no way unprofitable to insist somewhat largely either for the better observing this present day or more acceptable discharge of our duties unto God in days of the like nature for the future In the demonstration whereof I shall make choyce to instance in that Ordinance and Exercise of Religious Worship which the Scripture requires to be performed with more extraordinary degrees of Sanctity and Piety then any other besides a day of Thanksgiving I mean a day of publique Humiliation observed according to Gods Institution 2. I shall shew That the duty of publique Joy and Thanksgiving is by Gods Institution to be performed with a greater measure of Light Faith and Sanctity then a day of Humiliation Which may be collected from the Scriptures thus Which appears 1. From the titles First From the different names titles and adjuncts the Spirit of God in the Word is pleased to cloath them withall As first a day of publique Fast is called a day of restraint Isai 58. or day of afflicting the Soul Levit. 23. or day of mourning and weeping Joel 2. But on the other side a day of Thanksgiving is called a good day Esth 9. they must keep the days of Purim for good days very holy days Neh. 8.10 Weep not for the day is holy to the Lord intimating therein That by how much the exercise of goodness and holiness which are the high Attributes of God himsef is more heavenly and spiritual then the exercise of sorrow weeping and affliction the inseparable off-spring of misery and sin by so much a day of Thanksgiving rightly performed is better and holier then a day of Humiliation which is yet more manifest in the Levites Inhibition Weep not for the day is holy The tears there shed by the people and forbidden by the Levites were Tears of godly sorrow for their sins against the Law of God which are most expresly commanded on a day of Humiliation and are in their performance the splendor and glory of the day But these Tears are forbidden on a day of Thanksgiving upon this ground because they are not holy enough for the Services of it Weep not for the day is holy to the Lord Oh how transcendently holy is that Exercise where the pearl of a Tear of godly Sorrow is a blemish Unto this more general demonstration of the point in hand 2. The end let me entreat you to take notice of that expression of the Holy Spirit in Esth 9. Vers 31. when the days of Purim or Thanksgiving are said to be the matter of the fastings and cries that is the success and fruit of their former days of Humiliation mentioned in the fourth Chapter of the Book Now who knows not That the End is the perfection of the Means and in that respect more excellent as Faith is better then Hearing because Faith is the End of Hearing Christ better then Faith because the End of Faith is to bring to Christ So a day of Thanksgiving is better and higher then a day of Humiliation because Fasting is but the subservent Means leading to a day of Thanksgiving and a day of Thanksgiving is the End and Perfection of a day of Humiliation As these different Titles of a day of Thanksgiving and Humiliation in the Scripture declare their high excellency of one above the other in the general 3. The particular graces which are 1. Scripture Light in 3 particulars So it is yet more manifest from the different degrees and measures of Light Faith and Holiness required in the observation of a day of Thanksgiving above a day of Humiliation in particular As first In the observation of a day of Thanksgiving there is required exercise and practice of more heavenly knowledg In the second of Joel the Lord requires a day of publique Humiliation should be performed not onely by men women Priests and Levites that are supposed to be persons of knowledg but also even babes and sucking children that are known to be in a condition of ignorance Yea and the people of Nineveh Jonah 3. who cannot be conceived to have had any art or speculative understanding and skill in the form nature or order of observation of a Fast according to Scripture being Heathens and having had the means but three days amongst them yet they were called to that Duty and their performance of it was accepted of the Lord because the Lord requires little art or skill in confessing our sins or sorrowing for them But now in the Duty of our return of thanks and praises there is an express injunction of the exercise and use of special skill and understanding as Psa 147.6 7. Oh sing praises unto our God sing praises sing praises to our King Sing praises for God is King of all the Earth sing praises therefore with understanding And Psa 119.171 My lips shall utter praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes And Vers 7. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart when thou hast learned me thy Judgments All which Scriptures evidence That how upright soever mens hearts be to God yet there can be no acceptable performance of praise except also that upright heart be an understanding heart that hath learned the Statutes and Judgments of God from the Lords teaching and therefore in the Solemnization of that Duty of Thanksgiving which was so holy that they might not shed a Tear in it Nehem. 8. it is expresly said There were none of that great Congregation that were gathered either of men or women but such as could hear and understand Neh. 8.2 And the observation of Gods minde expressed in other Scriptures will certifie us of the special degree of Heavenly skill required to be in such as offer high praises of God namely Knowledg First Of the form of the Service Secondly Of the blessing for which the Service is undertaken Thirdly Of the matter to be returned First 1. The form Of the manner and form of the Service prescribed of God not minted in our brains as is most evident first from the description of days of Thanksgiving Esth 9. where the form and manner of observation of the same is prescribed in every particular even to the appointment of their meat drink apparel and looks on that day And secondly from Nehemiahs and the Levites reproof and Inhibition Neh. 8.10 rebuking and blaming the people for their varying so much as in shedding a Tear contrary to the same Secondly 2. The matter There is required special understanding and knowledg of the nature and worth of the mercy for which the Duty is undertaken for God will not be praised confusedly but distinctly and proportionably to his Dispensation Psa 150. Praise him according to his wonderous works which is to be the prime and peeper matter of their high praises even his more proper and peculiar high acts then to be remembred as is largely expressed in Moses praise for the particular mercy of coming safe through the red Sea Exod. 15. and Debora's
