sake and will remember thy sinnes no more And againe a litle after Esay 48.9 V. 11. For mine owne sake I will be gracious for mine owne glory I wil refraine mine anger and will not destroy thee Propter me propter me faciam It is for my selfe and mine owne sake that I will do this for thee There was no cause in the Iewes that God should chuse them as elect vessels to cary the treasure of his word and to passe by so many other nations more rich and more populous Neither is there any cause in vs that we should haue the Gospell in peace and quietnesse preached vnto vs which blessing is denied to many mighty nations about vs. The cause is onely in the free goodnesse of God wherewith he embraceth his elect and chosen and therefore we may well say of our nations as Esay sayd of the Iewes of his time Isai 1â— If the Lord had not left vnto vs a remnant we had bene as Sodome and Gomorrha Such is our vnthankfulnesse for Gods manifold blessings such is our carelesnesse and dulnesse in prayer such is our disobedience and contempt of God his holy word that vnlesse there were a remnant of God his elect people amongst vs it could not haue bene but long before this time we should haue had the iudgement of Sodome and the cities adioyning in full measure powred vpon vs. But God hath a remnant of his elect amongst vs and in respect of his free loue towards them he doth still continue his goodnesse towards vs. God be eternally praysed for that remnant of his elect God graunt vs to be of that number God increase them daily God so continue and multiply them that the truth of his holy Gospell may still remaine to vs and to our posterity for euer A good hope we haue in the second property of Gods goodnesse to wit in the continuance and perpetuity thereof Saint Iames doth teach vs Iam. 1.13 that with the Lord there is no change nor shadow of change If we cast off the kindnesse of men we can yet haue no full assurance of the continuance of their benefits because the harts of men are variable Math. 21.8 They which this day doe cut downe bowes to strew in the way may to morow cry away with him and crucifie him But with God with whom there is no change nor shadow of mutability euery experience of Gods goodnesse is a sufficient argument of the perpetuity thereof as the king Prophet saith Psal 61.3 Thou Lord hast bene my refuge and strong tower against the enemy therefore I will dwell in thy tabernacle for euer and seeke my succor vnder the shadow of thy wings Whom God doth loue Iohn 13.2 Rom. 11.27 he doth loue to the end and the gifts and calling of God are without repentance It is his owne voice by the Prophet Isay 54.8 In a moment of time haue I hid my face from thee but in mine euerlasting mercy will I gather thee againe saith the Lord thy redeemer When Dauid doth in thankfulnesse of mind extoll the goodnesse of God Psal 136. he doth principally praise and magnifie the perpetuitie thereof And therefore in his Psalme of thanksgiuing as neuer sufficiently satisfied with the consideration thereof he doth still in euery verse repeate the mercie of God endureth for euer Many causes we giue for the abbridging and with-holding thereof but the Lord being patient long suffering Esay 30.18 doth still waite for our repentance Why will ye die O ye house of Israel Thus sayth the Lord I will not the death of a sinner Ezech. 18.31 but if he repent he shall liue We haue many wayes offended but God his goodnesse doth yet still enlarge it selfe towardes vs We are all as drie stubble yet the Lord doth not burne vs vp we are barren trees yet the Lord doth not cut vs downe we are all vnfruitfull ground yet the Lord doth make his Sunne to shine and raine to fall vpon vs. We haue often deserued Gods louing countenance to be turned from vs but we may thankfully say with the Prophet Misericordia est Domini Ierâ—m Iam. 3.22 quòd non consumimur It is the mercie of the Lord that we are not consumed This perpetuitie of God his goodnesse is our chiefest comfort in all afflictions and distresses For thereby though we be killed all the day long yet with the Apostle we are assured that neither life nor death nor principalitie nor power Rom. 8.38 nor any other thing shall separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Though God punish vs yet we doe chearefully with Iob blesse the name of God assuring our selues that whom the Lord doth loue he doth correct Hebr. 12. â— and scourgeth euery sonne whom hee doth receiue If we bee thankfull onely in prosperitie we loue not God but we loue the prosperity but herein appeareth the triall of our loue when we say with Iob Iob. 1â— 15 Although God kill me I will put my trust in him And doe with the Apostles reioyce that we bee accounted worthie to suffer any rebuke for the name of Christ Iesus Act. 5.41 It is good for me sayd Dauid that I haue bene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes Before I was afflicted Psal 119.71 67. I went astray but now O Lod I learne thy commaundements Psal 112.4 Vnto the godly saith Dauid there doth arise vp light in darknesse In the middest of all troubles they haue a sweete feeling of Gods goodnesse If sicknesse or any grieuous calamitie doe happen vnto the wicked all their ioy and comfort is vtterly driuen away The candle of the wicked as Salomon doth call it is soone put out Prou. 24.20 But the godly and faithfull though they be often ouer-whelmed with darknesse and misery yet their light doth still arise Ioh. 16.22 the sweete feeling of the mercie of God in Christ doth neuer depart from them They are assured that all things will worke for the best to them that loue God Rom. 8.28 they acknowledge that all their sorowes and sicknesses are nothing so great as their manifold follies and trespasses haue deserued and as the palme-tree the more waight is hanged vppon it the better it is sayd to prosper so the greater calamities they endure the more their faith doth flourish and the more zealous they are in prayer as the Psalmist here affirmeth Psal 107. Ve. 19. They crie vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuereth them out of their distresse O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnes and declare his wonderfull workes before the children of men The second thing for which the Prophet doth here exhort vs to praise God is the effect of his goodnesse to wit his wonderfull deliuerances in the midst of all distresses Ve. 20. He sayth in the verse going before that God sendeth forth his word and healeth
to tend to the edifying one of another As preaching ought to edifie so also thankesgiuing The Apostle doth condemne it 1. Cor. 14.17 when thou doest so giue thankes that thy brother is not edified The Prophet and Psalmist doth here require such a thanksgiuing vnto God that his workes may be declared before the children of men That cannot bee counted a declaring of Gods workes which is published in that tongue whereof the assembly hath no knowledge As in prayer the heart should bee touched with the want of that thing which it desireth So in thankesgiuing the heart should acknowledge and feele the ioy of that for which it giueth thankes And all must bee done to the glorie of God Rom. 15.6 which is then best performed when the whole Church doth with one heart and one voyce glorifie God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ The more publikely the thankesgiuing is vnderstoode the more euidently thereby is the glorie of God set forth And the more wee declare Gods workes before the children of men the more acceptable do wee offer our prayse vnto God Dauid vowed this thankefulnsse vnto God when hee saide Psal 22 2◠I will declare thy name amongst my brethren in the middest of the congregation I will sing prayse vnto thee Hee accounted it his chiefest ioy Psal 42. ◠to leade the people to the house of God with the voyce of ioy and thāksgiuing Psal 122. v. 1. And in another Psalme I am glad saith he when any say vnto me let vs goe to the house of God As in the other duties of our life so also in the seruice of God 1. Cor. 6.20 we must glorifie God both in bodie and soule for they are Gods When Satan tempted our Sauiour he offered