what he hath done for me and others of his people the works of his hands for mine and others deliverance and Salvation When we praise the Lord we do but sing over what he hath done He acts it and we acknowledge it As in this Salvation vouchsafed to you from the Enemy from their Attempts by Assaults Fire c. An Eccho is little else but a Reflecting Repetition of the first sound so our praises are Repetitions reflecting the work on God He heard he helped he delivered and saved This is the Lords doings There is an Amen in Thanksgiving our Amen to the Truth of Gods dispensations we say Amen to them so they are and we acknowledge it To give Thanks is to give God a Tribute in the Confession of his goodness It is Retribution This is to Crown the Lord we owne him the Author of all our manifold Comforts Deliverances supplies in one kind or other There is a distinction made between glory and glorification glory is an Essential Attribute though there were no Angel or man but glorification is the acknowledgement of his power goodness mercy in his works by the Rational Creature What are you then to acknowledge this day Even the Lords doings in your marpeilous preservation If you would glorifie him this day then say the Lord hath done great things for us This is the Lords doing and it is wonderful in our Eyes Instruct 6th One special particular mercy received from God ought to raise up our Hearts to a Consideration of all other mercies formerly bestowed on us And so it should be with you meet to praise the Lords glorious Name for that great Deliverance at the Swampe and in the Garrison The Prophet addes that general Particle All to shew that from that present Benefit which God had Conferred on him in that great Deliverance mentioned vers 2.3 his heart was extended to a Consideration of other favours which the Lord from time to time had shewed him Thus it will be with a grateful Heart Not that we can think on every benefit so as to leave out none they being so Innumerable but it is to be taken of the several kinds as general particular publick private temporal and Spiritual and of as many several and distinct branches of these as we can Psal 103.2 Forget not all nor any of his Benefits and Psal 105 2 Talk you of all his wondrous works This is the means to enlarge the heart and Inflame it with holy Zeal in praising God as more Fuel brought to the fire makes it greater Here is a good help to this great duty this day and at other times observe all kinds of mercies and call to mind what God hath done for you formerly for your persons Families Relations for the Churches to which you belong for the Country Instruct 7. The Consideration of mercies bestowed on our selves and our Interest in the mercies bestowed on others is a great means to provoke to Thankfulness so the Prophet here For all his Benesits towards me so Psal 103.1 to 6. vers Bless the Lord O my Soul c. who forgives all thine iniquities and beals all thy Diseases c. We are most sensible of kindness done to our selves the sweet whereof our own Souls tast according to the Sense and tast of any kindness is the heart quickned and stirred up to Thankfulness Oh take special notice of such mercies as in particular concern thy self For in the Case and buisiness of your present meeting one may say I was spared and not touched when others were dangeroufly wounded Another may say I was only wounded when others were killed I am recovered when others wounds proved mortal God hath given me my Life when others are taken away by Death I am returned to my Relations or my Relations are come home in safety when others have not enjoyed such a mercy Consider withal how you are Interested in the mercies of others either particular persons or in the Common and publick mercies of the Town and Country You have an Interest in the mercies of your Yoke-fellow Children In the mercies of the Town Church state If the Town be spared when others are consumed It is mercy to evety particular If husband be returned home safe It is a Benefit to me may the wife say If the Father be returned It is a Benefit to me may the Child say so may the Father say in the Childs Return The mercies in Magistracy and Ministry are our mercies They are Gods Benefits to us self Interests are affecting Interests Consider how thou art Interested in any mercy Deliverance Immediately or mediately and this will further our Thankfulness for it As this is a way to affect the Heart with the Churches affliction to Consider our Interest therein as members of the same Body so also to affect our Hearts with Gods goodness to others to Consider how we are concerned therein It may be some may say I have more Cause to Fast and Pray in regard of Gods hand on me and mine rather then to Rejoyce and Feast Do but Consider thy many personal mercies thy Family mercies and thy Interest in Common-wealth and Church mercies and thou mayest see aboundant Cause of Thankfulness It is a Certain Truth that a Child of God when he is in the worst Case he can be in here upon earth hath more Cause of Gratulation then of Petition His mercies are greater then his miseries His Enjoyments more then his wants besides his hopes of all good at last in an Unchangeable Estate Instruct 8th If Temporal mercies be carefully to be observed and Return made to God for them how much more for Spiritual and Eternal mercies If Deliverance from a temporal Death how much more Deliverance from Everlasting Death Spiritual mercies are the great mercies They are the Fathers gifts to his Children other mercies he gives to them that are hated and abhorred by him They have some Relation to God as his Creatures Servants in his great Family and therefore they shall have somewhat here a portion they shall have in these common favours vile and ungodly men often escape deadly dangers as well as precious Saints nay they may be preserved when others better then they are taken a way suddenly and by a violent death These Temporal Benefits will not evidence Gods special favour in Christ What Cause have you to whom God hath given those great benefits of Justification Adoption Sanctification and hopes of glory in Heaven for to say with the Apostle Paul Ephes 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus And with the Prophet in the Text what shall I Render to the Lord who hath done so great things for to deliver my Soul from the Nethermost-Hell and to call me to Eternal glory by Jesus Christ say therefore with the Apostle Peter To him be glory and Dominion for ever and ever 1 Pet. 5.10
11. Use II. For Humiliation Hence we have a ground of humbling and abasing our selves in the Consideration of our great neglect of serious observation of Gods favours towards us and also of our short returnes we have made to him for them may not the Lord complain of us as of Israel Do you thus requite the Lord c. Deut. 32.6 It may seem unsuitable and unseasonable to urge this at such a time and on such a day when met to praise the Lord for his great mercies But they may well Consist An heart sensible of its own Ingratitude and scant Returns to God with a bewailing of the same and an heart desirous to praise him and breaking forth in thankful Acknowledgements of his manifold Benefits may stand together The Confideration of our former unthankfulness and the greatness of our Evil therein and Humiliation for it may help forward our Thankfulness for present and future times Use III. By way of Exhorration 1. To imitate this holy Prophet of God in taking notice of Gods mercies and in special of mercies to our selves Take notice of all Consider the times when mercies have been given out to you All times Mercies in your mothers womb mercies in Childhood mercies in single and married Condition Common dayes mercies Sabbath dayes mercies view the places where you have received mercies In Old-England on the Sea In this Country In one Town Family and other ship mercies and Shoar mercies mercies at home and mercies abroad mercy at the Swamp mercy in the house or Garrison Consider the kinds of mercy spiritual temporal preventing sparing supplying affording succours in a time of great need as in your late danger healing wounds restoring health and strength forbearing and giving further space and time of Repentance those that have been taken away if they were not prepared for their Change have no time any more to work in for Eternity Consider the Interest in others mercies publick or more private Every one of you may say It was mercy to me that the rest of the Company were then spared besides my self If several others had been cut off besides those that fell had not those that escaped been much more endangered what unlikelihood of your preservation afterward It is mercy that God made you Instrumental for the preservation of so many persons as were then in that place men women and little ones Consider that it is the Lords doing that you are Returned and hitherto preserved in your habitations Behold the work of God as in what he did against you so in what he hath wrought for you Mot. 1. Consider it is a great Evil not to ponder on and to Consider of the operation of his hands whether in afflictions or in mercies in Salvations Psal 28.4 5. 