us yet when its beams are interposed and lustre over-clouded we account it to be in a suffering condition so the inward Perfections of God without the duty of Praises are as it were in a suffering condition and like a rich Diamond or Jewel hid in a dark corner but by the duty of high Praises the lustre and beauty of his Wisdom Power and Goodness are openly produced and made conspicuous to the observation and admiration of all Beholders and Spectators for which cause they are called in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exaltations of Jehovah rather then Singings unto his Name because according to his Name so is his Praise Psal 48.10 therefore his Name being most high his Praise must be also most high and proportionable thereunto Thirdly 3. From their value discerned The Praises of God are high and of high nature appretiativè in respect of the high estimation and value the Lord him-himself hath them in and sets them at which appears two ways 1. By the high Price wherewith he purchaseth them 2. By the high Delight he takes in them after he hath procured them First 1. In their procurement The price wherewith God is willing to purchase them is very high For not onely the expence of all his wisdom power and goodness put forth in Creation nor onely the layings out of all his counsel care love and faithfulness in Providence and Preservation but also the rich Treasure of his Promises Covenant Grace yea the precious blood of his own Son in our Redemption is given freely absolutely intentionally and ultimately for no other thing but the purchase of high praises to God Ephes 1.5 6. All that God doth and giveth all that Christ doth and suffereth is for no other end but the praise of the glory of his Grace I confess consider mens highest praises of God as they are mans performances they are poor and inconsiderable things but consider them as they are the Testimonies and expressions of a beleeving heart declaring and making known the unspeakable wisdom faithfulness bounty and excellencies of God exercised in his works in this notion The Scripture declares the heart of God so to be taken with the desire of them that he is willing to give Heaven Earth Himself and Son to poor men for the praises of their hearts hands and tongues and accounts himself abundantly satisfied therefore when his People will speak good of his Name speaking well of him in the Dialect of Angels-notes the high praises of God which most strongly and undeniably demonstrates the high worth of the Duty of high praises when the most high God will purchase them with the expence of Himself Son and all he hath Give me praise and take my Christ Self and Kingdom saith God When a profane and foolish Esau will purchase a mess of pottage with the price of his birth right a mean and contemptible thing with a great price we rather undervalue the wisdom of the Purchaser then esteem any thing the better of the Purchase But if a wise Merchant that is certainly and undoubtedly known to have perfect understanding and deep insight into the worth of the things he deals for if such a one sells all he hath and takes up what he can elsewhere procure to purchase a pearl or field we then conclude the hidden worth of the Purchase from the high price given for it by the knowing and wise Purchaser Now then must it not undeniably advance the heighth and worth of high praises when we see the omnipotent and infinite onely wise God that regards not Gold Silver Kingdoms Honors but yet knows how to prize and value his own contents and pleasure doth dispense and lay out all that Heaven and Earth is worth solely and purposely to purchase to Himself the highest praise of his Glory and Grace Secondly 2. In their Enjoyment The high value that God hath of high praises will be evident by the high delight and pleasure God takes in them thus purchased for skilful Artists and high principled elevated understandings never take pleasure or delight in any thing or work which is not answerable to their highest principles and proportionable to their uttermost skill and desire Now the Lord who is the most perfect understanding and deepest skill and knowledg declares himself to take infinite delight in his Peoples Praises It is his solace and pleasure to be attended with them either in Earth or in Heaven by men or Angels and his Soul is ravished with the thoughts and contemplation of them This was it which was typed by the Feasts Psa 148. Lev. 6.7 Num. 29.12 and rejoycing in the peace offerings by the sweat Odors and Incense in the Encharistical Sacrifices by the melodious Tunes dilightful Sangs Harmony Musick Organs Timbrels Cymbals Harps for exaltation and triumph in the solemn Feasts and days of Thanksgiving the Scripture intending thereby to declare not onely with what cheerfulness and delight these gratulatery Sâ—rviâ—â—t were to be performed by men but also how ancentable and pleasing they are unto the Lord as sweet savars and odors in his nostrils as Angelical musick and heavenly ayrs in his ears as wine and divine delicatias to his taste yea and if in Heaven it self the Lord of life and glory receives any additional exaltation from the glorified Saints and Angels besides what is exernally enjoyed in the Circle of his own perfections it cannot be concluded from any thing expressed in Scripture to proceed from any thing else