They will easily contemn such shadows of God, who reverence not that Supreme and adorable Majestie, in comparison of whom all the glory of Men and Angels is but obscurity; yet hath he graven such Characters of divine Authority, and sacred Power upon Kings, as none may without sin seek to blot them out. Nor shall their black veils be able to hide the shining of my face, while God gives me an heart frequently and humbly to converse with him, from whom alone are all the traditions of true glory and majestie. _Thou, O Lord, knowest my reproach, and my dishonour; my adversaries are all before thee._ _My soul is among Lions, among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men; whose teeth are spears and arrows, their tongue a sharp sword._ _Mine enemies reproach me all the day long, and those that are mad against me, are sworn together._ _O my God, how long shall the sons of men turn my glory into shame? how long shall they love vanity, and seek after lies?_ _Thou hast heard the reproaches of wicked men on every side. Hold not thy peace, lest my Enemies prevail against me, and lay mine honour in the dust._ _Thou, O Lord, shalt destroy them that speak lies; the Lord will abhor both the blood-thirsty and deceitfull men._ _Make my righteousnesse to appear as the light, and mine innocencie to shine forth as the Sun at noon-day._ _Suffer not my silence to betray mine innocence, nor my displeasure, my patience; That after my Saviours example, being reviled, I may not revile again; and being cursed by them, I may bless them._ _Thou that wouldst not suffer_ Shimei's _tongue to go unpunished; when by thy judgements on_ David _he might seem to justifie his disdainfull reproaches, give me grace to intercede with thy mercy for these my enemies, that the reward of false and lying tongues, even hot burning coales of eternall fire, may not be brought upon them._ _Let my prayers, and patience, be as water to coole and quench their tongues, who are already set on fire with the fire of Hell, and tormented with those malitious flames._ _Let me be happy to refute, and put to silence their evill speaking by well-doing; and let them enjoy not the fruit of their lips, but of my prayer for their repentance, and thy pardon._ _Teach me_ Davids _patience and_ Hezekiah's _devotion, that I may look to thy mercy through mans malice and see thy justice in their sin._ _Let_ Sheba's _seditious speeches_, Rabshekah's _railing, and_ Shimei's _cursing, provoke, as my humble prayer to thee, so thy renued blessing towards me._ _Though they curse, do thou bless, and I shall be blessed; and made a blessing to my people._ _That the stone, which some builders refuse, may become the head-stone of the corner._ _Look down from heaven, and save me, from the reproach of them that would swallow me up._ _Hide me in the secret of thy presence, from the pride of man, and keep me from the strife of tongues._ * * * * *