The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

This Psalm containeth the acknowledging of the Prophet his unworthiness, and showeth how all things are of God: it witnesseth the man of God his love to the Saints, his hatred of false religion, the assurance of God his providence, and his undoubted hope of life everlasting. All which things containing so many points of heavenly doctrine, ought much to provoke in us the love of the Psalm, and loving it to frequent the use of it. The Psalm seemeth to be general, and may be used at all seasons, and of all estates, as not being bound to any peculiar condition of men, or tied to any several circumstance, as are many other Psalms, containing particular matter: and therefore is it to be used as a notable meditation, which may be showed by this word Mitchtam. The first verse is the proposition of the whole, and the residue of the Psalm prosecuteth the same matter. Now to the words of the text.

THis Psalme containeth the acknowledging of the Prophet his vnworthinesse, and sheweth how all things are of God: it witnesseth the man of God his loue to the Saints, his hatred of false religion, the assurance of God his prouidence, and his vndoubted hope of life euerlasting. All which things containing so many points of heauenly doctrine, ought much to prouoke in vs the loue of the Psalme, and louing it to frequent the vse of it. The Psalme seemeth to be generall, and may be vsed at all seasons, and of all estates, as not being bound to any peculiar condition of men, or tied to any seuerall circumstance, as are many other Psalmes, containing particular matter: and therefore is it to be vsed as a notable meditation, which may be shewed by this word Mitchtam. The first verse is the proposition of the whole, and the residue of the Psalme prosecuteth the same matter. Now to the words of the text.

Preserve me, O God. Here David desireth not deliverance from any special trouble, but generally prayeth to be fenced and defended continually by the providence of God: wishing that the Lord would continue his mercy towards him unto the end, and in the end: whereby he foresaw that it was as needful for him to be safeguarded by God his protection in the end, as at the time present; as also how he made no less account of it in his prosperity, than in adversity. So that the man of God still feared his infirmity, and therefore acknowledgeth himself ever to stand in need of God his help. And here is a sure and undoubted mark of the child of God, when a man shall have as great a care to continue and grow in well doing, as to begin: and this praying for the gift of final perseverance, is a special note of the child of God. This holy jealousy of the man of God made him so to desire to be preserved at all times, in all estates, both in soul and body. Every man will say, true it is, if God should not preserve us, how could we continue? But few there be who rightly and carefully use the means, as this man of God did, whereby they may attain this grace. And therefore howsoever they pretend a good affection, and well liking generally of the thing, yet they have no true faith, as the Prophet had: for faith would drive them carefully to use the means: how be it this general knowledge is left in many to take from them all excuse: but in the faithful it worketh an holy fear, and fear engendereth a conscience to use the means. I appeal to the conscience of a natural man: If a man being sick would cry, Lord help me, Lord restore me to my health, and yet in the mean time wilfully refuseth the prescribed means for his recovery, tempted he not God? which if it be so, how much more dangerous is this in things concerning the soul, when a man either for want of hearing & reading the word feeleth not the diseases of the mind; or feeling them effectually pineth and languisheth away under the burden of them, neglecting prayer, confessing of his sins, repentance, and such like means of his