but the everlasting acclamations and benedictions of the glorified Saints and Angals giving glory honor and praise unto him that site on the Throne and to the Lamb whose Hallelujabe are nothing else but the highest of these high praises of God in their hearts and mouths 4. From their performance requiring the exercise of greater measures of Grace then a publique day of Humiliation Doth not then this height of Gods valuation in their Procurement and the height of the Lords satisfaction in their Enjoyment set the high Praises of God upon the highest top of the transcendent Sublimity of divine worth and excellenty In the fourth place The Praises of God are high and of a high nature perfâ—â—tiâ—d that is in respect of the high measure of Grace they are to he attended withall in their perâ—oâ—â—â—â—â— the Lord requiring the duty of high Praise especially in a publique Day of Thanksgiving for any remarkable and high mercy should be performed with a great measure of Scripture-light with a higher degree of effectual Faith and with a more ample proportion of practical Holiness then any other of the most solemn Exercises of of his publique Worship For the more full and clear demonstration of which particulars I mean of the singular measure of Light Faith and Holiness which the Lord requires should be exercised in solemnizing of a day of Thanksgiving above any other part of his Service I conceive will be
high praise for deliverance from the hoast of Sisera Judg. 5. where the chiefest and highest part of the celebration and exaltation of God in his praise consists in the declaration and commemoration of the particulars of Gods special goodness in their present deliverance And to come neer to our selves in respect of the Nation in general Who in all the Kingdom can observe that anniversary day of Thanksgiving never to be forgotten on the fifth of November that was neer acquainted with the name nature and intentions of the proceedings of the Traytors in contriving and the Lord our God in defeating the Gunpowder-plot Nay to come to your selves in the particular for which you have set apart this day Who amongst you can give high praises to God for your selves Or of all the Auditors can joyn with you therein that is ignorant either of the means cause and place of your Imprisonment or the glorious passages of divine providence in your enlargement Thirdly 3. The return Neither is there required in the exercise of high praise knowledg onely of the mercy for which praise is to be rendered but also of the lawfulness of the matter or peace-offering that by way of thanks is to be returned In no Service is the Spirit of God more particular in prescribing or exact in expecting punctual observance then in offering the thank-offering or sacrifice because in our praises being the sole return we can make unto him for all his cost upon us he expects we should pay him with no coyn but what hath his own stamp and superscription upon it if it be the price of a profane dog or the reward of an unclean whore the Lord abhor it How strict the Lord is in acceptation of nothing in a day of Thanksgiving but the matter of his own appointment let the sad consequence of Gideons Ephod Judg. 8.27 and 9 11 1 Sam. 15 Jephtha's Vow Sauls sparing the best of Agags anathematized Cattel all for peace-offerings be a watch-word and warning to you all this day and all others hereafter to take heed what they do in the day of their Thanksgiving viz. That nothing be done or returned in way of thankfulness to God which proceeds not from an understanding heart instructed in the form of the Service the nature of the blessing and the lawfulness of the matter that they manifest their thankfulness withall Secondly A day of Thanksgiving as it requires the exercise of more Scripture-light 2. Grace effectual Faith in 3 particulars so also the use of a greater measure of more effectual Faith then a day of publique Humiliation which I conceive may hence be manifest The Ninevites fasted acceptably to God and profitably for themselves and had Faith to beleeve the threatening of God against them but their Faith in the promise of mercy towards them was very weak expressed in these words Who can tell if God will repent And David fasted acceptably 2 Sam. 12. when in the sense of Gods anger against himself and sin in the sickness of his Childe he humbled himself before God But in the return of high praise in a day of Thanksgiving besides saith in Gods threatenings is necessarily required the exercise of Faith in the promise and besides the habit of Faith without which it is impossible to please God in any Service in this a threefold special actings of Faith upon God is required as manifesting himself reconciled unto the person who hath received the mercy and is therefore now performing the duty First By Faith to apprehend in himself some sense and feeling of the love and grace of God manifested to his Soul for seeing high praises are to be performed with love and joy yea exaltation in God who ever did or can return thanks to God with spiritual joy for any mercy when he apprehends still the angry countenance of God frowning against him and hiding his favour from his Soul Secondly It is necessary in a Thanksgiving for a mercy to have faith to see and know he hath title in Christ as well as by common providence to the benefit of the mercy for which he is thankful for else there will be more cause of sorrow for the want of title by Christ then of joy in the partaking the mercy without Christ Thirdly So much exercise of Faith is necessary as to see Christ to be willing to return their-praises and mix his odors with them in presenting them unto God as to see him conveying unto them their title unto the blessing by his purchase and satisfaction faith having as much need of an Altar and Mediator to offer up acceptable praises as prayers and this is done by acting faith upon Christ therefore as is evident Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer unto God continually the sacrifice