2dly If we be not observing Christians to discern and mark all Gods wayes about us we cannot sanctifie Gods Name therein as it is our duty to do 1 Pet. 3.15 All Gods works are a part of his Name he makes himself known in his wisdome power love goodness and mercy therein If we sanctifie not his Name he will be sanctified upon us Therefore Behold and see take notice of all his Providences 3dly If we do not observe them our selves how shall we declare them to others This is a duty incumbent on us Numb 22.31 Psal 22.31 and Psal 66.18 How can we tell to others what God hath done for us if we take not good notice of it our selves 2dly Be studiously sollicitous what to Return to the God of your Salvation as the Prophet here was what shall I Render c. I. There is something that God would not have returned to him there is a return that in stead of finding acceptance with him is a provocation to him It provokes him to wrath and Indignation 1. God would not have sin returned to him yet thus did many in Israel Deut. 32.6 Israel Gods peculiar people in Covenant with him after great things done for them did wretchedly and ungratefully deal with him they turned away from God and walked after the imagination of their own evil hearts they forsook the fountain of living waters and changed their glory for that which could not profit To receive good from God and return sin to God is vile abominable It is a very foolish thing to give way to sin against God when we have received mercies even many and great mercies from him and therefore it is called folly Psal 85.8 that they return not again to folly This God complains of in Israel in Isai 1.2 3. I have brought up Children and they have rebelled against me Beware every one of you here this day that you give not the Lord Cause so to complain of you I have brought up these persons I have blessed them in themselves and in their Relations I have preserved them in such deadly dangers I have rebuked the destroyer I have given them their lives for a prey I have brought them in safety to their habitations and Relations I have healed their wounds restored them to health and strength and Behold they still rebel against me they follow their Lusts their revelling and vain Company still they spend my Sabbaths loosly still they are still unsavoury in their Commnnication still proud froward The Lord takes special notice how persons carry it after signal mercies Isai 26.10 In special take heed of wantonness of Spirit and kicking against God in the enjoyment of his mercies kicking against his word against Reproofs against his Ordinances in Magistracy and Ministry against his Institutions in his house as too many do in these dayes Deut. 32.15 Jesurun waxed fat and kicked Israel should have been Jesurun i. e. righteous or upright before God but were nothing less when filled and fatted then they kicked like some young when they have sucked kick the Damms dugs Though Parents be liberal to their Children yet they would not have them wanton and trample good meat under their feet and yet such a Spirit there is in us we are ready to turn the very grace of God revealed in the Gospel into Lasciviousness as they did Jude 4. and many now do When Gods mercies make us wanton this God takes ill Take heed of sniffing and trampling mercies under feet Be not wanton secure proud scornful after such a deliverance as this say as Ezra 9.13 14. shall we after such a deliverance again break thy Commandments c. Let not sin the only object of Gods batred be the Return you make to God for his sparing preserving mercy c. Consider 1. This will be a great aggravation of all your other and former Evils to sin after such mercies as Israels murmurings and Rebellions in the wilderness after their deliverance at the red Sea and mercies vouchsafed Nehem. 9.10 with 16.17 verses 2. This will bring worse and greater Evils in one kind or other John 5.14 sin no more saith Christ least a worse thing come You that escaped without the least
Conditions require several duties The Christian Conversation is like a wheel every Spoke taketh its Turn God hath planted in man Affections for every Condition grace for every Affection and a duty for the Exercise of every grace and a Season for every duty in which it is most beautiful In the day of Trouble and Affliction the duty then is Prayer and Petition In the time of Deliverance and Prosperity Thanksgiving giving praise to the God of our Salvation and it is wisdome to perform what is most seasonable Jam. 5.13 Is any Afflicted let him pray Aske mercy and deliverance from the evils at Gods hand Is any merry by Reason of mercy received let him sing Psalms of praise exalting the Lord for his free goodness and bounty therein Accordingly the holy Prophet very probably David in this Psalm sets before us the Exercise of his grace in various Conditions which befell him He tels us what he did in the time of great Affliction and Distress he prayed He called upon the Name of the Lord ver 3 4. and being delivered and helped what he did and was resolved to do He loved the Lord and would walk before him in the Land of the Living He was thankful and would express his gratitude in his Conversation yea is Inquisitive what further to do therein as in the Text what shall I Render c. The Psalm then is Eucharistical or Gratulatory wherein the Psalmist giveth praise to God for his favour and mercy in a great Deliverance from a deadly danger and distress and so suitable to the present occasion of our meeting at this time If David were the Penman thereof the Deliverance may be that mentioned Psal 18. Title His preservation from Sauls furious and malicious Persecution and the rage and violence of all his Adherents and all others that sought his Ruine The words read contein a Pathetical Exclamation and Enquiry what shall I render c. as if he should say The Lord hath bestowed mercies yea many and great mercies upon me He hath heard my prayer when the sorrows of death encompassed me helped me when I was brought very low something is to be returned to him that even Reason suggests yea much is to be done but what that is I am as it were at a Loss I would do any thing to please and honour him who hath done so much for me In the words there are two parts 1. An Inquisition wherein we may Consider 1. The Subject or matter enquired after what shall I render 2dly The Object or person concerning whom the Enquiry is made and to whom the Return is to be made and that is Jehovah Not man but the Lord. 2dly The Reason of the Inquisition and that is the Consideration of all his Benefits There was just occasion to be so sollicitous Gods Benefits set out 1. By an Amplification All All his Benefits 2dly By an Application towards me All his Benefits towards me In this verse we have the Question In the verses following we have the Resolution He will take the Cup of Salvation c. and He will pay the Vows which he had made in his Trouble and Distress For Explication of the Terms Render The word Imports a kind of Requital It is attributed both to God and man and that in Relation to a good thing done and signifies to reward and to an Evil and signifies to Revenge Here it is Attributed to man in Relation to God but not as importing any possibility and satisfaction but only a readiness and forwardness to do any thing that might be acceptable to him Benefits The word in the Original is derived of that Verb which in the seventh verse is Translated dealt bountifully God 's Bounties And these the Prophet stiles His Benefits acknowledging all the good he received to come from him The Verse then is a Description of the frame of heart of a faithful Thanksgiver 1. In his Observation of Gods dispensation towards him in the Benefits bestowed on him 2dly In his Sollicitousness what to do by way of Retribution and his willingness to do whatsoever he knows may be acceptable to him and approved by him Hence this Doctrine may be raised Doct. A person or people in a right thankful frame upon the Observation of Gods Benifits and Bountiful favours towards them are very Sollicitous what to return to God for them Or such as are after Gods heart upon their Observation of mercies and deliverances bestowed on them are Sollicitous what Returns to make to God for them There be two parts in the Doctrine 1. That a gracious Heart observes and takes notice of Gods goodness towards him 2dly He is thereupon Inquisitive what to Return to God 1. The Prophet takes notice of Gods goodness His Inquisition what to return for it argues his Observation of it If he enquires what to Render It argues his taking notice of the Benefits yea of the variety and multitude of them in what God had been doing for him So David tels us Psal 139.14 marveilous are thy works and that my Soul knoweth right well So also in Psal 103.1 to the sixth verse Neh. 9.7 to 27th verse They take notice of the great and manifold mercies which God had bestowed upon his people Israel in former as well as latter times The Reasons hereof are Reason 1. From the worth of every one of Gods mercies There is not one of All of Gods Benefits and the blessings which we enjoy but it is worthy of notice for it is the Lords work the Operation of his hands every mercy is Gods gift and therefore to be Eyed and observed Psal 111.2 The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein As your deliverance from the great danger you were in at the Swampe and afterwards in the House It 's worthy observing and remembring how much more All our mercies at all time and in all places All comes from God Jam. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift commeth c. Reason 2. From the Thankfulness we owe to God for every mercy being unworthy of the least of them as Gen. 32 10. Jacob humbly acknowledgeth Now how shall we be Thankful for them if we do not observe them Hence the Prophet to Induce men to Thankfulness and to bless God for his goodness and mercy adviseth men to take notice of his kindness towards them Psal 100.3 4. And when the Lord upbraids his people for their great Ingratitude towards him he gives this as one Cause of it and so expresseth it they did not know nor Consider Isai 1.3 and Hos 2.8 she did not know that I gave c that is she did not seriously Consider of it that thereby she might have been stirred up to Thankfolness in obedience Reason 3. From the great difficulty of raising up our dull and sluggish hearts to that great duty of praise and Thankfulness especially in a lively and spiritual frame and therefore there is great need to