to him al the kingdomes of the world and the glorie thereof Math. 4.8 if hee would but fall downe and worship him he seemed to be content with the bodily worship onely So his eldest sonne Antichrist when hee cannot drawe Christian princes to admit his damnable idolatrie nor yet by any meanes stirre vp sufficient powers to ouerthrowe them then his last refuge is to graunt to his reconciled vassals a dispensatiō to goe to the church and Sacraments in bodie so that they keepe their soules still faithfull vnto him he is then contented onely with the soule But the eternall God requireth of vs an entire worship and seruice both in body and soule Seeing hee made both bodie and soule and Christ Iesus redeemed both body and soule and both body and soule must liue for euer in the world to come we are commanded bounden to keepe our selues from all pollution as well of flesh as of spirit 2. Cor. 7.1 and to glorifie God both in bodie and soule for they are Gods When the Israelites were by the captiuitie of Babylon remoued from that publicke place of Gods seruice where they were wont both in body and soule to praise God they wept by the waters of Babilon said Psal 137.4 Dan. 6.11 how can we sing the Lords song in a strange land Daniel chose rather to be cast into the Lyons den then that his body should bee with-holden onely three dayes from the open praising of God God abhorreth all hypocrisie when men shall in his worship pretend one thing and do another he calleth hell by a proper and peculiar name Math. 24.31 the portion of hypocrites Rom. 2◠1 he requireth of vs a whole sacrifice both of bodie and soule he will haue both the one and the other all or none whole or no part The common translation doth interpret this text as declaring vnto vs to whom we must offer our thanksgiuing to wit vnto God O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse If we take the words in that sense they may very well agree with the whole argument of this Psalme For certaine it is that in all distresses and daungers the Prophet will haue vs both onely to flie to God for succor and onely to praise him for gracious deliuerance He meaneth here sundry calamities banishment enprisonment sicknesse tempestuous weather immoderate drought vnseasonable raine but still he ascribeth vnto God the deliuerance and therefore to him only must be rendered all thankes and praise In the Church of Rome for euery seuerall disease or perill they haue a seuerall Saint to call vpon Petronella for the Ague Roch for the plague Valentine for the falling-sicknesse Otilia for the eyes Apollonia for the teeth our Ladie and Saint Margaret for women in child-birth They make Christopher to be their patron against sudden death Agatha against fire Hubert against the biting of a mad dogge Scholastica against thunder Anthony for their swine Loy for their horses Wendeline for their sheepe Luke for their Kine They make seuerall patrons and defendours not onely for euery countrey as Peter and Paule for Italie Denis for Faunce George for England Andrew for Scotland Patricke for Ireland but also in a manner particularly for euerie vocation and trade as Iuo for Lawyers Ioseph for Carpenters Lucas for painters Gutmā for coblers what was this els but to rob God of his honor and to ascribe that to the creature which is due to the Creator only whose name be blessed for euer and euer for all troubles all people whatsoeuer the commaundement of God is generall by the Psalmist Psal 50.14 Call vpon me in the time of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me God is a iealous God he will not giue his glorie to any creature In ascribing somewhat to their Saints they thinke that thereby they honour them but they do them the greatest dishonour that may be when they make them meanes to rob God of his honour The Saints of God do by their owne examples in the Scriptures abundantly instruct vs to whom we are to ascribe all diuine praises and worship August de sancta virg cap. 3. The blessed Virgine blessed in bearing Christ by cōception in her body but more blessed in that she bare him also in the hart by faith doth acknowledge God to be a Sauiour as wel as al beleeuers therfore she praiseth God with these words My soule doth magnifie the Lord Luc. 1.46 my spirit doth reioyce in God my Sauior When Iohn would haue fallen downe to haue worshipped the angel Apoe 22.9 he was straightly forbiddē The Angel said take heed that thou do it not I am a seruant as thou art worship God Much lesse may men admit diuine worship in mē whom the Psalmist doth call in this place the sonnes of Adam And in which respect Saint Peter denied to be worshipped by Cornelius for when he was fallen downe at his feet to reuerence him the Apostle tooke him vp saying Stand vp Act. 10.26 for I my self am also a man When wee are exhorted here to celebrate before the Lord his goodnes and his wonderfull
are three kinds or sorts of soules and addeth presently the partition of Plato And againe plures sunt animae species et triplici sede collocatae there are three maners and formes of the soule and placed in three seuerall seates he citeth againe the diuision made by Plato Aristotle Vide Peucer Pag. 601. although in some places hee maketh but one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gouerning all yet when hee giueth to the vegetatiue sensitiue and rationall soule three seuerall times of beginning and seuerall efficient and materiall causes and seuerall maners of working Arist de generat animal lib 2. Cap. 3. he seemeth verie euidently to make three distinct sortes of animae For he teacheth plainely those anima or soules whose actions are corporall doe not come from outward but do growe in and with the bodie Nec simul fieri animatum et faetum It hath a vegetatiue force to growe in the wombe euen before it is endued with sense Ibid. But of the minde hee addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onely the mind doth come from out ward and is only diuine For the powers and opeations of the bodie doe not communicate with the operations thereof Melanch de anima pag. 21 Melanchthon doth not condemne the arguments of Occam wherein hee endeuoured to demonstrate that the rationall and sensitiue soule are distinct things in man His reasons are because the rationall and sensitiue appetites are contrary one to another and it is vnpossible that in the selfe same indiuisible nature there should bee at the same time contrarie appetites Againe if man beget man it must needs be with life and sense It seemeth a grosse thing to imagine that other baser creatures should naturally procreate and bring forth issue of their owne kinde with life and sense and that man being so farre a more excellent creature should not in procreation yeeld so much as sense and life The reasons of theÌ„ which defend three seuerall kinds of soules in man Howsoeuer the rationall soule the vnderstanding and mind commeth not ex trâ—duce froÌ„ the seed of the parents but is inspired and giuen of God yet the vegetatiue and sensitiue power as he saith cannot but come by naturall propagation if in bruite beasts much more in man the more noble creature Moreouer after their opinion the rationall soule differeth from the other in continuance and eternitie For whereas she is immortall and perpetuall the others to wit the vegetatiue and the sensitiue as they haue their beginning with the bodie so haue they their end also For their actions are wholy organical neither haue they any power or beeing when the bodily instruments do fayle The sensitiue power is corporall and diuisible but the mind or soule is a spirit incorporall and therfore indiuisible and is indeed the only essentiall difference betwixt man and bruitish creatures Whiles she is vnited with the bodie she gouerneth all the powers of the bodie and imparteth her efficacy to euery part of it according as it is found capable thereof As the Sunne in the great world doth come to some partes with his beames and to other parts onely with his efficacie euen so in this microcosmus the little world man the diuine spirit the soule doth on some partes cast the beames of her light