of praise that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name Thirdly A day of Thanksgiving requires a greater proportion of practical Holiness then a day of most solemn Humiliation Grace practical Holiness in two particulars which I conceive may in these particulars at least be evidenced 1. God calls men to fasting prayer and mourning when they are held captive under the violence of some prevalent corruption and temptation as Paul and others 2 Cor. 9. I beat down my body and bring it under subjection by extraordinary fasting but God never calls any to joy and rejoyce or keep days of Thanksgiving that lie under the power of their lusts and bondage of corruption prevailing over them but onely such who besides their general uprightness are conscious of their own actual innocency Psal 26. I will wash mine hands in Innocency and so will I compass thine Altar yea and able in some measure to make profession of their actual subjection to God and joyn it as a ground of their praises as Psal 116.16 Oh Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant the son of thine hand-maid thou hast broken my bonds of all sorts Therefore I will offer up unto thee the sacrifice of Thanksgiving and will call upon the Name of the LORD which ability to be able to profess their present subjection unto God in the consciousness of their Innocency is a greater measure of practical Holiness then is required of such as observe days of Fasthing which will yet be further manifested in that God calls such to fasting and those that are so called may fast acceptably unto God who can but procure their hearts before they fast or in the day of Fasting sincerely to purpose covenant and vow reformation of their heinous transgressions though there be no antecedent or present actual reformation or satisfaction on the day as is manifest in the Fast observed by Ezra and the rest of the people when they fasted acceptably before they had put away their strange wives or taken off all the oppression of their burthens yet upon their Covenant and Vow to do it they were accepted But in a day of THANKSGIVING God requires
brought me high reproaches and disgraces Bell-joy Table-joy Musick-joy and Bonefire-joy in a day of Thanksgiving without the exercise of a greater measure of Scripture Light effectual Faith and practical Holiness in giving him high praises is but to do with our God as the fisher-man in Plutarch with his 2 Use of Exhortation to heighten Praises because God requires who for blessing him with a great draught of fish promised to give his god half but paid him by taking out all the fish for himself sent the shels to his god For prevention of which abominable sin against God in the observation of this your day let me now by way of Exhortation entreat you Gentlemen in the Name of that great God who hath of late so graciously heard and answered so many of your own and others prayers speaking for you now to hear and also obediently to answer the Counsel and Exhortation of God in this truth you have heard speaking unto you which is this That seeing the Praises of God are and ought to be high Praises that then both your selves and all others that would joyn with you to answer God in thankfulness for this or any other mercy received be careful and studious to raise and heighten their praise before they be returned The things that the Lord hath done for you all are not small and low but many great and high Favours be careful therefore that the thanks you return him to day be not formal common or ordinary but many great and raised praises unto which your hearts will the sooner be convinced to yeeld obedience in raising and heightning your praises if you consider with me these two things manifest in Scripture First That whensoever God requires praise to be returned for any mercy 1. Proportionable Praises he doth not only require it to be returned in kind but also in weight measure and proportion and that according to the greatness of his love manifested either in himself word or works towards them So Psal 29.1 2. Give unto God you mighty that is men of place and power give ye unto God glory and strength that is your highest and uttermost strength in giving him glory and why vers 2. Because this is his due from you that are mighty by way of proportion therefore give him the Glory due to his Name give him his full due in worshipping him in the beauty of holiness and Psal 66.2 the Spirit of God doth require of all Nations not only to sing forth the honor of his Name but to make his Praise glorious raise it to the height of beauty and greatness make his Praise as great as himself proportionable to his own greatness So Psal 145.3 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and because the Psalmist adds that his Greatness is unsearchable he also infers that men must wonderfully gloriously and abundantly praise him in proportion thereunto from vers 3. to 7. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness and declare thy greatness even proportionable to the excellency and height of it Psal 150.2 Praise him in his mighty acts and according to the excellency of his greatness Thus you see the first thing that God looks for proportionable praise great praise for a great God doing great things and high praises for a high God doing high things The second thing I would have you observe to move you to raise your praises for the mercy received before they be returned 2. Proper Praises is this That that goodness of God in delivering you out of prison wherein you were unjustly detained is a mercy of that nature that God in his Word hath required and expresly and particularly declared that he expects proper and special thanks and praise for the same as Psal 107.10 Such as sit in darkness being bound in affliction and iron these prisoners cryed unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them from their distress and brake their bands asunder Vers 13. What then doth the Lord expect from these praying and now delivered prisoners see