forsake any sin to leave any evil Custome to walk more exactly with God to be more Careful in Relative duties to seek more after God in all his wayes to be more Reverent in attending to Gods worship Oh now be Careful to discharge what you have promised and resolved now pay what you vowed Ps 56.12 There saith David thy Vows are upon me O God the Vows which he had made to God in his danger lay upon him as a Bond which he must look to free himself from he had fast bound himself to God but he will loose himself by paying them Mot. 1. It is folly to Vow and not to pay and God taketh no pleasure in Fools Eccles 5.45 6. It is hateful folly Better not have vowed then vow and not pay 2. It is a great Aggravation of sin when it is against solemn Vows and therefrre take heed to your wayes If you did not vow in that time of danger yet you have vowed in your Baptisme that you would be the Lords Servants keep his Commandment But I doubt not but that you had serious thoughts then on those two or three dayes while your Trouble chieflyl asted that if God would return you in peace Safety to your Habitations to the Enjoyment of your Relations you would walk more to the praise of his Name and the honour of the Gospel That if the Lord would preserve you from violent and ungodly men that sought your Ruine you would be more faithful Servants to him Oh take heed to your selves that you forget not the promises wherein you have bound your Souls After deliverance had from God Return not to folly Psal 85.8 3. Consider God hath the Bond and it will be called for Though we may forget and little regard our Vows and and the payment of them yet God remembers all our Vows and Engagements one time or other we shall be put in mind of them God put Jacob in mind of his Vow when he went from his Fathers house c. Gen. 35.1 c. God had told him of it once before Chap. 31 13. It may be God was displeased with him for his slackness to go to Bethel and pay it and therefore though he did not chide him he being then in heaviness yet takes the opportunity and gently minds him what was his duty and would be for his safety when so full of fears of the Countries rising against him by Reason of that act of his Sons against the Sechemites Did you then Vow when in so great danger It was a seasonable time of vowing Take also the fittest season for payment And that is Now the present time Psal 116.14 18. Now in the prasence of his people Deferre not 5. Return fear to God That the Lord expects that the more he discovers his grace and goodness his mercy and Salvation to us we should fear him the more Psal 130.4 There is for giveness with thee that thou maiest be feared This is also foretold of Israel that at their Return out of Captivity they shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes Hos 3. ult The more good you receive from God the more do you abound in the fear of God so shall it be with Gods ancient people when the Redeemer shall come to Zion and shall turn ungodliness from Jacob the fear of the Lord shall prevail mightily in their Hearts more then ever The greater Gods goodness the more shall the fear of God be upon their hearts All their joy in God and his goodness shall be mixed with a Reverential fear of God They shall serve the Lord in fear and rejoyes with trembling as Psal 2.11 so let it be with you Heb. 12.28 Serve the Lord with Reverence and godly fear fear to offend so good a God who hath had such mercy on you wrought such deliverances for you And in all your rejoycings and praisings of God for his goodness see that there be a mixture of fear work out your Salvation with fear and Trembling Phil. 2.12 And manifest the fear of God in your hearts by your Care to depart from all Evil Prov. 16.6 And by your using the very Name and Attributes of God with great Reverence by Reverencing Gods Sanctuary by endeavouring to walk with a good Conscience towards all men not oppressing any Levit. 25.17 not avenging our selves though injured Gen. 42.18 Being faithful in all Trusts committed to us Neh. 7.2 Be not high minded but fear not with a slavish fear to fear him only for his wrath and Judgements but also for his Compassion and goodness And therefore let our fear of God be joyned with a love of God to fear him in Love and Love him in fear Let not our fear drive us from God as Cains did but cause us to cleave closet to God as God promiseth in Jer. 32.40 6. Render true Sanctity to God Be perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Math. 22.21 Render to God the things that are Gods Thus Christ spake upon their shewing him the penny that had Caesars Image on it that man might know that God requireth of man his own Image in man himself in which he at first Created him with which he at first adorned beautified him which was mans chief Excelleney glory Caesar would have his Image upon his Coine The Lord would see his Image in us The Image of his grace and holiness Let it be more shining And let it more appear and be manifested in our doing justly loving mercy and walking humbly with the Lord our God Be you holy for the Lord your God is holy yea in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 16 Be you merciful as your Father is merciful Luk. 6.36 As God is an universal good doing good to all so let us every one labour to be a publick good doing good to as many as we have opportunity Psal 16.2 3. my goodness extends not to thee saith David but to the Saints c. Gal. 6.10 As we have opportunity let us do good to all espcially to those that are of the Houshold of Faith Let us now labour to be like him in holiness goodness Righteousness we shall be like him hereafter in glory and Blessedness Let us more more approve our selves the Children of God in resembling him following of him walking after him Ephes 5.1 7. Render to God the fruit that he calls for under his Husbandry and the wayes he takes with us that we might be fruitful in well doing This he calls for and expects from a people for whom he hath done as for us in this wilderness to whom he gives the Gospel of the Kingdome who have Sanctuary Enjoyments to whom he vouchsafeth protection from their Enemies Math. 21.43 The Kingdom should be taken from the unfruitful Iews and given to them which should bring forth fruit render it in the season Isai 5.2.3 5 7. vers God tells us again and again what he looked for
He looked for sweet grapes good fruits These fruits are the good works required of us in our Conversation in duties of godliness Righteousness Lovs goodness and mercy which God hath ordeined that we should walk in them Ephes 2.10 This was the Apostles prayer for the Philippians Chap. 1.11 that they might be filled with the fruits of Righteousness c. and for the Colossians Chap. 1.10 that fruitful in every good work The Lord takes great pains with us in his house He is pruning of us by the Affictions he brings upon us that we might be more fruitful Ioh. 15.2 Bring forth the fruit of Ordinances and Providences the fruit of your dangers troubles fears and also of your Deliverances and Experiences of Gods help in the time of distress Live more to God less to your selves less to the world Labour to abound in the work of God doing good in all places to all with whom you Converse Do good in your Communication Col. 4.6 by your Example as the Thessolonians did 1 Thes 1 7. and the Corinthians 2 Cor 9 2. Their Zeal provoked very many Be fruitful Trees in Gods Vineyard both in word and deed doing good to all as you have occasion ministred to you provoking them to love and good works by beholding your forwardness in the wayes of Christ Jesus Mot. 1. Consider it is an honour to the glorious and blessed God when those that are his people are fruitful when the Trees that he hath planted are laden with good fruit when a vine is full of goodly Clusters It is a Credit to the Vine dresser when ground yields great Increase It is not only the profit but the honour of the Husbandman when Ewes bear Twins It is the Shepards honour and so when Christians are fruitful It is the honour and glory of God who is the Husbandman John 15.1 their Shepard Psal 23.1 The Lord accounts himself honoured John 15.8 Herein is my Father honoured c. Hereby others are stirred up to praise God Math. 5.16 2 Cor. 9.12 Phil. 1.11 They are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God Let this quicken us to Fruitfulness For this is the great End of our Lives to bring glory to God the God of our Life This ought to be our highest End in all 1 Cor. 10.31 2. Fruitful Christians are the Lords delight They are Hephzibab his delight is in them They walk worthy of the Lord to all well pleasing Col. 1.10 The Lord promiseth to be as the Dew unto Israel and then his beauty should be as the Olive Tree and his smell as Lebanon Hos 14.5 6. The beauty of the Olive Tree is to be full of Olives such Christians are beautiful in Gods Eyes Lebanon was full of sweet Trees and fragrant Flowers and filled all the parts thereabouts with a sweet smel and so should Israel be a sweet savour to God when they brought forth good fruit to him The Philippians fruitfulness in well doing communicating to Paul was an odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God Phil. 4.18 3. Fruitless Professors are near unto a Curse and in danger of being plucked up or cut down Math 21 19. Heb. 6.8 If we bring not forth fruits of mercies deliverances Ordinances Afflictions if barren under all the Curse may come and God say never fruit grow on you more yea God may cut us down by the Axe of his Judgements which he hath brought upon us Math. 3.10 Now God is laying the Axe if not to the Root yet he is lopping off many branches and therefore the more need to take heed of unfruitfulness The Jews were a fruitless Vine Christ layed the Axe to the Root of the Tree c. Luk. 13.7 Cut it down c. would we not be cut down and cast into the Fire let us be fruitful and that in due season 4. The End of Fruitfulness in Gods wayes is Everlasting Life and Blessedness Rom. 6 32. The good we do in Family Town Church being done in uprightness will turn to good Account in the great day of Christs appearance Phil. 4.17 All good fruit which we here bring forth is as Seed sown 2 Cor. 9.6 Prov. 11.30 It will yield great increase 1 Tim. 6.18 19. 2 Tim. 1.16 17 18. you would willingly have the Reward then do the work If you would have a good Crop in the Harvest day now be sowing and that not sparingly serve the Lord faithfully and diligently in duties of holiness Righte ousness Love kindness Bounty and all goodness 1 Cor. 15.8 knowing your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Labour to be more and more fruitful that your works may be more at the laft then at the first as Christ speaks of them Rev. 2.19 yea be fruitful in Age honouring God and adorning the Gospel in all things Psal 92.14 8. Make this Return to God for all his Benefits and the great deliverances received to make him your Trust and Confidence all your dayes Trust upon the Lord live in dependance upon him for further mercy and Salvation In Experience of what you have received from God rest upon him we need daily from God and the Lord gives out daily unto us let us act Faith daily upon God Make this use of Gods gracious appearance for you never to distrust him what ever your dangers and streights or distresses may be so it was with holy Paul 2 Cor. 1.10 who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Be not overmuch Careful or fearful in these evil and troublesomedayes Be not sollicitous what you shall eat or what you shall drink or whire with you shall be clothed or how you shall be preserved Trust on the Lord Jehovah in whom is Everlasting strength Isai 26.4 the Lord provided for his people daily in the wilderness though they had no bread left in the Evening yet they had it near their doors in in the morning he was a shadow in the day time from the heat c. Isai 4.5 6. This was Davids Resolution having had such wonderful deliverances from all his Enemies he would still trust in God Psal 18.2 And therefore in his greatest fears there shall be his Considence that he will not fear what man can do to him Psal 56.3 4. He is and will be a Buckler to all those that trust in him Psal 18.30 It is a very ill Requital not to trust him by resting on his promises not to rely upon his wisdome power faithfulness when we have had much Experience of his Care Love Compassion and wonderful works for our good It is high Ingratitude Hence the Lord was so angry with Asa for sending to Benhadad for his help though there were other evils in it that he relyed not on God when God had given him such a glorious victory over that mighty Host of the Ethiopians 2 Chron. 16 8 9 Thereby he provoked God from that time
