Speaker 1: cares and sorrows. But in the meanwhile, how is it
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Speaker 1: possible for us so watchfully and carefully to pray unto God,
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Speaker 1: and to be at full liberty to come before Him
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Speaker 1: if we had not this hope that He would hear us?
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Speaker 1: And how could we have any hope if He had
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Speaker 1: not given us his word, which witness Aesthe unto us
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Speaker 1: his will and certifieth us that we shall not lose
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Speaker 1: our labour in praying unto Him. The first laying open, then,
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Speaker 1: which is requisite for rightly calling upon God, is that
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Speaker 1: we come unto Him in full assurance that He will
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Speaker 1: hear us. And why so, because He hath promised us. They, then,
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Speaker 1: which shall pray at all adventure, shall gain nothing, as
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Speaker 1: the scripture saith, for it is done but in hypocrisy.
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Speaker 1: When as we are sure not ourselves that God will
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Speaker 1: hear us, we must, as the apostle saith, in drawing
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Speaker 1: near unto God, know that it is God which calleth
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Speaker 1: us unto Him, and they which have not this knowledge
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Speaker 1: shall be void of their hope. And therefore every man
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Speaker 1: must look into himself and be thus resolved, and say, well,
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Speaker 1: since it is God that calleth and biddeth me to
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Speaker 1: come unto Him, I must not stand in doubt of
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Speaker 1: obtaining that which I shall ask of Him. Yea, because
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Speaker 1: I trust to His word. When then we shall be
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Speaker 1: thus fully assured, we may very well begin to pray.
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Speaker 1: But if this be not in us, we may bestow
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Speaker 1: great pains in praying us to God. YEA, from morning
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Speaker 1: and till evening. We may continue all the whole night
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Speaker 1: in babbling, but we shall get nothing at all by it.
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Speaker 1: Although we had some desire and zeal, we should never
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Speaker 1: know what gain we should have by our prayers, because
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Speaker 1: we trust not to the promises of God, nor yet
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Speaker 1: stay ourselves upon them. Let us then not doubt but
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Speaker 1: that He will help us, and that we shall feel
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Speaker 1: His aid in time convenient. Hereby we see that we
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Speaker 1: could never duly and truly pray unto God in all
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Speaker 1: the religion of popery. I say, according to that doctrine
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Speaker 1: which they hold, And why so, because they teach the
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Speaker 1: wretched world to be always in doubt and wavering. See
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Speaker 1: then that a mere and professed papist can never be
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Speaker 1: able to make one prayer to please God, and cannot
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Speaker 1: choose but to provoke the wrath of God against themselves
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Speaker 1: in all their prayers. And why so, for so much
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Speaker 1: as they look not unto His promises upon which we
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Speaker 1: must settle ourselves to be assured, but that which is worse.
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Speaker 1: They teach that in their prayers they must always stand
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Speaker 1: in doubt. So much the more then ought this doctrine
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Speaker 1: rightly to be considered of us. Where it is declared
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Speaker 1: that the key which openeth the gate for us to
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Speaker 1: approach unto God in calling upon his name is this,
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Speaker 1: that we must have the promises contained in the Holy Scripture,
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Speaker 1: and to learn such an affiance out of it as
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Speaker 1: that we doubt not that God regardeth us, and that
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Speaker 1: so oftentimes as we pray unto Him, that our prayers
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Speaker 1: enter into him, and that He will receive them, declaring
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Speaker 1: that He is ready to grant unto us whatsoever we
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Speaker 1: shall crave of Him in His Son's name, according to
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Speaker 1: his will. Now in the meanwhile, because that God ordinarily
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Speaker 1: heareth not us at the first chop, that is to say,
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Speaker 1: showeth not it according to the outward show, and as
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Speaker 1: we would wish. Here is required patience to remain constant
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Speaker 1: in this assurance, and to retain and nourish it in
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Speaker 1: our hearts. After the example of David, For he saith
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Speaker 1: not that he prayed only unto God for a time,
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Speaker 1: but showeth that he continued therein, and that he prevented
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Speaker 1: the night watchers. See then what perseverance was in him
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Speaker 1: as touching prayer. Now it is a sign that God
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Speaker 1: showed him not to have obtained the thing that he
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Speaker 1: prayed for it falleth out then that David his patience
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Speaker 1: was troubled in that he languished. And yet for all
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Speaker 1: that he always trusted to the word of God. Now we,
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Speaker 1: for our parts, are to do even the like. For
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Speaker 1: although God showeth not himself to be merciful unto us
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Speaker 1: so soon as we would wish, and to grant us
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Speaker 1: our requests, yet ought we notwithstanding to build hereupon that
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Speaker 1: He will be faithful and show himself so in the end.