Vers 15. Oh that they would praise the Lord for his goodness and declare his wonderful works in their deliverance to the sons of men because he brake the gates of brass and cut in sunder the bars of iron in which they were restrained by which you see That the Lord expects amongst all other mercies express praise for delivering men out of bonds which made David Psal 142.7 when he was imprisoned and shut up in the Cave and had the Army of Saul round about him seeking his blood use this as the strongest motive he could use to obtain his liberty That if God would grant him the same and set him at freedom he would then praise his Name Bring my Soul out of prison that I may then praise thy Name which I cannot do now so fully and freely as I would being in bonds And as he here promised praise unto God for liberty if he might obtain it so we see him as faithful and careful to perform it when he did enjoy it Psal 116.16 Lord I am thy servant the son of thy hand-maid and thou hast broken my bonds and set me at liberty and therefore I will offer unto thee the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving my thanks which I will return for my liberty shall be a Sacrifice without blemish or imperfection the first the best no low mean formal but high and masculine praises by which Gentlemen you may both be strengthned and justified against all gain-sayers in this your action in setting this day apart for this publique way of thankfulness unto God for your late enlargement seeing the Lord looks and expects it specially and proportionably therefore and also be now throughly incited seeing God looks for special praises for the mercy received to heighten your praises before they be returned 3Vse direction how to raise them which leads me to the third and last Use intended namely Direction from what hath bin spoken how to raise your thanks and make your praises high praises before and in their delivery which you shall effect if in relation to the high praises you are to give for this your special mercy in your enlargement you be careful to perform these two things 1. To raise their conception in your hearts inwardly 2. To heighten their expression in your lives outwardly For the first 1. Inwardly High praises must be heightned in womb and conceptions of the heart inwardly they must be of high discent and noble birth and therefore the heart which is the spring and fountain from whence high praises must arise must be enlivened and quickned with the seminal vertues from whence all high praises take their original which are these three especially 1. 1. By the deep sense of the danger in 4 particulars From a clear understanding and apprehension of the greatness of your misery under which you were enthralled 2. From an enlarged affection from the sense and
feeling of Gods Love by which you were delivered 3. From the actings and exercise of faith in seeing God the sole Author of your mercy and making the Lord Jesus the sole Mediator to receive your praise and present your duty Wherefore that I may help your heart to breed and beget these high praises let me first of all stir up your hearts to praise God from a true understanding and apprehension of the depth of the danger and misery from whence you are escaped which being duly considered and weighed will appear no small or single calamity but a thraldom and bondage compounded of many ingredients of bitterness and aggravations of extream perplexity As first The violent and sudden deprivation of you from all your dearest enjoyments together to be carryed away and separated against your wills from all the comforts of families wives children friends estates at once seems to be misery raised with the highest and most killing aggravations As the Amalekites at Ziglag took all David had wives children cattel and drove them away from him so these Amalekites at Chelmsford took you and drove you away from all these That affliction made David weep whiles he could weep no more and surely had you fountains of tears you might have had occasion to have shed them all in this your captivity had not the Lord wrought your deliverance being thus suddenly and unexpectedly carryed from all at once and that without so much liberty as verbal salutations or time or space to take your leaves of them which the Martyrs not only in their prisons but even at the stake were permitted to do the want whereof struck the churlish heart of Laban so deep that he complains of it as a great wickedness and injury in Jacob that he had not suffered him to take his leave nor salute his sons and daughters before their removal from him You were surprized and snatched from all your dearest relations as Joseph from his father Jacob when he was sent to visit his brethren who for his conscience to his fathers command and courtesie to them was by his false brethren first stripped then cast into the pit and afterward sold as a slave to the Midianites and Egyptians so were you by these Midianites and Egyptians that carryed you up and down whither they pleased the meditation of this cup of bitterness will become one spark to heat your hearts and inflame them to a higher heat of thankfulness especially if unto the consideration of that part of your misery whereby at once all your comforts were unexpectedly removed You add the meditation of a second part of it I mean the woful subjection under which you were enthralled you were become the servants of Satans vassals under the power and society of your own and Gods deadly enemies amongst whom you might truly and properly have had cause to cry out dayly We unto us we are constrained to dwell with Mesheck and have our habitation in the tents of Kedar where your righteous Souls were of necessity grieved and tormented from day to day to hear and see the uncleanness and prophane conversation of the wicked when those whose prisoners you were and carryed you away captive dayly insulted over your selves Cause and Religion must it not of necessity pierce your hearts with sorrow and compel