to afflict him with Warrs Learn to trust in God in the most deadly dangers Let him be your Refuge in all Storms He is able to keep that which is committed to him To him belong the Issues from death Psal 68.26 9. Make this Return to God for all his Bounty and mercy to you to make God your exceeding joy as David did Psal 43 4 and to rejoice in him the God of your Salvation yea the God of all Salvations Temporal Spiritual and Eternal You cannot praise the Lord aright nor walk worthy of him except you rejoyce in him Psal 33.1 Rejoyce in the Lord you Righteous for praise is comely for the upright This duty is urged upon the Saints Phil. 3.1 and 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and again I say Rejoyce We should not only rejoyce before the Lord in his blessings that he vouchsafeth us as Life health Corn c. Deut. 12.12.18 That God alloweth yea enjoyneth his people but Rejoyce in the Lord Let not our joy be Carnal in our preservation from death in the Life 's of our Relations in Crops houses Lands Children but let our joy be Spiritual Let not our chief joy be in Church Priviledges and Ordinances but on Christ Jesus Such are the true Circumcision who rejoyce in Christ Josus and put no Confidence in the Flesh Phil. 3.3 Psal 97 12. Rejoyce not in sin that is an ill Requital the pleasures of sin are but for a Season and that joy will End in sorrow but Rejoyce in the Lord and that joy can no man take from you And that we may the more rejoyce in him Let us endeavour to be more clearing up our Interest in him as our God in Christ Jesus That we may be able to say as Psal 48.14 This God of Salvation is our God well may they rejoyce in God that have him for their God for then he will be their guide unto death their God for ever ever 10. and Lastly Render to God praise and Thanksgiving so the Prophet promiseth in verse after the Text I will take the Cup of Salvation wherein he alludes to their solemn feasts wherein they had Cups and in the use of them they returned praise to God for the blessing they had received from him Commemorate Gods mercies to our selves and others and praise his great his holy and Reverend Name this we are frequently exhorted to Psal 22.25 And 61.8 And 107 13 14 15 you were as prisoners shut up for a time but God hath brought you out into a large place Oh give Thanks to the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for Ever Moi 1. God hath given you your desires and Answered your prayers therefore do you Answer his Expectation what Cause have you to bless the Name of the Lord Psal 66 19 20 so David verily God hath heard me he hath been Attentive to the voice of my prayer Blessed be God which hath not turned away my prayer nor his mercy from me as Hannah said to Eli 1 Sam. 1 27. For this Child I prayed c so may we say for this mercy I prayed for this deliverance for this Return to our Habitations and Relations for this dayes liberty we sought the Lord and he hath given us our hearts desire he might have made more breaches continued our distresses longer let therefore the Redeemed of the Lord say The Lord is good and gracious for his mercy endures for ever 2. This is the way to keep and hold Gods blessings still with us It is via Conservandi God will not take away his mercies from us from the Country if we Return praise to him They giving God his Rent the Tribute he expects he will not turn them out of doors not strip us of his Benefits By giving praise we glorifie him Psal 50.23 He that offereth or sacrificeth praise glorifies me He acknowledgeth his glorious Attributes as in going to God by Petition so in the Sacrifice of praise and gratulation 1. In praising him we give him the glory of his goodness in the Communication of good to us Psal 119.68 Thou art good and dost good c. Bonum est sui diffusivum It is the nature of goodness to be Communicative 2. The glory of his mercy in pittying us in our miscry doing so much for us who had plunged our selves into a Sea of misery Confessing our own Indignity we acknowledge all to be from mercy Lam. 3.22 as the Church then so may we say now It is the Lords mercy we are not consumed 3. The glory of his wisdome in ordering all Events for his peoples good and ruling all the world for his Churches benefit All is theirs 1 Cor. 3.21 22. 4. The glory of his power in Effecting all those things for us which we our selves could not do we cannot help our selves with any mercy not make the Sun to rise a drop of Rain to fall nor Cause the Earth to bring forth c. All is the work of God 1 Chron. 29.11 12. Isai 26.12 5. The glory of his Truth in his Word making good the same to us and to his Church Rev. 15.3 so in that Song after their Victory over the Beast Just and true are thy wayes Mot. 3. This will open Gods heart and hand to give more and so it is medium impretandi a means to prevail for more mercies 2 Chron. 20.22 And when they began to sing and to praise the Lord set Ambushments against the Children of Ammon c. a man puts in but a Bucket full of water into a Pump but it returneth more The more praise we return the more good shall we receive A thankful Christian is a blessed Christian would you have future mercies be thankful for present mercies say not If I had such a mercy I could be thankful and praise the Name of the Lord praise him for what thou hast received and thou maiest have more God will showr down his blessings of grace and goodness upon thee 4thly These praises of God rightly performed are very acceptable to God They are delitiae Caeli God delights in them Heb. 13.15 Psal 69.30 31. And that should make us more delight in this duty because it is so pleasing to God Psal 22.3 He Inhabits the praises of Israel He loves to sit by them and to hear them when their hearts are in Tune when they sound forth his high praises 5thly It is a signe that the good things which we enjoy are given as blessings from the hand of a Fathers love when they work this in us to carry up our Affections to be much in blessing him for them A man may abound in good things which are in themselves blessings and yet be no blessing to him that hath them but be turned into Curses How may I know will some say that this and that gift these deliverances are blessings to us even hereby when they work this disposition in us to bless and praise the Lord who hath so blessed
very readily Assented to it and promised that those of us whom God should be pleased to Carry home would attend it in due Season and when some others with my self and Son were in some good measure recovered of our wounds I Requested Mr. Bulkely to help us in the work of the day intended to be kept by us He being of a ready Spirit to the utmost of his strength to forward any good duty that God calls for he also Judging it to be of very great Concernment althoughte he Country was in very great distress our Deliverance being so Remarkable he did joyne with us therein on October 21.75 and then preached what is here published which we finding so seasonable to the occasion and beneficial to our selves I further Requested him that for the help of our memories and our better Improvement of what was then delivered to us also for the benefit and Edification of others he would give me a Coppy of it and suffer me to publish it which though for a time he delayed to do yet hath at length given given me a Coppy with power to do as I shall think best therein permitting it to be added to the aforesaid Narrative I hope it may be profitable to many of Gods people to whose view it may come I know that there be many in this Country at this day for whome it may be very seasonable who having with our selves received great mercies in Preservations and Deliverances in these Evil and Troublesome Times in the Naragansit Expedition and at other times and in other places where they have been in very great danger and in hazard of the loss of Life and all they had as also having been healed of sore and dangerous wounds been brought home safely to their dear Relations or have had their Relations Returned to them whom they feared they should not have seen again and have had their Habitations and Estates preserved when near to Ruine and others not farr from them were consumed All whom with all others whom God hath vouchsaved any special mercy to in Recovery out of great sicknesses or otherwise it Concerns to do as we were then Exhorted to do even seriously to observe what God hath done about them and for them and Carefully to Return that Praise Love and Obedience which he expects from them I Crave your Prayers for the blessing of God to accompany both his Works and his Word tous for our Everlasting good Tho. Wheeler A TRVE NARRATIVE Of the Lords Providences in various dispensations towards Captain Edward Hutchinson of Boston and my self and those that went with us into the Nipmuck Country and also to Quabaug alias Brookfield The said Captain Hutchinson having a Commission from the Honoured Council of this