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Speaker 1: Although he prolongeth it for a time, he doth it
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Speaker 1: because he knoweth it to be very profitable for us
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Speaker 1: to humble us, and to prove our patience. It followeth
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Speaker 1: soon after mine eyes prevent the night watchers, that I
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Speaker 1: might be occupied in thy word. This verse is not
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Speaker 1: put to without cause. I have already said that we
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Speaker 1: can have no access under God in our prayers without
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Speaker 1: we trust to his word. For it is a very
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Speaker 1: hard matter for us stay upon God if we only
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Speaker 1: consider of him according to our natural reason, whether he
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Speaker 1: be near us or no, and whether he putteth forth
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Speaker 1: his hand to help us. When then we shall not
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Speaker 1: perceive this power and grace of God as we would wish.
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Speaker 1: It is a very hard thing for us to believe
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Speaker 1: in Him. And therefore we must stoutly strive in this behalf.
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Speaker 1: And see why David saith that his eyes prevented the
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Speaker 1: night watch to be occupied in that which might confirm him,
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Speaker 1: as if he should have said, O Lord, I have
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Speaker 1: believed thy word. But it was with great pain and
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Speaker 1: with many hard conflicts, for I am a weak man,
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Speaker 1: and of mine own nature inclined to distrust. And besides
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Speaker 1: I am assailed with a great number of temptations. But
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Speaker 1: yet have I remedied all this gear When as I
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Speaker 1: occupied myself about this continual meditation of thy word, which
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Speaker 1: I did not only bestow on the daytime, but also
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Speaker 1: in part of the night. See here what we are
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Speaker 1: in very deed to gather out of this place. But
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Speaker 1: first we must mark thee proceeding of David. For after
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Speaker 1: he hath spoken of the hope, wherein he was settled
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Speaker 1: to pray unto God without doubting that he would hear him,
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Speaker 1: he says that he carefully meditated on his word. And
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Speaker 1: why did he so? Shall that which was necessary for
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Speaker 1: David to do be superfluous for us? God forbid? For
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Speaker 1: if such a prophet as he had, need to arm
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Speaker 1: himself against the temptations of his flesh, against the infirmities
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Speaker 1: wherewith he might be assailed, I pray you, how quickly
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Speaker 1: shall we be overthrown if we have not the same
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Speaker 1: remedy which he used, and the courage also which he
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Speaker 1: here exhorteth us unto. Let us then consider that if
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Speaker 1: we will be stayed upon the promises of God, because
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Speaker 1: we would call upon Him in the time of need,
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Speaker 1: We ought many times to meditate upon His words, both
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Speaker 1: day and night, and to set all our study and
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Speaker 1: affection therein. And see what the cause is why there
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Speaker 1: are so few which be disposed to pray unto God, yea.
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Speaker 1: And when they are there, too enforced, they know not
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Speaker 1: which way to begin, because they cannot be fully resolved
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Speaker 1: to say, it is very requisite that when I shall
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Speaker 1: call upon my good God, that I fully assured that
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Speaker 1: He will not refuse to hear me. What is the
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Speaker 1: cause of this uncertainty? It is because they are not
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Speaker 1: well acquainted with the promises of God. For a man
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Speaker 1: will think that it were even enough, slightly and lightly
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Speaker 1: to believe that God will hear those that are his.