and impart vnto other the power of her quickening spirit and is indeed both the fountaine of life in this world to the body being made capable by the vegetatiue and sensitiue faculties the good temperatures of the first qualities and after this life when the vegetatiue and naturall forces shall cease the bodie being by glorification made eternally capable it shall minister to it a life that neuer shall haue end A man doth sustaine no iourney if at the same time wherein he expecteth the payment of a debt though the debt be not paid yet his comming for it doth by occasion sodainly yeeld him such preferment as whereby he shall neuer stand in neede of that debt so expected And euen so it is no abasing vnto maÌ„ not to haue that debt of nature sensitiue life which all liuing creatures haue when at the same time in stead of that which should haue come from parents God doth inspire a far better euen a liuing soule performing al a thousand times more then the other could haue done I therfore hold their opinion to be soundest Peucer de diuinat cap de physiog which do attribute vnto man but one soule comprehending and gouerning al the powers in man The vegetatiue and sensitiue faculties are but bodily temperatures or corporall agitations hauing their motions according to the good disposition of the instruments and also their continuance according to their continuance But the mouing spirit which moueth all and ruleth all and quickeneth all is that one soule of man Chrysost ad populum Antioch hom 19 of which Chrysostome speaketh omnia duplicia naturae nostrae dedit Deus binos oculos binas aures binas manus binos pedes animam autem vnam quam si perdiderîmus quid superest quorum in vita maneamus God hath giuen all other things double vnto vs that if one be hurt the other may stand vs instead eies eares hands feet double But he hath giuen vs but one soule which if we destroy what is there in the world whereby we may hope for any life Isidor in etymolog And Isidore anima dum viuificat corpus anima est dum vult animus est dum scit mens est dum recolit memoria est dum rectum indicat ratio est dum spirat spiritus est dum aliquid sentit sensus est The soule is one but is called by seuerall names according to her seuerall and manifold operations Vide Curaei Physic Some holding the opinion of Plato that there bee three distinct soules in man do conclude that to be the cause of apparitions of ghostes because Plato taught that the sensitiue soule doth remaine a while after death as a garment couering to the rationall But I omit that as a playne dreame Iohannes Philoponus Philopon Grammat a Grecian Philosopher and yet a christian said that he could not conceiue how the wicked should be punished after this life vnlesse the sensitiue soule doe continue No doubt as the souls of them which dying in the Lord are alreadie blessed and with Christ in Paridise beholding the Lambe Apoc. 22 5. howsoeuer they want the bodily eye and haue no light of the Sun but the Lord God is their light for euer so the rich glutton his soule Luk 1â— the souls of as many as are alreadie damned with him do endure the torments prepared for the diuell and his angels Howsoeuer the bodies being not yet raised vp they cannot be said to haue their corporal senses The maner of the ioies punishmeÌ„ts after this life for the arme of Gods mercy and the arme of his iustice are both
of her chiefe animall facultie to haue seate in the braine and by her vitall facultie to haue place in the heart and by her naturall facultie to possesse the liuer yet the first by sinewes and the second by arteries and the third by veines doe with such societie harmonie and neere coniunction worke continually together in all the bodie that the soule it selfe which ruleth and gouerneth them al may bee said in and by them to bee present in all the bodie although in her owne essence and substance shee hath her proper place appointed by God being the chiefest part of mā it is most likely that she hath it in that part which is the chiefest beauty as it were the very maiestie of this earthly creature CHAP. VI. Whether the soul do come ex traduce by generation and conception from the parents as doth the bodie WHether the soule of man be created of God or no it is a matter that was neuer called in question in the Church of God for al the faithful haue euer acknowledged that as the body is created of God so also the soule But sundrie doubts haue been often made by many in what sort and maner the soule is created Some haue thought it to be a corporal thing and to come by propagation from the bodies of the parēts others haue on the other side so much extolled it as that they wold haue it to be created of the very substance of God A third sorte there haue bin which haue defended the soule to be a spiritual substāce but yet to come by propagation the soule from the soule as the bodie from the body Origin his opinion of all soules created together at the creation of the world is touched Chap. 4. August Epist 157. tom 2. Others wil haue it to be created of nothing others that it is created but yet of the substāce of that immortall soule which was giuen vnto Adam S. Augustine saith that if we keepe our selues frō the two first grosse heresies then Origo animae sine periculo latet it is no danger to vs to bee ignorant how the soule hath her beginning The first assertion which was the errour of Tertullian is at large confuted in that Epistle of Augustine The two chiefest reasons of Tertullian are these Gen. 46.26 first because it is said in Gen. that there came three score and sixe soules out of the loines of Iacob secondly because whē God made Adam Gen. 2.7 it is said that God did breath into him hee was made a liuing soule but when Eue was made there is no mētion made of any soule inspired into her therefore she had hers from Adam To the first it is answered that the word soul signifieth some times the person Gen. 14.21 as Gen. 14. giue mee the souls take thou the goods when the king of Sodom desired to haue his people againe S. Paul biddeth euery soul be subiect to higher powers that is euery person sometimes it is takē only for the body Aug. epist 157 tom 2. as S. Aug. sheweth in that Epistle as I haue laid open here in my first Chap. As for the ensāple of Eue it was sufficiēt to haue the inspiring of the soule once named but no doubt she had also her soule giuen her of God as Adā did acknowledge whē he said this is now flesh of my flesh Gen. 2 23. bone of my bone he did not say soule of my soule therfore did confesse it to be giuen of God The second opinion which was of the Manichees renewed of late time by Seruetus that because the Apostle saith Act 17.28 In God wee liue moue haue our beeing meaning indeed of the qualities gifts and graces which God hath bestowed on vs therefore our soule is made of the very essence of the God-head it is so grosse a collection that it needeth no cōfuting It is most absurd impious once to think that the soule of man being so many waies stamed polluted and so full of inconstancies vaine imaginations should be in substance a portiō of the most pure sacred God head As for them which thinke that it commeth of the essence of mans soul some do holde that in procreation it floweth out cum semine Aug. epist 15◠But Aug. doth thinke that to be incredible because multa fluunvirrita sine conceptibus semina and if the semen animae be mortall how shuld then the soule it selfe be immortall Others are of opiniō that no part of the soule issueth out with the seede but as one candle doth light another lose no part of it selfe thereby so the soule of the parents doth giue a soule to the naturall heate good temperature of that which is conceiued and yet not diminish thereby any portion of it selfe But the most generall opinion now holdē in the church is that the soules are created of God from outwardly by his diuine power inspired into mā at the time of giuing life Whether created of the soule of Adā as some in times past haue thought or created of nothing as in the first creation I account it a question needlesse seeing the word of God hath reuealed no determining