Colony to Treat with several Sachems in those parts in order to the publick peace and my self being also ordered by the said Council to accompany him with part of my Troop for Security from any danger that might be from the Indians and to Assist him in the Transaction of matters committed to him THe said Captain Hutchinson and my self with about twenty men or more marched from Cambridge to Sudbury July 28.75 and from thence into the Nipmuck Country and finding that the Indians had deserted their Towns and we having gone until we came within twenty miles of New Norwitch on July 31. only we saw two Indians having an Horse with them whom we would have spoke with but they fled from us and left their Horse which we took we then thought it not expedient to march any further that way but set our march for Brookfield whither we came on the Lords day about Noon From thence the same day being August 1. we understanding that the Indians were about Ten Miles Northwest from us we sent out four men to acquaint the Indians that we were not come to harm them but our business was only to deliver a Message from our Honoured Governour and Council to them and to receive their Answer we desiring to come to a Treaty of Peace with them though they had for several dayes fled from us they having before professed Friendship and promised Fidelity to the English When the Messengers came to them they made an Alarm and gathered together about an hundred and Fifty fighting men as near as they could judge The young men amongst them were stout in their Speeches and surly in their Carriage But at length three of the chief Sachems promised to meet us on the next morning about eight of the Clock upon a plain within three miles of Brookfield with which Answer the Messengers returned to us Whereupon though their Speeches and Carriage did much discourage divers of our Company yet we conceived that we had a cleer Call to go to meet them at the place whither they had promised to come Accordingly we with our men accompanied with three of the Principal Inhabitants of that Town marched to the plain appointed but the Treacherous Heathen intending mischief if they could have opportunity came not to the said place and so failed our hopes of speaking with them there Whereupon the said Captain Hutchinson and my self with the rest of our Company Considered what was best to be done whether we should go any further towards them or Return divers of us apprehending much danger in Case we did proceed because the Indians kept not promise there with us But the three men who belonged to Brookfield were so strongly perswaded of their Freedome from any ill Intentions towards us as upon other grounds so especially because the greatest part of those Indians belonged to David one of their chief Sachems who was taken to be a great Friend to the English That the said Captain Hutchinson who was principally Intrusted with the matter of Treaty with them was thereby encouraged to proceed and march forward towards a Swampe where the Indians then were When we came near the said Swampe the way was so very bad that we could march only in a fingle File there being a very Rocky Hill on the right hand and a thick Swampe on the left In which there were many of those cruel blood-thirsty Heathen who there way-laid us waiting an opportunity to cut us off there being also much brush on the side of the said Hill where they lay in Ambush to surprize us When we had marched there about sixty or seventy Rods the said perfidious Indians sent out their shot upon us as a showre of haile they being as was supposed about two hundred men or more We seeing our selves so beset and not having room to fight Endeavoured to fly for the safety of our lives In which Flight we were in no small danger to be all Cut off there being a very miry Swamp before us into which we could not enter with our horses to go forwards and there being no safety in retreating the way we came because many of our Enemies who lay behind the Bushes and had let us pass by them
quietly when others had shot they came out and stopt our way back so that we were forced as we could to get up the steep and Rocky Hill But the greater our danger was the greater was Gods mercy in the preservation of so many of us from sudden destruction My self being gone up part of the Hill without any hurt and perceiving some of my men to be fallen by the Enemies shot I wheeled about upon the Indians not calling on my men who were left to Accompany me which they in all probability would have done had they known of my Return upon the Enemy They firing violently out of the Swamp and from behind the bushes on the Hill side wounded me sorely and shot my Horse under me so that he faultring and Falling I was forced to leave him divers of the Indians being then but a few Rods distant from me My Son Thomas Wheeler flying with the rest of the Company missed me amongst them and fearing that I was either slain or much endangered returned towards the Swampe again though he had then received a dangerous wound in the Reins where he saw me in the danger aforesaid Whereupon he endeavoured to Rescue me shewing himself therein a loving and dutiful Son he adventuring himself into great peril of his Life to help me in that distress there being many of the Enemies about him My Son set me on his own horse and so escaped a while on Foot himself until he Caught an Horse whose Rider was slain on which he mounted and so through Gods great mercy we both escaped But in this Attempt for my deliverance he received another dangerous wound by their shot in his left Arm. There were then slain to out great grief eight men viz. Zechariah Philips of Boston Timothy Farlow of Billericay Edward Coleborn of Chelmsford Samuel Smedly of Concord Sydrach Hopgood of Sudbury Serjeant Eyres Serjeant Prichard and Corporal Coy the Inhabitants of Brookfield aforesaid It being the good pleasure of God that they should all there fall by their hands of whose good Intentions they were so Confident and whom they so little mistrusted There were also then five persons wounded viz. Captain Hutchinson my self and my Son Thomas as aforesaid Corporal French of Billericay who having killed an Indian was as he was taking up his gun shot and part of one of his Thumbs taken off and also dangerously wounded through the Body near the Shoulder the fifth was John Waldoe of Chelmsford who was not so dangerously wounded as the rest They also then killed five of our horses and wounded some more which soon died after they came to Brookfield Upon this sudden and unexpected blow given us wherein we desire to look higher then man the Instrument we returned to the Town as fast as the badness of the way and the weakness of our wounded men would permit we being then Ten Miles from it All the while we were going we durst not stay to stanch the bleeding of our wounded men for fear the Enemy should have surprized us again which they attempted to do and had in probability done but that we perceiving which way they went wheeled off to the other hand and so by Gods good Providence towards us they missed us and we all came readily upon and safely to the Town though none of us knew the way to it those of the place being slain as aforesaid and we avoiding any thick woods and riding in open places to prevent danger by them Being got to the Town we speedily betook our selves to one of the largest and strongest houses therein where we fortified our selves in the best manner we could in such straits of Time and there resolved to keep Garrison though we were but few and meanly fitted to make Resistance against so many Enemies The News of the Indians Treacherous dealing with us and the loss of so many of our Company thereby did so amaze the Inhabitants of the Town that they being informed thereof by us presently left their houses divers of them carrying very little away with them they being afraid of the Indians sudden coming upon them and so came to the house we were entred into very meanly provided of Cloathing or furnished with Provisions I perceiving my self to be disenabled for the discharge of the duties of my place by reason of the wound I had received and apprehending that the Euemy would soon come to spoyle the Town and Assault us in the house I appointed Simon Davis of Concord James Richardson and John Fiske of Chelmsford to manage Affairs for our Safety with those few men whom God hath left us and were fit for any Service and the Inhabitants of the said Town who did well and Commendably perform the duties of the Trust committed to them with much Courage and Resolution through the Assistance of our gracious God who did not leave us in out low and distressed state but did mercifully appear for us in our greatest need as in the Sequel will clearly be manifested Within two hours after our coming to the said house or less the said Captain Hutchinson and my self posted away Ephraim Curtis of Sudbury and Henry Young of Concord to go to the Honoured Council at Boston to give them an Account of the Lords dealings with us and our present Condition When they came to the further end of the Town they saw the Enemy Rifling of houses which the Inhabitants had forsaken The Post fired upon them and immediately returned to us again they discerning no safety in going forward and being desirous to inform us of the Enemies Actings that we might the more prepare for a sudden Assault by them Which indeed presently followed for as soon as the said Post was come back to us the Barbarous Heathen pressed upon us in the house with great violence sending in their Shot amongst us like haile through the walls and shouting as if they would have swallowed us up alive but our good God wrought wonderfully for us so that there was but one man wounded within the house viz the said Henry Young who looking out at a garret window that Evening was mortally wounded by a Shot of which wound he died within two dayes after There was the same day another man slain but not in the house a Son of Serjeant Prichards adventuring out of the house wherein we were to his Fathers house not far from it to fetch more goods out of it was Caught by those Cruel Enemies as they were coming towards us who cut off his head kicking it about like a Foot-ball and then putting it upon a Pole they set it up before the door of his Fathers house in our sight The night following the said blow they did roar against us like so many wild Bulls sending in their Shot amongst us till towards the Moon rising which was about three of the Clock at which time they Attempted to fire our house by Hay and other Combustible matter which they brought to one Corner of the