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Speaker 1: And when we come to prayer with this thought, we
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Speaker 1: think that if we have said but a word or two,
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Speaker 1: that it is too much, yea. And if we come
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Speaker 1: to a sermon and hear the promises of God spoken of,
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Speaker 1: we think it by and by to be an unprofitable speech,
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Speaker 1: and will say that it is more than needeth. For
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Speaker 1: what is he that understandeth not that well enough? And
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Speaker 1: in the meanwhile behold a mighty great temptation, like unto
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Speaker 1: a boisterous whirlwind and tempest even at hand. And then
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Speaker 1: he which thought himself so able a man is become
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Speaker 1: a very milk sop. He will look whether God will
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Speaker 1: have pity of him, he will possibly imagine that he
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Speaker 1: hath turned his back yea, or else he will doubt
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Speaker 1: of his providence, whether he hath any care of the
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Speaker 1: world or no. There are a thousand fantasies which the
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Speaker 1: devil goeth about to put in our minds. And when
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Speaker 1: we are in this case, see we are so astonished
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Speaker 1: as that there is no coming for us to pray
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Speaker 1: unto God. And what is the reason. It is because
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Speaker 1: we have not been careful to meditate upon His promises.
18:15
Speaker 1: And therefore we ought so much the more thoroughly to
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Speaker 1: consider of this lesson. When as it is said that
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Speaker 1: David his eyes prevented the night watchers to meditate upon
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Speaker 1: the promises of God, let us now compare ourselves with him.
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Speaker 1: But it is so far off that any of us,
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Speaker 1: in particular hath this care whereof mention is here made
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Speaker 1: as that we cannot, by any means possible be trained
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Speaker 1: unto it. And although God biddeth us to come unto him,
18:40
Speaker 1: yet cannot we be brought to come anything near him?
18:43
Speaker 1: See how the bell shall ring every day to move
18:45
Speaker 1: us to come to the sermon. God. There telleth us
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Speaker 1: of his will, He declareth unto us that he is
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Speaker 1: ready to receive us to his mercy as often as
18:53
Speaker 1: we shall call upon him. Now every of us may
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Speaker 1: very well see that we pass not of his help
18:58
Speaker 1: one minute of an hour. And yet how many are there, notwithstanding,
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Speaker 1: which will vouchsafe to step one foot, to come to
19:05
Speaker 1: occupy themselves about the promises of God, that their memories
19:08
Speaker 1: might be refreshed in them, to the end they might
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Speaker 1: so much the better be remembered of them. Nay, we
19:13
Speaker 1: shall scarcely have a number of them come to it
19:16
Speaker 1: on the Sunday. Yea. And if per case they come once,
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Speaker 1: they think it to be as it were over much,
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Speaker 1: and forsooth they must not come thither neither every Sunday,
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Speaker 1: because their ears will be over much filled with noise.
19:28
Speaker 1: And again, such as do come to it with what affection,
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Speaker 1: come they think you verily, because that they cannot deny,
19:34
Speaker 1: but that there must be one day and the week
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Speaker 1: for them to meet together. And besides they will for
19:39
Speaker 1: once come thither, but it shall be to sleep, so
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Speaker 1: that they understand and carry away as much as these pillars,
19:45
Speaker 1: or else the stools whereon they sit. Lo Here, how
19:49
Speaker 1: a great number of the people come to the sermon yea,
19:52
Speaker 1: And there are no small number which will come thither
19:54
Speaker 1: even to mock God. As we see these scoffers and gibers,
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Speaker 1: who come to none other end but to despi Him,
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Speaker 1: bring with them hoarish and shameless faces, and such a
20:03
Speaker 1: beastly impudency as cannot be greater. All this we see. Now,
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Speaker 1: let us consider that it is so far off that
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Speaker 1: our slothfulness should be excused, as that God cannot but
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Speaker 1: justly punish us in that we shall be deprived of
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Speaker 1: the ability to call upon Him in our need, and
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Speaker 1: shall have our mouths also stopped. And afterward the mischief
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Speaker 1: shall increase daily more and more, until such time as
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Speaker 1: we are come even to the depth of the bottomless pits,
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Speaker 1: that is to say, we shall be utterly excluded from
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Speaker 1: the help of our good God, that he will retire
20:33
Speaker 1: himself from us and clearly banish us from His kingdom.