thereof but that it is created of God and also created in another maner then is the body that seemeth to be apparātly declared in the holy scriptures The Apostle saith to the Hebrewes if we haue had fathers of our flesh to correct vs Heb. 12.9 we haue reuerenced thē how much more shall wee be in subiection to the father of our spirits and liue What can bee more apparant to shew that the body and the soule do not come both vnto vs after one maner God is our creator in respect of our bodies but hee hath made them by meanes by the parents of our flesh but hee is called the father of our soules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a certaine excellency and peculiar preheminēce because he hath made them himselfe alone and in the creatiō of our spirits hath gone beyond the course helpe of natural meanes The like speech we haue in the Preacher Eccl. 12.7 when earth saith he goeth to earth the spirit goeth to God which gaue it No doubt God giueth also the body as the Psalmist cōfesseth Psal 139.13 thou Lord hast couered me in my mothers wombe I will praise thee for that I am wonderfully made but he is by a singular proper prerogatiue called the giuer of spirits because they come not as the body by means but immediatly frō himself Hereunto hath S. Peter respect 1. Pet. 4.39 when he willeth vs to commit our soules vnto God as a faithful creator Dauid whē he saith the Lord doth fashion the harts of mē Psal 33.15 Hereupon is it that the Lord himselfe saith by the Prophet Esay that he hath made the soules Esay 57.16 to this worke
in mā for whose benefit and comfort the workes and affaires of this world are in such wonderfull maner managed and ordered The Psalmist deliuereth fiue especiall examples of Gods prouidence V. 4. First of exiles and pilgrims when as they do wander in desertes and are in most extremities hungrie and thirstie and their souls fainting in them the Lord doth often heare them when they cry vnto him bring thē to a city where they may dwel The second example is of captiues who whē for their sinnes V. 10. they lye fast bound in miseries and irons if they earnestly cal for Gods merciful aide the Lord doth bring them out of darknes the shadow of death and breake their bands asunder V. 17. The third proofe of Gods prouident mercy is when foolish men are by some sicknes plagued for their iniquities whē their soule doth refuse all food and sustenance and that they are now at deathes dore if in their miserie they crie vnto the Lord the Lord doth send forth his word heale thē and deliuer them from the pit of corruption The fourth spectacle of Gods goodnesse is in ship-men V. 23. who goe downe into the Seas and occupy their busines in great waters when they are in most perill mounting vp to heauē and falling downe againe to hel when they stagger and be at their wits end if then they cry vnto the Lord in their troubles then sendeth hee a gracious calme and bringeth them to the hauē where they would bee The fift as it were a theater of Gods prouidence is in the altering and changing not onely of dumbe creatures bringing some times riuers into drie deserts V. 33. sometime drie groundes into springes or ponds of water sometimes making a fruitfull land barren for the wickednes of them that dwell therein and sometimes so blessing the land V. 40. that men may sowe and plant to yeeld thē fruites of encrease but also in altering the estates of men somtimes powring out contempt vpon princes and somtimes lifting vp the poor out of his miserie and making him housholds like a flocke of sheepe The Verse which now I haue chosen to intreate of is called versus amaebaeus a verse that doth answere by turnes because in the end of the foure first histories it is added still as a conclusion of the historie to shewe vnto vs what vse we must make of Gods gracious deliuerances not to passe by them as it were with closed eyes but to stirre vp both our selues and others to magnifie the name of God for these his vnspeakable mercies The Psalmist may seeme to direct this his Psalme only to a thankfulnes for corporall benefits but no doubt in the same he doth include also the spirituall blessings of God When he speaketh of the miseries of man hee sheweth the causes to be their sinnes as speaking of captiues lying in miserie and iron V. 11. hee saith it was because they rebelled against the worde of the Lord lightly regarded the counsell of the most high And after of sicknes foolish men are plagued saith he for their wickednes iniquities V. 17. And after of barrennes of soile A fruitfull lād saith he he maketh barrē V. 34. for the wickednes of them that dwell theerin As then hee noteth the cause of all calamities to be sinne So when he celebrateth God his gratious deliuerāce he doth vndoubtedly include the remouing of the cause as well as the effect doth exhort vs to praise God for the remission of our transgressions If the Israelites were bound to prayse God for their deliuerance frō the thraldom of Aegypt and generally all others which are the redeemed of the Lord as it is here said in the secōd verse whome he hath redeemed from the hands of the oppressors how much more ought they to bee thankfull which are deliuered from the tyranny of the diuell Rom. 16 2◠when the God of glorie and peace doth treade downe Satan vnder our feete If they did owe thanks which from wandering in the wildernes were broght to this happines to haue at the last cities to dwel in what thanks is required of vs who frō wandering in the by-pathes of sin and error are by our heauenly Iosua Christ Iesus broght home to be citizens with the Saints Ephe. 2.19 of the houshold of God in this life and heires by hope of the celestial Ierusalē in the world to come Apoc. 21.2 If prisoners giue al humble praise whē they are deliuered from their darkenes misery and irons how much more then ought we to be thankfull when by the glorious triūph of our Sauiour Christ Osea 13.14 1. Cor. 15.55 we are deliuered from the dungeon of the graue hell death damnatiō If they haue great cause of thākfulnes which haue escaped the dāgers of sicknes and infirmities then much more are they to be gratefull who by the heauenly Physitian our Lord Iesus are cleansed and cured of their sinnes which are indeed the originall causes of their diseases and maladies For this deliuerance doth the kingly Prophet Dauid Psal 103.3 first principally praise Gods holy name because hee forgaue all his sins and healed all his infirmities By temporal benefits the weaknes of our nature is taught to rise vp to the consideration of spirituall blessings and if we be not wilfully blind wee may easily and plainely conceiue that if corporall giftes are to be acknowledged to be the free blessings of God as we are taught to pray giue vs our daily bread then much more must wee confesse all spirituall benefits to bee the free gifts of God bestowed vpon vs by the mercy of God in through his sonne Christ Iesus If wee cannot merit things needefull for the body much lesse can we merit the ransoming of the soule If wee are bound to praise God for deliuerances appertaining to the bodie then by good reason as much as the soule is more precious then the bodie so much more ought we to be thankful for the soule then the bodie The Psalmist in this Amaebaean verse so often repeated in this Psalme doth vpon euery particular deliuerance frō either banishment or prison or sicknes or tempest still exhort the partie deliuered that hee will thereby rise vp to a generall consideration of the goodnesse of God of all his wonderfull works which he hath wrought for mankind In these two verses which I haue red vnto you there are two especiall things offered to our consideratiō The diuision of the text First for what we are to celebrate magnifie the name of God to wit for his goodnes for his wonderfull workes Secondly how we must shew our thankfulnes to wit first both before the Lord and before the childrē of men secondly by offering the sacrifice of thāksgiuing and telling forth his works with gladnes The goodnes of God as is taught by our Sauior is the first
