An exposition vppon the thirtie two psalme describing the true manner of humbling and raising vppe of Gods children. Set foorth by Maister David Blak.

7 Thou art my secret place, thou preseruest ••••e from trouble, thou compassest me about ••ith ioyfull deliuerance. Selah.

In this next verse, the Prophet set∣eth downe a shorte forme of prayer to ••e vsed of the faithful, wherein the pro∣position

is a petition to be preserued i•• misery, on these wordes, keepe mee from distresse, or in the strayt of my troubles; which is inforced first by an argument taken from their faith, which expecteth the invisible grace and defence of God when all the world denieth succor, th•••• art my secrete place. Secondly, by the ef∣fect of the said deliuerance, that the chil∣dren of God shall be stirred vp to the se∣cond duty of prayer which is to praise and glorifie Gods name. Thou shalt com∣passe me about with songes of thankes-giuing In the first where the faithfull are taught to call God, their secret place, is meant that they acknowledge the especial car•• of God ouer such as call rightlie vppo•• his name, that he is their refuge, & dot•• secretly, & with grace (which the worl•• is not vouchsafed with the sight of) pro¦tect and sustaine his, so as they remain•• safe, when the world looketh that the•• shalbe ouer-whelmed with dispaire an•• calamities. And this administration o•• God, doeth astonishe the worlde wo••¦derfullie,

when they see a poore sillie ••odie, who hath no abettor or mayn∣••eyner, nor any man of countenance ••o back him; but that he is like a lowe ••edge, which euery man may step ouer, ••ot to bee dismayde with all this, but ••o lay him downe (as DAVID sayeth) and sleepe in much securitie, when his ••nemies keepe stout watche and pitch∣••th their tentes against him; IOBS wife ••sketh such a question of her husband; ••nd that with muche indignation; Doest thou still persist in thine integritie? Thinking it absurd, that he should bee ••onstant in avouching the righteousnes ••f God; when there appeared no token, ••ut of his wrath and furie: Assuredly, all ••he confidence of men, which they ••aue in worldlie munitions, and all o∣••her meanes of safetie; are like the house ••f a spyder, in comparison of this: And ••herefore, we see oftentimes, their Sun ••oeth downe at noone; but when God ••••deth his children, vnder the lappe of ••s garment; neyther men nor diuells 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

enemies shall not terrifie vs; but ou•• eyes being opened by prayer, shall be hold the mountaines over-spread wit•• Angels; and wee shall see, that whic•• they cannot discerne: namely, that ther•• are more with vs, than vvith them (as th•••• Scripture sayeth.)

The next reason to mooue God t•• saue his Children in their straight; i•• that he may compasse them about wit•• songes of thanks-giuing; that is, by de••••¦uering them, he might minister occa••••¦on of his owne prayses, as it is in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Psal. Open my lippes, and my mouthe sha•••• shew foorth thy praise. This as I saide, is th•• second part of prayer, where-unto th•• people were moued, vnder the ceremo¦niall law, by streight paying of vowe•••• least the feare of God, should be dim••¦nished in them by prosperitie & hear•• case; whereby appeareth, that this du••¦ty of thanks-giuing, carefully perfo••¦med, is a singuler exercise of faith; whe•• men standing vpon the shoare, and be¦holding the dangerous & tumultuou••

Seas, which they haue pass••d, are stirred 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to sacrifice prayse and glorie to him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the same. And thi•• seruice the Lorde ••oth greately accept, and taketh much 〈◊〉〈◊〉 light in it; yea, it is a further worke of ••••ith, then petition, which is the former ••••rte of prayer: for those which are but ••••lightned against death, may serue in a ••••••t to make some petitions to God; but ••••ey neuer be-think them at all, of the ••••tie of thanks-giuing, when they haue ••••c••••ued benefites of him: And for this ••••u••e nine of the leapers which Christ ••e••s••d are defamed to all posteritie by ••••e holy Ghost in the Gospel: For there as nothing more odious nor this sin; ••••d therefore God hath not so much ••••t it to the censure of the Church, but ••••th reserued it to his owne judgment. ••et vs then labour to purge our selues 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••uch a wickednesse, spending much 〈◊〉〈◊〉 our time, in the songes of thanks-gi∣••••ng, since God hath compassed vs a∣••••ut with them, and hath giuen vs so ••••nie occ••siones to prayse his name.

The book of the Psalmes, though it con∣sist much of the first part of prayer, an•• be full of petitions: yet in the Hebrew ti¦tle, is called A Booke of prayses, name•• by the Church, as it were of the mo•••• honorable part of prayer: and indeede such hath bene the thankfulnesse o•• Gods children, that their loue canno•• keepe within the bankes, but burst fort•• into the prayse of God, in the midde•••• of some other treatise, as wee may ob¦serue in Saint PAVLL, in the first to th•• Romans verse 25. To be briefe, the exce••¦lencie of thanks-giuing, sheweth it sel•••• here in that, whereas men make petit••¦ons, it is of loue and care of themselues▪ For the supplie eyther of spirituall o•• bodily wantes, but where men offe•• thankes, it is of a kinde heart, of a louing and honorable affection, conceiued to¦wards God, when they striue with the••¦selues, and are in a sorte grieued, th•••• they haue nothing worthie in them t•• render for all his louing kindnesse: an•• that their loue cannot extend to him, a••

we reade in the 16. Psalme.