The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: reuised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as loue the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse. By H.H.

¶ Vers. 28.

My soule melteth for he••••ines, raise me vp according vnto th•• Word.

ME thinks I see Dauid here resolued into teares, and pouring them out at his cies, as at •• well with two buckets, by reason that the hand of God was heauy vpon him. Hee can find no comfort but in the word of God, & therefore he, to be raised vp by it, be taketh himselfe to this ciaculatory prayer. He thought it not enough to say, My soule cleaueth to the dust: vers. 25. but here wil he adde, that it melted for heauines. The spirit of a man may beare his infirmities, but a woūded spirit who can beare? saith the wise man; Prou. 18 14 There is much in this booke concerning afflicted consciences, & therefore I need not to adde much. In all those sorrowes which the soule hath, arising from the consideration of Gods wrath for sinne; the first consolation is from the word of God, in which is promised grace, and for∣giuenes of our sinnes. Thus it will quicken, and comfort vs in trouble, and assure vs of this haruest, that though we sowe in teares, we shall reape inioy.

But because wee can neither apprehend nor apply this word, further then wee receiue grace from God, wee must with Dauid pray to the Lord, that hee would so guide vs that wee wander not, vphold vs that we fall not, confirme vs that wee funt not, encourage vs that wee despaire not, and quicken vs, that wee dye not. This verse requires rather the medita∣tion of a penitent conuert, then the Exposition of a learned Diuine: as for the wicked they vnderstand not what is here written. Though the righteous fall, hee shall not bee cast off: for the Lord putteth vnder his hand. Psal. 37. 24.