come to the house and understood though at first they knew not they were English who were in the house but thought that they might be Indians and therefore were ready to have shot at us till we discerning they were English by the Majors speaking I caused the Trumpet to be sounded that the said Captain Hutchinson my self and Company with the Towns Inhabitants were there but the Indians also discerned that there were some come to cur Assistance whereupon they spared not their shot but poured it out on them but through the Lords goodness though they stood not farr asunder one from another they killed not one man wounded only two of his Company and killed the Majors Sons horse after that we within the house perceived the Indians shooting so at them we hastened the Major and all his Company into the house as fast as we could and their horses into a little yard before the house where they wounded five other horses that night After they were come into the house to us the Enemies continued their shooting some Considerable time so that we may well say had not the Lord been on our side when these Cruel Heathens rose up against us they had then swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us But wherein they dealt proudly the Lord was above them When they saw their divers designes unsuccessful and their hopes therin disappointed they then fired the houss barne wherein they had before kept to lye in wait to surprize any coming to us that by the Light thereof they might the better direct their shot at us but no hurt was done thereby praised be the Lord. And not long after they burnt the Meeting house wherein their Fortifications were as also the Barne which belonged to our house and so perceiving more strength come to our Assistance they did as we suppose despaîr of effecting any more mischief against us And therefore the greatest part of them towards the breaking of the day August the fifth went away and left us and we were quiet from any further molestations by them and on that morning we went forth of the house without danger and so daily afterward only one man was wounded about two dayes after as he went out to look after horses by some few of them sculking thereabouts We cannot tell how many of them we killed in all that time but one that afteewards was taken confessed that there were killed and wounded about eighty men or more Blessed be the Lord God of our Salvation who kept us from being all a prey to their Teeth But before they went away they burnt all the Town except the house we kept in and another that was not then finished They also made great spoyle of the Cattel belonging to the Inhabitants and after our Entrance into the house and during the time of our Confinement there they either killed or drove away almost all the horses of our Company We Continued there both well and wounded towards a Fortnight and August the thirteenth Captain Hutchinson and my self with the most of those that had escaped without hurt and also some of the wounded came from thence my Son Thomas and some other wounded men came not from thence being not then able to endure Travel so farr as we were from the next Town till about a Fortnight after We came to Marlborough on August the Fourteenth where Captain Hutchinson being not recovered of his wound before his coming from Brookfield and overtyred with his long Journy by Reason of his weakness quickly after grew worse and more dangerously ill and on the nineteenth day of the said moneth dyed and was there the day after buried the Lord being pleased to deny him a return to his own habitation and his near Relations at Boston though he was come the greatest part of his Journy thitherward The Inhabitants of the Town also not long after men women and Children removed safely with what they had left to several places either where they had lived before their planting or sitting down there or where they had Relations to receive and entertain them The Honoured Major Willard stayed at Brookfield some weeks after our coming away there being several Companies of Souldiers sent up thither and to Hadly and the Towns thereabouts which are about Thirty Miles from Brookfield whither also the Major went for a time upon the Service of the Country in the present warr and from whence there being need of his presence for the ordering of matters concerning his own Regiment and the safety of the Towns belonging to it he through Gods goodness and mercy returned in safety and health to his house and dear Relations at Groaton Thus I have Indeavoured to set down and declare both what the Lord did against us in the Loss of several persons Lifes and the wounding of others some of which wounds were very painful in dressing and long ere they were healed besides many dangers that we were in and fears that we were exercised with and also what great things he was pleased to do for us in frustrating their many Attempts and vouchsafing such a Deliverance to us The Lord avenge the Blood that hath been shed by these Heathen who hate us without a Cause though he be most Righteous in all that hath befallen there and in all other parts of the Country He help us to humble our selves before him and with our whole hearts to return to him and also to improve all his mercies which we still enioy that so his anger may cease towards us and he may be pleased either to make our Enemies at peace with us or more destroy them before us I tarried at Marlborough with Captain Hutchinson until his death and came home to Concord August the 21. though not throughly recovered of my wound and so did others that went with me But since I am Reasonable well though I have not the use of my hand and Arm as before My Son Thomas though in great hazard of Life for some time after his return to Concord yet is now very well Cured and his strength well restored Oh that we could praise the Lord for his great goodness towards us Praised be his Name that though he took away some of us yet was pleased to spare so many of us and adde unto our dayes He help us whose Souls he hath delivered from Death and Eyes from Tears and Feet from falling to walk before him in the Land of the Living till our great Change come and to sanctifie his Name in all his wayes about us that both our Afflictions and our mercies may quicken us to live more to his glory all our dayes THE SERNON Psal 116.12 What shall I Render unto the Lord for all his Benefits towards me THere is no Condition of men here below so good but there is need of duty There is none so bad as to be past duty In all Estates we must be doing no Providence exempts from duty yet several
observe not only some but All his Benefits Though one mercy should raise our Hearts to Heaven yet the more to quicken and enlarge them we should take notice of All the variety of them as praise is a difficult duty so it is difficult raising our hearts to the duty We are dull and Listless to all duty but especially to Thankfulness We are slow to go to God for mercy in our Troubles and Distresses but more slow to Return praise after Deliverances vouchsafed Hence that Expression in Psal 107. Psal 8.15 21 31. Oh that men would praise the Lord as if he should say It 's rather to be wished then expected Luke 17.17 18. There were Ten cried Lord have mercy upon us but only one Returned to give Thanks to Jesus Christ when cured The second part of the Doctrine Gracious and Humble Hearts observing Gods goodness towards them are studious and Sollicitous what to Return to him So the Prophet here what shall I Render to the Lord c. so 2 Sam. 7.1 when God had brought him to Rest in his Kingdome after so many wandrings he was studying how to advance the honour of God who had done so great things for him had so delivered him so advanced him to honour and Renown 1 Thes 3.9 what Thanks saith the Apostle can we Render c. The Reasons hereof are Reason 1. From the Consideration of the Nature of the Benefits Gods people enjoy The Prophet here may well say what shall I Render c. and so may every Child of God say All that are in Covenant with him what shall we Render for the Benefits we have received from our God 1. They are great mercies even very great as the promises of good to be given are great Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 so the good promised and bestowed They are great favours especially in spiritual blessings He gives great Deliverances as Psal 18.50 he doth great Things for his as Psal 71.19 and 86.13 2dly They are very many There is an All of them as in the Text an All that is beyond Expression Psal 139.14 more in number then the sand There is a multitude of them This was an Aggravation of Israels sin that they remembred not the multitude of Gods mercies Psal 106.7 3dly They are Everlasting mercies Psal 136. In every verse thy mercy endures for ever Gods people see and acknowledge Everlasting mercy even in outward and temporal blessings much more in spiritual and Eternal Because though the mercies themselves do not Indure for ever yet the Foundation of all to Gods people is Everlasting grace mercy And besides even these do in some degree tend to further their Everlasting blessedness helping them on in their way to their Fathers house in heaven therefore there is Reason to study and be Sollicitous what to render to God for them Reason 2. From the Consideration of the person from whom the Blessings and Deliverances come and to whom the Return is to be made and that is the Lord what shall I Render to the Lord for His Benefits 1. All the good we enjoy is from the Lord we are the Receivers He the giver They are his Benefits yea the gifts of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings the great and mighty God who Inhabits the Throne of glory Oh that the God of glory should have any respect to us dust and Ashes that he should do so great things for us worthless ones Psal 113.5 6 7. who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on High who humbleth himself c. He raiseth the poor out of the Dust c. A good look from a Prince or some other great and