fouÌ„taine of our saluatioÌ„ Ioh. 3.16 So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Son In the causes of our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ we must not begin at our selues or at our own merits nay we may not begin at the death and passion of Christ Iesus but wee must begin at the eternall loue of God who sent his onely begotten Sonne and therefore blesse that good God Ephe. 1.4 which hath chosen vs to bee saued before the foundatioÌ„ of the world was laid The goodnesse of God in our redemption appeared to be greater towardes mankind then it was to the very Angels When the Angels fel froÌ„ God they were neuer restored but as S. Iude sayth they are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenesse to the iudgement of the great day but when man was fallen Iude. v. 6. the Lord of his goodnes gaue a comfortable promise of the seede of the woman Gen. 3 15 which should bruse the power of Satan The Angels which continued stedfast do continually prayse God are ready to execute his will Psal 103.21 but of Gods goodnes they are yet ministring spirits to serue for their vse that shall bee heires of saluation Heb. 1.14 And therefore Dauid Psal 34.7 when hee hath said that the Angels of the Lord doe pitch round about theÌ„ that feare him he addeth in the next verse O tast see how good the Lord is blessed is the man that putteth his trust in him A blessing it is to bee guarded by meÌ„ a greater blessing to bee guarded by Princes but what exceeding fauour is this when God doth vouchsafe to guard vs with his holy and blessed Angels Though in some respects Dauid doth acknowledge man to bee somewhat inferior to the Angels yet in this he saith Psal â— 5 that God hath crowned man with glory and worship in that he hath made him an Emperour ouer all his works put all things in subiection vnder his feet not only the beastes of the field the foules of the aire whatsoeuer walketh through the pathes of the seas but as he saith before in the same Psalme euen the heauenly Creatures when I consider the heauens v. 3. the worke of thy fingers the moon the stars which thou hast ordained theÌ„ say I O Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him or the son of man that thou so regardest him This vse we must make of all Gods Creatures so to behold in theÌ„ the goodnes of God towards maÌ„kind that we be thereby stirred vp to prayse Gods holy name The horse mule can behold the heauens to bee high bright and lightsome The hog seeth the earth to be a place to walke vpon the so to feede vpon The Peacocke conceiueth a glorious shew in his variable coloured fethers many dumbe Creatures doe exceed man in the sharpenes of smelling when wee behold eyther the glistering azured skye or the beautifull flowers and fruites of the earth if we goe no further then seeing smelling and tasting theÌ„ are we no better then the brute vnreasonable creatures but we must in all those things go further we must behold therein the mighty power of God that wee may bee stirred vp to feare him and the infinite goodnes of God that we may learne to loue him and then are we endued with true spirituall wisedom as Dauid concludeth in the end of this psalme Psal 107.43 Who so is wise will consider and ponder these thinges he shall vnderstand the louing kindnes of the Lord. The goodnes of God doth many wayes shine out in the creation of man Hee made him as Zorastes said Pulcherrimum naturae spectaculum the most beautifull spectacle of nature not going groue-long towards the earth but with his face lifted vp to heauen to signifie that his mind should alwayes bee on heauenly things Hee gaue vnto him a soule endued with vnderstanding made after his own image He framed him to be as it were a little world and an abridgement of all his creatures whereupon some haue giuen him the name of Microcosmus some of Omnigena Creatura because he taketh part of al and containeth the principal parts of all Hee hath substance as haue stones life as haue plants sense as haue beastes and vnderstanding as haue angels When the Romane Pollio would haue drowned one of his slaues in a fury because hee had broken a fayre Christall glasse Augustus did well forbid him and said Homo cuiusuis conditionis si nulla alia ratione nisi quia est homo totius mundi vitris preciosior A man of any poor estate whatsoeuer if it be for no other cause but onely because he is a man is farre more pretious then all the glasses of the whole world but especially the goodnesse of God did appeare in the renewing of our hearts by his grace and holy word 1. Pet. 1.3 That doth S. Peter call the aboundant mercy of God Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abouÌ„dant mercy hath begotten vs againe to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Christ Iesus That doth S. Bernard call a greater worke then the Creation of vs Bernard in Cantic or of the whole world When God made the world onely he spake the word and it was done Let there be a light Gen. 1.3.9 and there was light let the waters be gathered into one heape and they were gathered whereby was made the sea and the dry land was called earth Let there be two great lights in the firmament and there was straightway a Sunne to rule the night Bern. But quam multa dixit quà m multa fecit quà m multa perpâ—ssus est How many things hath God spoken how many things hath God done how many things hath he suffered to renew the heart of man If we should receiue the creatures ordained for the sustenance of our bodies and not be renewed and fed inwardly in our soules our estate were infinite thousand times worse then the estate of brute beasts For they are fed to perish temporally but we should be fed to perish eternally The seed of our new birth 1. Pet. 1.23 to wit the word of God is by an earnest acclamatioÌ„ pronounced by the Psalmist to be one of the greatest tokens of Gods fauour and goodnesse towards his elect For when he hath declared that God gaue his word vnto Iacob Psal 147.20 his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel he crieth out He hath not dealt so with euery nation neither haue other people the knowledge of his lawes There are two especiall properties which do greatly extoll and magnifie the goodnesse of God First that it is free not in respect of our deserts but in respect of Gods aboundant mercy Secondly that it is endlesse and perpetuall Esay 43.25 The freenesse thereof is set out by the Prophet I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne
when the poorest should liue of the spoile of the richest and the best sword should most preuaile Amongst all these dispaires of men ill minded it pleased God when wee were bereaued of our most Gratious Queene whose memory bee blessed for euer to send vs according to the expectation and hearty desire of the faithfull a most noble religious wise and vertuous King and with him such an assured hope of an established succession that wee are neuer able sufficiently to magnifie his inestimable goodnes and mercies And the more to testifie that it was his own handy work it was the good pleasure of God that when at the first our Soueraigne King being far absent from the chiefe seate of his Realmes authority could not of a sodaine bee presently established In that time as it were of magistracie sleeping all partes were founde so quiet and obedient that the most simple in the world might see such a gouernour now to be placed ouer vs as whoÌ„ God doth vntertake to protect with his owne right hand WheÌ„ in the Arke oÌ„f Noah the rauening birdes Gen. 7.2 the Hauke Gripe and Vultur liued quietly with the Doue and tamer fowles when the Wolfe Lion and Leopard remained in peace with the simple sheepe and heyfer then it appeared euidently that this agreemeÌ„t was not ordinarie but a very wonderfull worke of the finger of Gods own hand And euen so wonderfull of late was the prouideÌ„ce of God in repressing the cruell affections of them which had before ill will against Sion The Lord make vs so truely thankefull for these his vnspeakable benefits that his graces and fauours may still be multiplied towards vs. And the Lord so still extend his miraculous preseruations that by our noble king and by his most