you like captive Jews in Babylon to hang up your Harps forget your Songs and lift up your voyces and weep when you remembred the Zions either of your own or Gods Houses whither you had gone with your multitudes but now you saw not your signs neither was there any Prophet left to tell you when your misery was like to end but still one deep called upon another until all the waves went over your heads and these ploughers ploughed what they pleased upon your backs which was bitter enough for the present but much more aggravated from that which you might probably expect further from their rage and malice and your impotency to make any resistance against the same for when their rage was irritated by the closeness of the siege continual repulses of their Forces within frustration of all hopes of relief from abroad what could rationally be expected but that they would have made your blood if not the rescue yet certainly the revenge of their own You only of all their enemies were in their hands as lambs among wolves and as sheep under the hand of the slaughter-man where you had nothing to defend your selves but silence patience equity and innocency all mediation of your own or their greatest friends for your deliverance rejected all offers to redeem you by exchange denyed and into what desperate condition soever either their own wickedness or weakness should bring them from it your lives and estates must secure them Gentlemen If you would this day by meditation recall your former thoughts and sad apprehensions think those thoughts over again which were conceived in your distracted hearts and heads when you were carryed in the long march to Colchester and were in hazard of the violence of the Souldiers all the way if you would lay your selves down in the same condition of sorrow and grief by contemplation from which the Lords own out-stretched hand hath freed you if your Souls have that night in remembrance when they sent you word in the evening to prepare for death in the morning surely the the deep apprehension of the great danger from whence by the favour of God you have been delivered would prove a singular help to heighten and raise the praises of God in your hearts before they be returned Especially if In the second place 2. The true apprchension of Gods presence with them discovered in four particulars you shall add hereunto the enlargement of your affections which will certainly arise in your hearts from the serious consideration of the high and singular Love of God flowing out unto you in taking this yoke of your enemies from your necks in opening the prison doors for you and breaking your bands in sunder for first of all when the comforts of your nearest relations failed you Lover and friend stood far away from your trouble when you were destitute of all other Society besides your fellow Prisoners mutually bemoaning and declaring each others losses and sufferings when you looked to the right hand and the left but there was none to help from either of them then the Lord appeared amongst you nor was there one day in all your restraint wherein he forsook you but every hour discovered his presence with you as the Angel was with Daniel in the Den of Lions Dan. 3.25 as the Son of God with the three Children in the Furnace Gen. 39.21 as the Lord himself was with Joseph in his prison so both the Lord himself his Son and Angels may seem to have been all resident with you and that not onely as Spectators to visit you in your Trouble but as most glorious Actors to comfort you in and
by making joyful and perpetual confessions professions and declarations thereof to your brethren and the Congregations of his people that all you fathers make them known to your children and they also make your deliverance and praises to be remembred by future generations This is punctually prescribed to be observed in uttering praises for deliverances from bonds and imprisonment Psa 107. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness viz. for being the Author of their liberty and declaring his wonderful works in their deliverance to the children of men which also is in like manner observed in Peters praise for his escape out of prison Act. 12. where besides the thankful confession of it to God Vers 17. he both declares it to the Congregation of Saints himself and also requires the Church to make relation of it to others and especially to James and Iohn who being publique persons he knew would cause the praises of God to be remembred and celebrated therefore in all the assemblies of the Saints wheresoever they came in conformity to whose practise let me exhort you also to go tell your Iohns and Iames and other brethren how great things God hath done for you in this your enlargement so that as the Spirit of God in your very case requires Psal 102. 18 19 20 21. it may be written for the generations to come and the people that shall be created may praise the Lord for you and with you saying God looked down from the height of his Sanctuary from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth To hear the groaning of us Prisoners and to loose us that were appointed to death That we might declare the Name of the Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem When the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. Secondly Heighten the verbal expression of your praises 2. By Commemoration unto God by a thankful Commemoration of Gods great mercy in your deliverance between the Lord and your selves the practise whereof I would have you learn from the Psalmist Psal 136. where he praiseth GOD with high praises First for the work of Creation unto the tenth Verse and then for the deliverance of his people from the Egyptian bondage and thraldom Vers 18. In both which he heightens the praises of GOD these two ways First divides the total sum of GODS goodness into the several parcels and particular remarkable passages of his providence therein Secondly He multiplies and reiterates the expression and attribution of his praises