20:37
Speaker 1: Behold here the fruit which cometh by our negligence, when
20:40
Speaker 1: as we shall make no account of the exercising of
20:42
Speaker 1: ourselves in this study of the promises of God. Now
20:46
Speaker 1: David addeth here my voice, O Lord, according unto thy
20:49
Speaker 1: loving kindness quicken me according to Thy judgment. Here David
20:55
Speaker 1: declareth yet more plainly upon what ground he laid his
20:58
Speaker 1: foundation of praying unto God, to wit he brought no
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Speaker 1: kind of presumption with him, thinking to make account of
21:04
Speaker 1: this or that, and so to be thought very worthy
21:06
Speaker 1: that God should hear him. But he preferred the goodness
21:09
Speaker 1: and faithfulness of God above all his own worthiness. Lo
21:13
Speaker 1: here whereunto we must look if we will have God
21:16
Speaker 1: to be merciful unto us, and when as we would
21:18
Speaker 1: profit ourselves by our prayers, we must not once talk
21:21
Speaker 1: of bringing in anything of ours with us, nor yet
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Speaker 1: allege this thing, nor that as thinking to bind God
21:27
Speaker 1: unto us for some good turn that we have done him.
21:30
Speaker 1: But to have this principle regard with us God is
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Speaker 1: good and faithful. And just see then whereon it is
21:38
Speaker 1: that we must settle our confidence, if we will be
21:40
Speaker 1: resolved that He will hear us. And this is such
21:43
Speaker 1: a doctrine I tell you, as we ought well to
21:45
Speaker 1: hold and keep, for in very deed under this word promise.
21:49
Speaker 1: This must altogether be understood. For what is it that
21:53
Speaker 1: induceth God to help us and to say, come unto
21:55
Speaker 1: me without he look that we would crave something at
21:58
Speaker 1: his hands. What is the cause that our God presenteth
22:01
Speaker 1: himself thus unto us? Are they our merits? Have we,
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Speaker 1: any ways on our part deserved that He should be
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Speaker 1: so loving and kind unto us? No, Without all doubt,
22:11
Speaker 1: we must then needs conclude that the promises to spring
22:14
Speaker 1: out from this fountain, even his mere mercy. And therefore
22:17
Speaker 1: it is not without cause that David, after he hath
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Speaker 1: spoken of the promises of God, declareth that he desireth
22:24
Speaker 1: not to be heard, but in this respect that God
22:26
Speaker 1: is good and merciful, as if he should have said,
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Speaker 1: O Lord, if any man inquire the cause, why thou
22:32
Speaker 1: hast heard me and has pity on me, I am
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Speaker 1: able to say nothing as touching mine own person, but
22:37
Speaker 1: that I justly deserve to be rejected of thee. But
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Speaker 1: thou hast taken the matter and cause unto thine own
22:42
Speaker 1: goodness and righteousness. Now it followeth soon after they draw
22:47
Speaker 1: nigh that follow after malice and are far from Thy law.