honourable person is more then a greater thing from a meaner person 2dly Our Returns are to be made to the Lord and therefore we had need be Careful what we present to him This Reason God himself gives why he Curseth the deceiver who hath a male in his Flock and offereth to God a corrupt thing because he is a great King Mal. 1.14 and therefore he sharply reproves them for offering the halt and blind vers 8. Persons are usually Careful how they carry themselves towards a great man in returning Thanks to him for favours received from him much more here ought there to be Care The Return is to be made to God Solomon gives this Reason of the magnificence of the house he was to Build It was for the Lord who is a great and glorious one 2 Chr. 2.5 Any manner of house would not serve the turn the best Timber and stone must be provided and it must be wrought in the best manner and by the most Skilful persons that could be procured This was Abels Commendation that he brought of the Firstlings of his Flock and of the fat thereof Gen. 4.4 and to him God had Respect and to his Offering Reason 3. From the Consideration of the person that is to make the Return to God what shall I Return I that am so unworthy of the least mercy I that have had so many mercies so great Deliverances I that am notable to Render any thing beseeming his Majesty I that am under so many Bonds and Obligations I that am so priviledged by God what shall I Render c. Hence that Expression 2 Sam. 17 18 19 20. What can David say c. David the youngest of all my Fathers Sons and yet was preferred before them David that was a Shepard and now advanced to Regal dignity David that was so persecuted by potent and cruel Enemies and hath been so graciously and wonderfully preserved This makes a thankful heart studious especially Considering these three things therewith 1. All that we can Return is but little to his mercies but mites for Talents words for wonders All is as nothing 2dly What we Return to God is and by Reason of sin indwelling will be mixt with many Imperfections our best Services are but as torne Rags menstruous Cloaths Isai 64.6 Even our Robes our best Services need washing in the Blood of the Lord Revel 7.14 3dly All that we can give to God is His own and is but little of his own and therefore the Saints are sensible of their own Inability to make any meet Requital to God Mark holy Davids Expressions after his and the Princes offering towards the Building of the Temple 1 Chron. 29.10 to 15. vers a full place to prove all these three particulars before mentioned Use I. By way of Instruction or Information Instruct 1. A Soul in a thankful frame in a Tune of Thanksgiving can never be sufficiently satisfied in thinking and speaking of Gods mercies and favours towards him The Prophet had before in this Psalm spoken of Gods goodness towards him acknowledged his Bounty what God had done for him yea again and again repeated it and yet he is here still at the same work in the Text What shall I Render c. yea again Psal 16.17 How great hath Gods goodness been in hearing prayer
rescuing me from deadly dangers helping me when I was in a low Estate delivering mine Eyes from Tears c. bestowing so many Benefits loosing my bonds Ps 136. In every verse Thy mercy endureth for ever Oh praise give thanke for his mercy and when he was concluding he was ready to begin again Oh give Thanks ver 26. Oh give Thanks to the God of Heaven for c. A thankeful heart in a lively frame takes delight to speak of the goodness of God towards him Is not soon tyred nor weary thereof All Repetitions are not babling and therefore let us beware of so judging them sometimes out of the Aboundance of the Heart Christians go over and over the same thing in petition of good from God and in Thanksgiving for good received at his hands Instruct. 2. The Lord so dispenseth mercy to his people as thereby he leads them unto special and solemn seasons of Thanksgiving Though he do afflict them visit them with Rods yet in the midst of those Exercises he so dispenseth favours that they have Cause and just occasion not only of ordinary but also Extraordinary praises Their mercies come in a more then ordinary way and so call for morethen ordinary praises Sometimes God giveth them mercies through many difficulties as water out of the Rock Deut. 32.13 which together with their necessity made the water as bony and Oyle God could give them another way he goes that way that thereby he might provoke them to Thanksgiving Divers Instances we have in Psal 107. some he casts into Exile and delivers them others into Bonds and Imprisonment and releaseth them others he makes sick and heals them that they may praise him He brings them into great dangers and Distresses at Sea and Land that they may Render Praise in their Redemption Thus hath been Gods dispensations towards you here met you were in great distress i.e. and he hath not left you without signal Providences gracious discoveries of mercy and so given you occasion of Solemn Thanksgiving He brought you Low and hath raised you that you might praise him Instruct 3. A Thankeful Spirit is a Resolute and Inquisitive Spirit Inquisitive to know and Resolute to do what it knoweth may please the Lord. 1. It is Inquisitive to know what it may what it should do This is the property of gratefulness either to God or man as in David respecting the Posterity of his dear Jonathan Is there any of the house of Saul c. 2 Sam. 9.1 so also in Elisha respecting the Shunamite who had shewed him so much kindness 2 Kings 4.13.14 What is to be done for her Grateful Children and Friends will desire to know what may please their Parents Friends And so it is with the Children and Friends of God They desire to know the mind and will of God what he requires of them and what may be an acceptable Sacrifice to him Hence they pray for knowledge and understanding as David Psal 119.33 34 Hence also they will search the word of God that they may understand his will and understanding it do it Rom. 12.2 2dly It is a Resolute Spirit resolved to do what ever may express the Thankfulness of his heart to God according to his will As he purposeth in his heart not to sin by doing the Least Evil Dan. 1.8 so he purposeth and resolveth to do though not in his own strength what is pleasing to God Psal 119.8 I will keep thy Precepts and in the Text what shall I Render c. I will stick at nothing will do any thing as when Joseph supplyed the Egyptians with Come they yield to any Terms Let us find grace in the sight of my Lord and we will be Pharoahs Servants Gen 47 25. And as David was ready to do what ever Barzilla should request of him 2 Sam. 19.38 In testimony of his Thankfulness for his Loyalty and Bounty at such a time so a gracious Soul much more towards God It is resolved to do any thing to suffer any thing whereby God may be honoured As Paul Acts 21.14 How ungrateful then are they that will not do what they know to be pleasing to God though it be clearly set before them and strongly urged on them young men are called upon to turn to God quickly elder and younger ones to seek after him in all his holy Ordinances to forsake their Lusts and vain Company but they will not they hold fast deceit and refuse to Return They know what is good but will not do it Many know their duties in their Relations towards Superiours and Inferiours but will not yield to them And though some for Carnal sinister Respects do many things as Jebu Herod c. yet at something they stick some Dalilah they will keep some Lust they will not part withal some duty they will not perform Especially how farr are such from Thankfulness that resolve not to do what God sets before them as they Jer. 44.16 17 The word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord we will not do Such are most Ingrateful ones for all the mercies they receive from him Instruct 4th To be truly thankful to God is an high and avery Spiritual Service It is a Rendring and making Returns to God what shall I Render to God c. For man to be sit to receive from God is a great matter but it is much higher for us to Render to God that man dust and Ashes should make a Requital to the great and glorious God Therefore David so magnifies God that they should offer so liberally to him 1 Chron. 29.10 c. It is a great matter to be admired that God should honour us therefore saith the Prophet what is man that thou art mindful of him c Thou hast Crowned him with glory and honour but for us to honour God is greater It is an high duty for the Sons of men which are but worms to rise so high as to honour God praising of God is an extolling or Exalting God Exod. 15.2 He is higher then to be exalted by us yet this we are said to do in an Acknowledgement of his hand giving him the glory of his wisdome power goodness Faithfulness and mercy in the operations of his hand about us Think it not an easy thing to praise the Lord It is not only a lip labour an easy Service It is a Rendring to God To play on Musick is pleasant but it is hard to set the Instrument in Tune to play well It is hard to get the heart in Tune in a Spiritual lively humble frame Hence David so stirs up himself to it Psal 103.1 2 and Deborab calls upon her self to awake Judg. 5.12 Instruct. 5th Gods doings are the matter of the Saints Acknowledgements in their Thanksgivings and praises of him The word Translated Praise signifies Confession and so often Rendred by Mr. Ainsworth Confess the Lord c. Now the Lords doings are the matter of their Confessions his Benefits