according to the nature and number of the particulars observed in his antecedent distinction this is the method he observes in the first part of the Psalm unto the tenth Verse where he praiseth God for works of Creation dividing the mercy and multiplying the praise according to the number of the special Attributes and Actions of God observed therein First he observes the attribute of Goodness of God and then praiseth him for that Oh give thanks unto the Lord because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Then observes him as God of Gods Vers 2. and praiseth him for that by it self Oh give thanks to the God of Gods for his mercy c. Then as Lord of Lords Vers 3. Then takes notice of his wonderful Power By diviving the mercy That alone doth great wonders Vers 4. Then of the attribute of his Wisdom in making the Heavens Vers 5. And having thus observed the distinction of Attributes in God and multiplyed Praises according to the number of them he then proceeds to the division of the total of his work into the principal parts of it and multiplies his Praises according to the number of them As first His stretching out the earth above the waters Vers 6. Then the making great Lights Vers 7. The Sun to rule the day Vers 8. The Moon and Stars to rule the night And as he observes this method of division of the mercy of Creation and the multiplication of praises for it so in praising God for their deliverance from bondage and their slavery in Egypt which is more properly your case he first in the beginning of each verse doth distinctly observe the several parts and circumstances of their deliverance as that he smote the first-born of Egypt and brought Israel from amongst them and with a strong hand overthrew Pharaoh and smote great Kings and famous Kings Sihon King of the Amorites and Og King of Bashan and unto every one of these particulars adds a particular reiteration of the praise of God for the fame in the end of each verse still inculcating and concluding That his mercy endureth for ever which is written for your learning and instruction that you also in praising God for your liberty should particularize the total sum of your safety and then to multiply and reiterate the expression of your praises accordingly And multipliing the praise Come therefore and sing unto the Lord a new Song and praise him this day in the Congregation of Saints and with good Ezra Heman and Asaph Ezra 3.10 11. Praise ye the Lord after the Ordinance of David King of Israel singing together by course praising and giving thanks unto the Lord your God because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever To the God of Gods that stood by us when all other comforts sailed us For his mercy endureth for ever To the Lord of Lords that hath subdued our Enemies under us For his mercy endureth for ever That rescued us from anger and rage of the multitude when they first apprehended us at Chelmsford For his mercy endureth c. That preserved us in the long march from Brantree to Colchester For his mercy endureth c. That suffered not our Enemies to do us any harm For his mercy c. That turned their hearts to be civil to us For his mercy c. That secured us from the bullets that were shot through our chambers For his mercy c. That made our society so comfortable whiles we were in custody For his mercy c. That did provide for us meat and drink plentifully when our Enemies starved For his mercy endureth c. Who by his Spirit stirred up so many to pray for us For his mercy c. And in his faithfulness answered those prayers For his mercy c. That caused our Enemies to give us life when they yielded themselves to death For his mercy c. That after so many weeks imprisonment brought us home with Honor Safety and Freedom For his mercy endureth for ever Thus if you shall begin to particularize your mercies and then proceed in multiplying your praises you will raise the expression of them to be high praises of God in your Mouths verbally unto which the Text requires another and higher expression of them to be added Namely An actual raising them in your lives The real expression of praise heightened with a two-edged sword in your hands which two-edged sword in your
hands is not your own sword but the Sword of the Lord even the Sword that proceedeth out of his Mouth the Word of God which Word of God must be born in the hand of all those that have the high praises of God in their months that both hand and tongue celebration and action may concur in the expression of Gods high Praises Two ways were the expression of your praises verbally viz. by Celebration and Commemoration and two ways you must heighten them actually namely by the acts of Obligation and Vindication and these two are written on the two-edged sword in your hands I mean the Word of God which directs you actually to heighten your praises for your liberty First By acting with one edg of this Sword in fighting therewith for God and his glory Secondly By acting with the other edg of it in fighting therewith against Satan and all his rout and company whether they be Heathen Vulgar Kings or Nobles the former is accomplished in making your liberty a bond Obligation upon you to promote the worship and glory of God the latter by improving your liberty for due suppression and vindication against the Enemies of God First 1. By way of obligatiō to God Therefore convert your broken bonds and chains whereby you have been loosed from men into cords of love to bind you faster to glorifie God thus David actually expresseth his praise unto God for granting him liberty from men Psal 116. Because thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears my feet from falling I will therefore walk before the Lord in the Land of the living And thus the Lord himself teacheth the people of Israel Exo. 20. to shew their thankfulness for being brought out of the house of bondage by making the consideration of it an Obligation to observe all his Commandments I am the Lord thy God that took thee out of the house