22:51
Speaker 1: Thou art nigh at hand, O Lord, for all thy
22:53
Speaker 1: commandments are true. Here David complaineth unto God, and desireth
22:58
Speaker 1: him to help him against thee wicked and ungodly contemners
23:01
Speaker 1: of his majesty, as if he had said unto him,
23:04
Speaker 1: O Lord, I can allege nothing at all for mine
23:06
Speaker 1: own defense, but that they which draw nigh unto me
23:10
Speaker 1: to hurt me are so much the farther off from
23:13
Speaker 1: Thy law, and I the nearer Thy commandments. It is
23:17
Speaker 1: a common intendment that they which do imagine malice are
23:20
Speaker 1: far from God in withdrawing themselves from His law. But
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Speaker 1: when as we shall narrowly look into the matter, that
23:27
Speaker 1: is the very true and natural sense of the prophet
23:29
Speaker 1: which I have already touched, that they which imagine malice
23:32
Speaker 1: or deceit are very far off, that is, they are
23:35
Speaker 1: retired from the law of God to persecute those which
23:38
Speaker 1: draw nigh unto it. And see how David hath taken
23:41
Speaker 1: for his advantage that the wicked are far from God,
23:44
Speaker 1: because he did very well see that he had been
23:47
Speaker 1: overthrown through their malice, without God had holpen him. Which
23:51
Speaker 1: thing he showeth by this complaint, that the wicked troubled
23:53
Speaker 1: him even to the uttermost. And so much the more
23:56
Speaker 1: ought we to consider of this, because we, being so
23:59
Speaker 1: womanish as possibly may be, do by and by think
24:02
Speaker 1: that if the wicked bear the sway and craftily go
24:04
Speaker 1: about to devise anything against us, that all is lost,
24:08
Speaker 1: and that God hath given us over for a spoil.
24:11
Speaker 1: We can in no wise abide that God should exercise
24:13
Speaker 1: our patience, nor yet humble us. Let us then thoroughly
24:17
Speaker 1: consider of the example of David. For although that God
24:20
Speaker 1: had specially chosen him out amongst the rest, and had
24:22
Speaker 1: bestowed so many excellent graces upon him, Yet for all
24:26
Speaker 1: that he was contented that the ungodly should persecute him,
24:29
Speaker 1: neither could he make them stand aloof off, for he
24:32
Speaker 1: had neither ramparts or bulwarks that he was able to say,
24:36
Speaker 1: you shall not come near me, For he saith that
24:39
Speaker 1: they drew nigh him. So, then, when God giveth such
24:42
Speaker 1: leave to the wicked as to have the reins at will,
24:45
Speaker 1: so that it should seemed that they had the power
24:47
Speaker 1: even to set their feet on our throats yea, and
24:50
Speaker 1: to swallow us clean up. Let us consider that it
24:53
Speaker 1: hath been the will of God in all ages to
24:55
Speaker 1: have his children subject to the malice of their enemies.
24:58
Speaker 1: Let us also have a further consideration this, which he
25:00
Speaker 1: saith that they are far from the law of God.
25:03
Speaker 1: For this importeth that they neither had truth nor equity
25:06
Speaker 1: in them. When then the ungodly shall, with the contempt
25:10
Speaker 1: of God and an extreme impiety, even rush upon us
25:13
Speaker 1: to overthrow us. Let us, then, I say, remember the
25:16
Speaker 1: example of David, and say, wherefore do the wicked thus
25:19
Speaker 1: persecute us without any regard to Him who ought and
25:22
Speaker 1: will when it pleaseth Him both with force and violence
25:25
Speaker 1: repress them. It is because they are both blind and blockish,
25:29
Speaker 1: and are without all truth and equity. But on the
25:32
Speaker 1: contrary side, let us not be afraid, because we know
25:35
Speaker 1: that God is nigh, and let us continually call upon
25:38
Speaker 1: him to the end. He may be always nearer and
25:40
Speaker 1: nearer unto us, to put himself betwixt us, and make
25:43
Speaker 1: himself our buckler, to put back the attempts and to
25:46
Speaker 1: bear the blows, wherewith the wicked shall assail us. Moreover,
25:50
Speaker 1: let us be sure and resolute that, notwithstanding that the
25:53
Speaker 1: ungodly shall thus oppress us, yet that God is not
25:56
Speaker 1: far from us, although that we cannot perceive it. For
25:59
Speaker 1: God will oftentimes be near us, when as we shall
26:02
Speaker 1: think that He is clean hidden, that is to say,
26:04
Speaker 1: he showeth not unto us his power and virtue, neither
26:07
Speaker 1: layeth he yet open at the first chop. For we
26:11
Speaker 1: must also call upon him that we might show what
26:13
Speaker 1: honor we bear him. That although he prolongeth the time
26:16
Speaker 1: and tarrieth longer before he help us, then we would
26:20
Speaker 1: yet must we, notwithstanding tarry his good leisure in some
26:24
Speaker 1: We must always be resolute in this which David here
26:26
Speaker 1: speaketh of, saying, are the ungodly and eye very well?