royall issue the holy Gospell may be continued to vs and our posterity for euer The second thing that is to bee obserued in this text is the maner how wee must shewe our thankfulnsse to wit first both priuately and openly both before the Lord and before the sonnes of men and secondly with offering the sacrifice of praise telling Gods workes with gladnes To celebrate Gods goodnes before the Lord is to do it religiously zealously as in Gods presence Ioh. 4.24 God is a spirit they which worship him must do it in spirit and truth Dauid in his thanksgiuing doth principally encourage his soule to praise God Psal 103.1 Prayse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me prayse his holy name In the time of Gods seruice our mind must still cary in selfe as now talking with God When the word is preached vnto vs Aug. Serm. 112. I de temp God speaketh to vs wheÌ„ we pray or giue thanks we speake vnto God Cypr. lib 2. â—p 2. if then in those holy exercises our hearts be caried away with wordly or vaine cogitatioÌ„s it is an euident token that Satan doth then endeuor to steale our hart from God that our outward profession is nothing but meer hypocrisie Of such seruing of God the Lord himself doth pronounce by the Prophet Esay This people doth draw neer vnto me with their mouth Esay 29 13â— and honor me with their lips but their heart is far froÌ„ me That we may giue thanks in soule spirit it is altogether requisite that the hart of euery particular man do vnderstand the sense and meaning of the wordes which are vttered 1. Cor. 14.8 for that I may vse the coÌ„parisoÌ„ of the Apostle vnlesse the truÌ„pet do giue a certain souÌ„d that the army may plainly vnderstand when is souÌ„ded the alarum wheÌ„ the retreat how shal the souldier order himselfe aright in the battell Euen so in the seruice of God vnlesse the people do vnderstaÌ„d wheÌ„ they pray wheÌ„ they giue thanks for what they pray for what they giue thanks how can they in hart ioyne with the Pastor how can they serue the Lord in zeale spirit Psal 103.1 euery thing within theÌ„ praise Gods holy name 1. Cor. 14 1â— I had rather saith S. Paul speake fiue words with vnderstanding to instruct others then ten thousand words in a strange language Obiection The Romanists haue a slender shift and euasion that the Apostle should speake of the preaching of the word because in that Chapter he nameth sometimes the instructing of others and the edifying of others The confesse that preaching must needes bee in a knowne language but as for prayer and thanksgiuing such Psalmes hymnes as are song vnto God they say that all these may be in Latine although it be either in them or before them which vnderstand not the Latin tongue Resp But it is more cleare then the Sun that the Apostle doth speake not only of preaching 1. Cor 14.15 but also of all maner of prayer and thankesgiuing in the Church of God Hee saith in the fifteenth verse I will pray with the spirit that is with the strange language which was then the extraordinary gift of the spirit but I will pray also with vnderstanding I will sing with the spirit but I will sing also with vnderstanding Hee willeth therefore not onely preaching of the word but also all prayers hymnes songs and anthems whatsoeuer to bee in that tongue which may be vnderstood by them by whome they are presented to God I thinke that euery good Christian ought to be perswaded that when the minister doth publikely vtter either prayer or thanksgiuing the whole Church either doth or ought to ioyne with him in the offering of that spirituall sacirfice vnto God But in the verse following V. 16. the Apostle doth put the matter out of all controuersie he saith if thou shalt blesse with the spirit hee which occupieth the place of the vnlearned how shall hee say Amen to thy giuing of thanks seeing he vnderstandeth not what thou hast said Thou truely doest giue thaÌ„ks well but the other is not edified It is therfore a thing necessarie to thanksgiuing as well as to prayer or preaching that the heart doe vnderstand what is vttered before the Lord. If an vnknowne tongue had no place in the Apostles time where was the miraculous gift of Gods spirit much lesse may it chalenge any place now when it is gotten more vnperfectly and by more ordinary meanes If in that primitiue church not onely the latine or greeke Acts. 2.9 or hebrew but also all languages vnder heauen were vouchsafed to be powred downe by the holy ghost then why should not euery tongue be equally sanctified to giue thanks vnto God Phil. 2.11 to confesse that Iesus is Christ to the glorie of God the Father Thanksgiuing must bee done with ioyfulnesse as here Dauid sheweth now the olde saying is true ignotinulla cupido Psal 107.22 There is neither hearty desire nor true ioy in that whereof the mind is vnskilfull and ignorant All thinges in the Church of God ought
otherwise hee that killeth a bullocke is as hee that slayeth a man and hee that sacrificeth a sheepe is as hee that cutteth off a dogges necke and hee that offereth an oblation is as hee that offereth swines bloud and hee that remembreth incense is as hee that blesseth an Idoll such are these which haue chosen their owne wayes and whose soule doth delight in their owne abhominations 2â— Cor. 5.14 Then do we giue the heart vnto God when wee say with the Apostle the loue of Christ constaineth vs or wheÌ„ we performe that of the Psalmist Loue the Lord all ye Saintes of his Psal 31.24 for the Lord preserueth the faithfull and plenteously rewardeth the proude doer The olde Verse is true Non clamans sed amans cantat in aure Dei Not he that crieth out but he that loueth doth sing in the eares of God Dauid when he would giue thanks for his victories saide I will loue thee O Lord my strength Psal 18.1 or as trauellers do translate it ex intimis visceribus te diligam I will loue thee from my inward bowels Racham futur eâ—chomca O Lord my strength for so indeede the Hebrew worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie Heb. 13.15 Osea 14.8 Another sacrifice of thanksgiuing is to offer the fruite of our lips confessing vnto his name that is with our tongue to praise God Dauid doth call his tongue his glory because thereby hee did principally set forth the glorie of God to the edifying of others Awake saith hee my glorie Awake Lute and Harpe Psal 57.9 I my selfe will awake right earely And in an other Psalme psal 30.13 Thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded mee with gladnes therefore my glory shal sing vnto thee that is my tongue a principall member made for thy glory The Apostle doth commaund vs generally Col. 3.17 that whatsoeuer wee doe in word or deede we should doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God the Father That is indeede to consecrate our tongue wholy to the glorie of God not now with the mouth to praise God and by and by with the same mouth to dishonor God but euery where and in all our speeches to haue an eye to that for which our tongue was made to wit 1. Thess 5.11 the glory of God the edifying one of another Aboue all things saith the Apostle sweare not Iam. 5.12 Eph. 4.25 put away lying and speake euerie man the truth one to another v. 29 for wee are members one of another Let no rotten or filthy communication proceede out of your mouth but that which is good to edifie withall that it may minister grace vnto the hearers V. 31 let bitternes and railing be put from you and blasphemie and all malitiousnes Otherwise howsoeuer wee doe with the tongue sometimes praise God if wee doe with the same tongue in our other speeches dishonour God it doth then euidently argue that our praising of GOD was nothing but meere hypocrisie for so sayth Saint Iames Iam 3.9 with the tongue wee blesse GOD the Father and with the same tongue wee curse men made after Gods image this cannot bee Can the same fountaine send forth both sweet water and bitter and how then can there come out of one mouth both blessing and cursing This saith the Apostle ought not to bee The people of Israel when God had shewed his infinite fauour towards them in deliuering them from bondage in sending them a pillar of