of bondage therefore thou shalt have none other gods but me nor bow down to any other nor take my Name in vain but sanctifie my Sabbath So argue your hearts unto real thankfulness for your freedoms by making it an over-powering argument and a prevailing motive to ingage you to every duty which the Word of God shall call for at your hand when no other reason can perswade or motive induce you to be accurate and exact in walking with God or be strictly cautelous and abstemious from the occasions and appearance of evil then let the remembrance of your deliverance from prison out of Colchester overcome you to and resolve with David and declare That because when the snares of death and the sorrows of bondage did encompass you in so great extremity the Lord your God did so graciously and wonderfully deliver you therefore you will wholy give up your selves to do his Commands all the days of your lives under the engagement of the strongest bond and Obligation Secondly 2. By way of Vindication against his enemies Raise the actual expression of your praise with the two-edged Sword of God in your hand by improving your liberty by way of Vindication in executing vengeance upon the Heathen punishments upon the People by binding their Kings in chains and Princes in fetters of iron that is to execute the Judgment written according to the Rule of the Scripture in your Callings and Places to bring to condign punishment all the Enemies of God and his Church of what rank or order soever they be which you shall perform three ways Origen Ecumen Chrisost Moller according to the variety of Interpretations that are made of this act of Vindication and Execution of the Judgment Written mentioned in the Text 1. Morally 2. Instrumentally 3. Politically 1. Morally in your own persons as you are distinct Members of Christ in your selves without relation to others 2. Instrumentally in the Church as you are joynt Members of Christs Church in fellowship with others 3. Politically in the Common-wealth as you are Magistrates and in place of Government over others First As you are distinct Members of Christ 1. Morally so shew your thankfulness in executing the Judgment written against the Enemies of God Morally In your own bosoms are heathenish popular potent raigning Enemies of God against your heathenish sins execute the vengeance of penitential revenge and the punishments of self-condemning and self-judging against your popular sins the iron fetters of fasting and prayer and the spirit of mortification upon your potentate and predominate sins Secondly As you are joynt Members of Christs Church 2. Instrumentally shew your thankfulness in executing the Judgment Written Instrumentally as God hath taken the chains and fetters from your feet most graciously so do you in thankfulness therefore shew your uttermost endeavors to take off the bonds and chains that are upon Ordinances the Worship the Messengers of the Gospel ministerially so reasons and concludes Ezra God hath not forsaken us in our bondage but hath shewed us mercy that we might set up the House of our God and repair the desolations thereof It cannot be unknown unto you what desolations hath been made in the House of your God in his Worship against Christ Ministerial and Sacramental by heathenish popular royal and powerful Enemies I may truly say in the words of the Apostle Ephes 6. Flesh and blood principalities and powers worldly Governors of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places have taken away the liberties thereof and subjected it to heathenish popular and royal bondage It is your duty and should be your work to be Instruments like Peters Angel to open the brazen gates and unhinge the prison doors that Christ Ministerial may be enlarged and that the Gospel may run and be glorious so shall you Instrumentally execute the Judgment Written upon the Gospel Enemies for by it the Kingdom of Christ shall be exalted the Heathen by the preaching of the Gospel converted from their Idolatries the People by Scripture conviction and reproofs reduced from their prophaneness and Heresies the Kings and Nobles bound in chains and iron fetters restraining their vices and bringing their persons under bonds and subjection to the Gospel 〈…〉 are Magistrates and Members of the Common-wealth show your thankfulness in executing the Judgment Written Politically where also you shall meet with many heathenish popular royal and potent Enemies to lawful Government and Magistracy whilst they are abettors and actors for Tyranny Injustice Oppression and Cruelty do you execute the Judgment written upon these and cast the chains and fetters of your power upon them by restraining them from evil by executing preventing Justice on some and by executing the vengeance of vindictive Justice upon the evil demerits of others so that as far as lieth in you all may be brought to condign punishment that manifestly and wilfully break those bonds asunder and cast away those cords from them wherewith and whereunto they were bound by our solemn League and Covenant God hath made many of you Magistrates in your respective habitations and divisions and so hath put chains and fetters into your hands wherewith to hamper and fetter to restrain and chastise the malefactors of all sorts and rank that are brought before you it will be a most acceptable Sacrifice to God and a real expression of your high praises to God for your own liberty to execute lawful political vengeance upon them and with your chains and fetters to overcome them by which means these your bonds shall become famous your praises for your liberty become glorious and God himself become propitious to you all in perpetuating your liberty and augmenting your felicities and thus the Lord himself by your high praises be exalted magnified and glorified and you your selves be rewarded and honored even with this honor that is peculiar to all and only his Saints to have the high praise of God in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands FINIS