26:30
Speaker 1: And God is at hand, That is to say, God
26:32
Speaker 1: is not asleep in heaven. While these men are maliciously
26:35
Speaker 1: imagining to do us hurt God. His arms are not
26:38
Speaker 1: a cross, neither are his hands closed. Notwithstanding that these
26:42
Speaker 1: men seek nothing else but to devour us. God is
26:45
Speaker 1: not yet blind. Whilst these godly awake to destroy and
26:49
Speaker 1: confound us. See then, how God, according to the necessities
26:53
Speaker 1: which he knoweth to be in us, will always be
26:55
Speaker 1: at hand so as to assist us. As that whatsoever
26:58
Speaker 1: mischief is near us, it shall never be able to
27:01
Speaker 1: overcome us. Yea invent the wicked what they can on
27:05
Speaker 1: all sides. This is it that David meaneth to signify
27:08
Speaker 1: in this place. Now he also saith that the commandments
27:13
Speaker 1: of God are true. Wherein He exhorteth us to have
27:16
Speaker 1: recourse unto the word of God. For although we are
27:19
Speaker 1: thus tormented and fast closed up in sorrow and griefs yea,
27:23
Speaker 1: and that we look this way and that way for help,
27:25
Speaker 1: and yet see not God to remedy the same. Then
27:28
Speaker 1: I say He teacheth us to have recourse unto his word.
27:32
Speaker 1: And this is a most profitable admonition, For when we
27:35
Speaker 1: seek after God, we must not have regard to our
27:38
Speaker 1: own fantasies, nor to any worldly manner as we are accustomed,
27:43
Speaker 1: nor to look that He submit himself unto our will,
27:46
Speaker 1: to show himself unto us after a visible sort, to
27:49
Speaker 1: have come down from Heaven in his majesty, to consume
27:53
Speaker 1: with fire and brimstone all our enemies, to set us aloft,
27:56
Speaker 1: and to bear us such favor as that we might
27:58
Speaker 1: have all things at our own death. Desire. Lo, I
28:01
Speaker 1: beseech you, how we desire to have God to show himself,
28:05
Speaker 1: For like as we are fleshly, so also would we
28:07
Speaker 1: have Him to show himself unto us in a visible manner.
28:11
Speaker 1: All this while his word is of no great authority,
28:13
Speaker 1: with us, for if he show us not why and
28:16
Speaker 1: wherefore we are not contented with that which he hath spoken,
28:20
Speaker 1: But we would forsooth see his hand altogether open. Wherefore
28:25
Speaker 1: this admonition which David here giveth us is very necessary
28:29
Speaker 1: to wit that the commandments of God are true, as
28:32
Speaker 1: if he should have said, O Lord, I have already
28:34
Speaker 1: said that thou art near unto us, forasmuch as thou
28:37
Speaker 1: seest us to be persecuted and troubled by the wicked,
28:40
Speaker 1: and how they come upon us to destroy us, and
28:43
Speaker 1: that thou art right before them and against them, to
28:46
Speaker 1: beat them back and to bear their blows. All this
28:49
Speaker 1: do I confess, O Lord. But yet I see not
28:52
Speaker 1: this after a visible and worldly manner. How then it
28:56
Speaker 1: is because thy commandments are true. David then kneweth that
29:00
Speaker 1: God was near unto him, because he settled himself upon
29:04
Speaker 1: the law and the promises which were given him. And
29:07
Speaker 1: even so must we do, although it seem very hard,
29:09
Speaker 1: as we have already touched it, followeth, I have known
29:14
Speaker 1: long since by thy testimonies, that thou hast grounded them forever.