cloude Deut. 8.3.4 for the day and for fire for the night to guide them in the desert in giuing them water out of the stony rocke and feeding them with foode from heauen 1. Cor. 10.10 Numb 14.37 in so protecting them that for forty yeares their garment did not waxe old neither did their foot swell They were so far from giuing praise vnto God that they fell to the clean contrarie that is to murmure against God But for this their wretched vnthankfulnes they were plagued some with leprosies some with fiery serpentes some the earth swallowed vp some perished with the pestilence that of aboue sixe hundred thousand there came but two of them into the land of promise A fearefull iudgement of GOD against such as refused to offer to God the calues of their lippes Osea 14.8 confessing vnto his name An other sacrifice of thankesgiuing is in the whole course of our life to consecrate our bodies and soules to the obedience of God his holie will Rom. 12 1 I beseech you saith the Apostle for the tender mercy of GOD that you offer vppe your body and Soule a liuelie sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto GOD which is your reasonable seruing of God 1. Cor. 6.20 fashion not your selues like to this world In an other place hee giueth the reason why wee must offer this sacrifice both in body and soule to glorifie God to wit because they are Gods God made them Christ Iesus redeemed theÌ„ whatsoeuer is bought from vs is none of our owne yee are bought saith the Apostle with a price Christ gaue his body and bloude for vs that hee might purchase vs vnto himselfe Tit. 2.14 that hee might redeeme vs ftom all iniquitie and purge vs to bee a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good works whosoeuer therfore yeeldeth any part of his bodie or mind to commit sinne hee doth therein coÌ„mit sacriledge he robbeth the Lord Iesus of that which in dutie should bee offered to him The word sacrificing doth import a killing or slaying Rom. 8 13 The Apostle sheweth what we must slay to wit our owne vices and corruptione if yee mortifie the deedes of the flesh by the spirit yee shall liue mortifie your earthly members Cos 3.15 fornication vncleannes coueteousnesse This mortification must especially take place in those sinnes whereunto we are either by nature or by age most inclined what great thing is there performed of the riotous yong man if hee auoide couetousnes or of the olde man if hee auoide the wanton lustes of youth But if the old man do subdue anger nigardly care waiwardnes and such other crimes whereunto the nature of his age is most enclined or if the young man can by prayer and the power of Gods spirit mortifie those filthy lustes whereunto hee findeth himselfe most endangered then doe they offer vnto God a verie acceptable sacrifice for this sacrifice doth highlie please God wheÌ„ euerie man shall examine his own coÌ„science and when hee hath found to what vice hee is most bent doth then striue to mortifie that sinne by earnest praier and by the assistance of God his spirit Gal. 5.24 if wee doe not seeke by all good meanes to slay sinne before it of it selfe doth forsake vs if the yong man will not abandon his lustes vntill age doe of necessitie plucke it from him then hee forsaketh not sinne but sinne forsaketh him
works before the children of men wee are put in minde of a notable effect of thankfulnes which is both in our selues and in others to conserue a memorial of God his louing kindnes and that not onely among our selues but as much as we can euen vnto all posterities for euer In Exodus Exod. 13 14 the father is commaunded to declare to his children for euer the mighty deliuerance of the Israelites out of Aegypt Dauid saith Psal 88. wee will shew the praise of the Lord to the generations to come his strength and wonderfull workes that hee hath done True thankefulnesse hath not onelie a regard of thinges present before the eyes but it calleth also to remembrance the benefits of former times Thankfull must wee bee for this our present happy gouernmēt vnder such a mighty Monarch and most Christian Prince and yet still not forget the singular benefites which we haue heretofore also receiued vnder her who being assisted by Gods mightie hand did in time of greatest dangers deliuer vs frō the thraldome of blindnes and idolatrie and by whose godlie care euerie village of this Realme hath beene seasoned in some measure with the knowledge of God his truth Dauid maketh this an excellent property of true gratitude not to forget the former blessings of God Praise the Lord O my soule Psal 103.2 ◠v. 7 forget not all his benefits he made his waies known to Moses his deeds to the children of Israel It was a miserable ingratitude in that people of Israel Psal 106.7 when as it is said in an other psalm they considered not Gods wonderful workes neither were mindful of his manifold mercies but were disobedient at the sea euen in the red sea when the red sea was like two wals on either side of them euen in the red sea they forgat the mercies of God and had not the goodnes of the Lord in remēbrance And such I am afraid is our vnthākfulnes in this realm of Englād In this most happy ioiful time in the middest of Gods great fauour louing kindnes wee consider not onely Gods wōderful works neither are we so mindful as we ought to bee of his infinite mercies and goodnes Basil ad Iullitam Martyrem we are like those eies which as Basil saith when thinges are set close hard to thē they do not discerne nor behold thē The nearenes of Gods benefites doth as it were shut our eies cast vs into a slūber of security we are more ready to talke of our safety against al forrain foes then we are to giue humble praise vnto God to testifie our thnakfulnes by amendment of life the like that Senator of Rome Messala Coruinus who grew so far ouerwhelmed with obliuion that at the last he forgat his owne name wee forget our owne name wee forget that wee are the souldiers and seruantes of Christ wee forget that spirituall warfare whereunto wee are called to set all the powers of body minde against sinne wee consider not duely the end whereunto all Gods blessings are directed nor yet the right and holy vse which ought to be made thereof when God sendeth troubles hee tryeth our patience when he sendeth deliuerance he tryeth our thankefulnesse Chrysostome in psal 9 Chrysostome saieth verie well that then when wee haue most neede of God◠prouidence when wee are deliuered from aduersities and then wee haue most cause of fearing when wee are freed from dangers for as hee maketh his comparison like as wee doe much more feare the Lyon or Leopard being let loose then when they are chained vp so our vntamed affections when by prosperity they are let loose are much more to bee feared then when they were tyed vp and bound by dangers afflications Let vs therefore learne how to carry our selues whē wee haue escaped any perils Psal 30. let vs not say in our prosperity wee shall neuer bee remoued because God hath made our hill so strong let vs not be like the Heyfer Ier. 31 1◠which running in good pastures forgetteth to vndergoe the yoke let not our worldlie happines bee like that rankenes of soile which by ouermuch moisture destroieth the good plant let not outward ioies draws vs headlong into iniquities Gen. 19.35 as Lot being drūken committed incest but rather let euery blessing of God bee a good encouragement to vs to stirre vs vp to a more earnest zeale of rendering thankes to the Almighty Let vs loue God for hee loued vs first 1. Iohn 4 1◠let vs as the Psalmist saith here praise the Lord for his goodnes and for his wonderfull workes before the childrē of men Then shall wee not onely escape those grieuous punishmentes wherewith God doth vsuallie plague and punish the vnthankfull to wit the taking away of his blessed worde and the giuing of it to an other nation Mat. 21 4◠that shall bring forth the fruit of it the sending of that feareful famine Amos ◠11 not a famine of bread nor a thirst of water but a famine of the word of God whē mē shal go from North to the East Esay 5.6 from one sea to another to seeke the word of God and shall not finde