29:19
Speaker 1: In this latter verse, for a conclusion, David saith that
29:22
Speaker 1: he was not like a novice to be now to
29:25
Speaker 1: learn to know what the commandments of God were. But
29:27
Speaker 1: he was resolute that God was near him, because he
29:30
Speaker 1: had his word, from which he could not start. He
29:35
Speaker 1: showeth then that the faithful ought not to be as
29:38
Speaker 1: it were in their A. B. C. But must be
29:40
Speaker 1: long time exercised. As David protesteth of himself. I have
29:44
Speaker 1: known them, saith He, long since now here he setteth
29:48
Speaker 1: down a word which signifieth continuance from the beginning. Have
29:52
Speaker 1: I known saith He long since thy commandments, which thou
29:55
Speaker 1: hast grounded forever. So then let us learn that if
29:59
Speaker 1: we will boldly strive against all the assaults wherewith we
30:02
Speaker 1: may be assailed, we must continue in this knowledge of
30:05
Speaker 1: the Word of God, and we shall always find Him
30:07
Speaker 1: ready to be near hand us, so that we may
30:10
Speaker 1: be sure of His protection, not for a day only,
30:13
Speaker 1: but all the days of our life. And so let
30:16
Speaker 1: us thoroughly record this lesson to the end. We may
30:19
Speaker 1: say with David, that we have the testimonies of God
30:22
Speaker 1: so deeply imprinted in our hearts, as that we have
30:25
Speaker 1: long time since known what is already in them, to
30:28
Speaker 1: it that God hath established them that is to say
30:32
Speaker 1: that although we shall see a great number of changes
30:34
Speaker 1: in this world, that all things are changed and turned,
30:37
Speaker 1: yet that God is no changelngth that he never altereth
30:40
Speaker 1: his mind. That his word is as it was from
30:43
Speaker 1: the beginning, and as it shall continue forever, that it
30:47
Speaker 1: shall never be subject to all the turns and changes
30:49
Speaker 1: of this world, but shall ever abide in His full
30:52
Speaker 1: strength and virtue, because that God hath established it forever.
30:56
Speaker 1: And this is even so as that we ought to
30:58
Speaker 1: be prepared to call upon God to wit, when as
31:01
Speaker 1: we shall be settled upon the true confidence of His promises,
31:05
Speaker 1: that we shall have known the everlasting power and strength
31:07
Speaker 1: which He hath given to his word, that is that
31:10
Speaker 1: he will remain always like unto himself. When I say
31:14
Speaker 1: we shall have known this, we may boldly come and
31:16
Speaker 1: present ourselves before Him, being assured that He will make
31:19
Speaker 1: us feel by proof that which he promiseth us, so
31:23
Speaker 1: oftentimes as we shall have recourse unto him, trusting herein
31:26
Speaker 1: that he hath rendered unto us a testimony of the
31:29
Speaker 1: love which He beareth us. Now let us prostrate ourselves
31:33
Speaker 1: before the majesty of our good God and Father in
31:35
Speaker 1: acknowledging of our innumerable offenses which we daily commit against him,
31:39
Speaker 1: beseeching him that he will so touch us as that instead,
31:43
Speaker 1: that we have been over much given to our fleshly
31:45
Speaker 1: affections and vanities of this world, that now we seek
31:49
Speaker 1: none other way but wholly to order ourselves according to
31:52
Speaker 1: His good will. Being assured that although we be feeble
31:55
Speaker 1: and weak, yea and utterly void of all strength, so
31:58
Speaker 1: that we cannot go one step forth forward without stumbling,
32:01
Speaker 1: or else in going backward, we be far from him,
32:04
Speaker 1: yet let us not doubt but that He will be
32:07
Speaker 1: near at hand to help us, and also that when
32:11
Speaker 1: he hath made us to feel his help, that he
32:14
Speaker 1: will give us that grace, that we may be so
32:16
Speaker 1: thankful unto him as he deserveth, desiring nothing else but
32:20
Speaker 1: to glorify him all the days of our life, for
32:23
Speaker 1: so many his benefits, as he daily giveth us and
32:26
Speaker 1: liberally bestoweth upon us, that he will not only grant
32:29
Speaker 1: unto us disgrace, but also unto all people and nations
32:32
Speaker 1: of the earth, et cetera. End of Sermon, nineteen