it the taking away of the hedge and fencing of his vineyeard that it may be wasted and troden down the ouerwhelming of men with a spirituall blindnes Esay 6 10. when their heart shall waxe fat and their eares heauy and their eyes closed vp that they should not beleeue nor be saued Luke 14.24 that seeing they haue vnthākfully despised grace offered by Christ they should therefore neuer be partakers of his supper But also on the other side we shal haue all the blessings and fauours of God more and more plentifully powred vpon vs Bern de contemp mundi for as vnthankfulnes according to Bernard Est ventus vrens ' siccans fontes pietatis fluenta gratiae is a parching wind drying vp the fountaine of mercy and the riuers of grace so thākfulnesse for one benefite is a steppe to the receiuing of an other then wee may be well assured that if wee bee found thankfull for benefites receiued hee which hath begunne a good worke in vs Phil. c 16 will finish the same euen vntill the day of Christ He will continue his Gospell to vs and to our posterity for euer Hee will so carefully protect vs that he which toucheth vs shall touch the verie apple of his eye Zach. 2 8 He will blesse vs both prince and people in this life and in the world to come crowne vs with euerlasting life with our heauenly king Christ Iesus where wee shall for euer yeelde such praises vnto God as shall neuer waxe wearie neuer cease neuer haue end wee shall perpetually ioine with them in that ioifull song Holy holy Apoc. 4 8.11 holy Lord God Almighty thou art worthy O Lord to receiue glorie honour and power
for thou hast created al things by thy will they are haue bin created worthy is the Lambe that was killed Apoc. 5.12 to receiue power and riches wisedome and strength and honour and glory and praise Of which celestial thanksgiuing hee make vs al partakers that dyed for vs all euen that Lambe Christ Iesus to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all glory Maiestie honour and praise now for euer Amen The End of the First Sermon THE SECOND SERmon of Thanksgiuing PSALME 107. V. 21. And sacrificing the sacrifice of prayse let them tell forth his doings with gladnesse COncening that which hath already beene spoken in the forenoone as well of the generall argument of the Psalme as also of the particular handling of the former part of my text I purpose not now right Worshipfull and beloued to make any repetition thereof partly because it was so lately vttered and partly because as some of you know I must of necessitie hasten to another place It remaineth onely now that I proceede somewhat further with the fruites and effects of thankfulnesse which then I began to speake of and to enterpret the verse following of our offering the sacrifice of praise and telling forth his workes with gladnesse The sacrifices which here the Psalmist speaketh of are not propitiatory but eucharisticall not for ransome of sinne but for rendering of thankes The propitiatorie sacrifices of the olde Testament Heb. 10.1.8 were types and shadowes of the passion of Christ The truth being come those shadowes are vanished away The last altar was the Crosse the last sacrifice was the bodie and bloud of Christ Heb. 7 17 and the last sacrificing priest was Christ Iesus himselfe a priest for euer after the order of Melchizedeck The order of Aaron had successours which did often offer sacrifices because they were vnperfect But the order of Melchizedeck is to haue no successour Christ offered a perfect sacrifice and therefore without any neede of repeating it he offered himselfe once for all Heb. 10.14 No mortall man nor yet any angel of God was fit to offer this sacrifice but onely Christ Iesus himselfe who was holy pure Heb 7.26 blamelesse and higher then the heauens he offered himselfe once for all Heb. 9.26 He ordained the sacrament of his bodie and bloud not to bee an altar 1 Cor 10.21 but a table not to offer but to receiue not to be a sacrifice 1 Cor 10 16 but a heauenly supper wherein our soules doe feede vpon the bodie and bloud of Christ and doe enioy a communion or common partaking thereof not to bee a propitiatory act but eucharisticall as that sacrament was called in the primitiue Church eucharistia a solemne and publike thankesgiuing vnto God for all the benefits which wee receiue in and through his Son Christ Iesus The sacrifice was offered by Christ himselfe It is sufficient for vs by faith to feede vpon it and thankfully to acknowledge that all is ours 1. Cor 3 â—2 as wee are Christs and Christ is Gods Phil 1 17 Without this faith all our thankesgiuings are but dead sacrifices as were the offerings of Kaine Gen. 4.3 who did offer to God as well as Abel but not with the faith of Abel Luk 1â— 11 And as were the speaches of the Pharisie Lord I thanke thee that I am not as other men when he sought more to exalt himselfe then to giue glorie and prayse vnto God Be there neuer so good a proportion of a body in the outward lineaments yet if the life be absent it is not a bodie but a carkase euen so be there neuer so good words in prayer and thanksgiuing yet if the soule bee absent for the life and soule of God his seruice is faith in the bloud of Christ then is our honouring of God but only a mere shadow ad carkase howsoeuer it do carry an outward shew of holines The good Christians of the primitiue Churches did not thinke it sufficient in God his great deliuerances to testifie their ioy with bonefires ringing of belles reuelings and belly-cheare but they shewed their thankfulnes by a general and solemne receiuing of that sacrament which they called Eucharistia the sacrament of thanksgiuing to wit Cyprian in serm de orat Dom. the Supper of the Lord by the often and zealous receiuing whereof they did both testifie their thankefulnesse vnto God and acknowledge also by whom they hoped that their prayers and prayses should be graciously receaued Apoc. 8.3.4 Christ onely it is that hath the golden censer to offer vp the prayers of the Saintes before the throne of God and with the smoake of the odours that is with the sweete sauour of his oblation the prayers of the Saintes go vp to the presence of God Dauid when hee hath called to mind the manifolde blessings of God Psal 116 13 can finde no other way to bee thankefull but onely by receiuing the cup of saluation and calling vpon the name of the Lorde V. 17 by paying his vowes vnto God and offering vnto God the sacrifice of thankesgiuing True thankefulnes requireth that our heart should loue God our lippes prayse God our bodie and soule obey God and our goods with all that we haue serue for the glorie and honour of God And each of those duties is accounted in the holy Scriptures to as it were a sacrifice offered to God For the hart the Lord saith by the wisedome of Salomon Prou. 23.26 My Sonne giue me thy hart and let thine eyes marke deligently my wayes The sacrifice of the Lord saith Dauid is a contrite spirit a contrite spirit and a broken heart Psal 51.19 â— O Lorde thou wilt not despise In the sacrifices of the olde Testament the Israelites did first behold the wrath of God against sinne that the rewarde of sinne was death for the Ramme Rom 6.23 Heyfer and such like being sacrificed did plainely shewe vnto them what they had deserued and thereby they conceiued a griefe for sinne and a loathing of sinne Secondly it was vnto them a liuely figure of the passion of Christ Ioh. 8.56 whereby they were stirred vp to loue the Lorde for his goodnesse and to reioyce in the beholding of the dayes of Christ And thirdly the sacrifice was as it were a vowe of amendment of life They vowed that as that beast was slaine vpon the altar so they would from thence foorth slay mortifie the wicked corruptions of their sinfull nature In which respect God doth call it a couenant Psal 50.5 when hee saith they make a couenant with mee by their sacrifice If these thinges to wit the griefe for sinne the loue of God and the full purpose to amend were wanting then was the sacrifice before God abhominable To him will I looke saith God euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirite Isay 66.2 and that trembleth at my wordes