hurt may come to be dangerously wounded the Bullet may hit you as the Arrow did Ahab you that were then only hurt when others were slain take heed that God cut you not down ere long for such evil requitals of him for his great goodness Your late preservation may be but a reservation to soarer Judgements 2dly Return not a lame and halt Requital a body without a Soul the lip without the Heart a verbal without a real Sacrifice external duties without the Spirit Mal. 1.13 14. you have brought the torn c. but cursed be the deceiver who hath a male in his flock c. 1 Chron. 29.14 David and the Princes not only offer liberally towards the Temples building but he blesseth God that they should offer so willingly so heartily This is that he principally wondereth at It is a greater mercy from God to give a man a willing heart to offer what he doth then to give him that which he may offer to him 2dly Affirmatively Render to God that which he calls for at our hands 1. In general Render to God that which is Gods Math. 22.21 As that which is Caesars must be rendred to Caesar so that which is Gods must be rendred to God give God that which is his Owne give God his due as Psal 29.1 give to the Lord the glory due to his Name As that which we offer to God must be his owne of his own Appointment and according to his own mind so what is his own should be rendred to him 2dly More particularly 1. Render your selves to God so the Apostle exhorts us Rom. 12.1 that we give up our bodies as a living and holy and acceptable Sacrifice c. what ever we are or have it is from the Lord you are the Lords by right of Creation 〈…〉 by right of preservation in the great perils you were lately in c. The Lord hath the most right to you But many will not give God his right They are and will be their own Their Tongues are their own as Psal 12 4. Their Estates their own to dispose of as they see good as Nabal 1 Sam. 25.11 My Bread and my Flesh c. Their time is their own to spend as they please they will not be ruled by God nor by those whom God sets over them in Family Church or Commen-wealth Oh give up your selves Souls and bodies to be for God 1 Cor. 6.19 20. glorifie God in your Souls c. Thus did Paul Acts 27.23 whose I am and whom I serve He was Gods and he gave himself to the Service of God in the work he set him about As all that comes from God doth not satisfie a gracious heart without the Lord himself no more is the Lord pleased with what cometh from us without our selves 2dly Return love to God Psal 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard c. This is a good Return Have not we that have prayed to God in any distresses formerly or lately or know what prayer means Cause to say The Lord hath heard the voice of our Supplications Oh love the Lord greatly intirely with all our hearts Have you been in great streights and you have prayed and God hath supplyed you Have you been in doubts and God hath resolved you Have you been in Terrours of Conscience affliction of Spirit full of fears of Gods Everlasting wrath and you sought God and he answered you scattered your fears and caused the Sun of Righteousness to rise and shine upon you and given you peace Have you been in deadly dangers by sickness by Enemies that have risen up against you by wounds and you have prayed for healing and delivering mercy oh then Render Love to God for his goodness mercy and salvation Mot. 1. Consider gratitude requireth it at our hands All our good temporal and spiritual is from him And all is freely bestowed yea his mercies bestowed on us are more then the hairs of our Head His preventing sparing delivering supplying mercies He is therefore worthy of our Love not only in respect of his Excellency in himself but also of his benignity and grace towards us especially his rich mercy in Christ Jesus 2dly Love is the ground of all duties acceptably performed to God All is nothing without Love to God and man 1 Cor. 13â—â— 2. All the Commandments are comprized under it Luk. 10.27 It is the fulsilling of the Law Love to God is the fulfilling of the first Table and love to man the fulfilling of the second where Love abounds there will be much cheerfulness willingness and readiness to do any thing to please him that is loved 3dly No love shall be lost that is cast upon the Lord he knows who loves him in sincerity and he approves them and will love them again and manifest his Love to them and from his love to them do wonderful things for them Their labour of Love shall not be in vain Exod 20.7 Deut. 7.9,13 John 14.21 23. Oh love the Lord who hath redeemed you out of your distresses and given you cause to rejoyce in his great goodness in Answer of your prayers And let your Love to God appear in these things 1. In hearing the voice of his Commands and inclining your Ear to what he calls for from you This is Equitable If God hear us let us hear him shall Gods Ear be open to our Requests and our Ears shut to his Command yea Intreaties and beseechings when he beseecheth us to give up our selves more to him to follow him and cleave more to him may not the Lord say when we are dull and slow to hear and hearken to his voice Is this your love and kindness do you thus requite me for answering your prayers in the day of your trouble 2. In shunning all that may separate from God and separate between God and you and that for this very cause because they do cause a separation And that is sin Esai 59.2 wants persecutions cannot separate but it is only sin The true Love of God is a Love of Vnion and therefore there must be a shunning that which causeth separation Let us therefore hate all Evil in our selves and others and manisest our hatred in seeking the Extirpation and destruction of it Psal 97.10 Rom. 12.9 Abhorre that which is Evil thereby we depart from God Heb. 3.12 The Servant that loved his master would not depart from him 3. Shew your Love in Carefulness to please him in all things Children that love their Parents will seek to please them so it is with Gods Children Christ loving his Father sought to please him in all things Iohn 8.29 Walk as before the face of God Psal 116.9 And where there is a Care to please him there will be a readiness to yield willing obedience to any Command given even in the most difficult duties Services Iohn 15.10 1 Iohn 5.3 unless love prevail in the Soul some Command of God or other will be grievous Love makes them
easy as to David Psal 119.97.127 All will say they love God but little Care appears in many men and women to please God Some will please themselves whither God be pleased or no. 4. Manifest your Love to God in your Love to the Church of God Psal 122.6 1. In loving Church Assemblies Psal 42.1 2. and 26.8 and the Fellowship of all Saints Psal 16.3 2. In grieving in the Churches affliction and rejoycing in its prosperity as Ietbro Exod. 18.9 and Neh. 1.4 3. In seeking and promoting the Churches welsare in our measure and according to our power and opportunity so David promised Psal 122.7 8. so did Mordecai Esther 10.3 so Paul 2 Cor. 11.28 4. Manifest a sincere love of God in minding the things of God whereby he may be honoured his Name advanced his Truths propagated from generation to generation Love will stick at nothing whereby it may honour God It is a Bountiful affection Gods love to man did make him part with his only begotten Son he spared not him but gave him to dye c. John 3.16 Abraham will part with his Isaack at Gods Command nay Love never knoweth when it hath done enough It knows no such thing as too much or too soon The Soul thinks it cannot be too quick too forward in any Service of God It cannot have too much holiness c. nay when one hath done his best yet he is ashamed he hath done so little and though he takes comfort in what he hath been enabled to do yet he looks at all as nothing as Paul 2 Cor. 12.11 and prayes for sparing mercy as Nehem. 13.22 Thus return love to God This is a good Return whereby the Soul takes more Content in God more delight in Fellowship with him which is the nature of Love Deut. 10.12 That mercy is made an affliction to us that doth not engage our hearts to love God more they should not take off our hearts from the love of God but quicken us to abound in more love Psal 31.23 And therefore you that have been delivered Consider It is now some time since you were in that distress and had such a remarkable deliverance Is your love to God Increased by it Care to please him and to walk in obedience to his holy Commandments know it this return God expects from you and therefore see that you sail not his Expectation 5. Return worship to God so David promiseth to do upon the receipt of mercy from God Psal 5.7 In thy fear will I worship c. This we are exhorted to 1 Chron. 16.29 worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness Worship him in all his holy Institutions in his house Let such of you as have neglected some Ordinances of his worship and preparation of your selves for them take heed of neglecting still God is a Jealous God he accounts them haters of him that do not worship him in his own Institutions when they have liberty and opportunity to enjoy them Exod. 20.5 you that are not in full Church Communion either you are prepared or unprepared with respect to your present state If still unprepared yet in a Carnal state what would have become of you if you had dyed at the Swampe or in the Garrison if you had then been taken away If you be prepared having a true faith in Iesus Christ and you neglect his Ordinances God may cut you down by some temporal Judgement though you be not damned for it Consider that place Numb 9.13 The man that is clean and for beareth to keep the Passover the same Soul shall be cut off from his people because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season that man shall bear his sin As for you that do enjoy all Ordinances in Gods house be you exhorted to worship God in the participation thereof more spiritually and chearfully serve him with more joy and delight with more Reverence and Fervency of Spirit In special Return prayer to God which is such a principal part of worship that it is sometimes put for the whole worship of God Rom. 10.13 Be much with God in prayer Thus the prophet here Psal 116 2. and 13. verses God having answered his prayer and given him so great a deliverance he shall therefore call upon God as long as he lives This will be one thing that he will Render to God so mercy received he will be still calling upon God Let us improve all the Answers we have received from God to encourage us to for ther prayer to him Mot. 1. Consider we cannot weary the Lord with often going to him It is sometimes an Argument of Encouragement in requesting help or kindness from men He is an old friend a tryed friend he hath helped me when I was in a great streight and therefore I will go to him again much more here But though men may be weary of our often coming to them yet God will not he taketh it as a good return when we are much yea more in prayer with him Mot. 2. When we have prevailed with God for any special mercy deliverance or help in a day of trouble there is yet great need of prayer and Continuance thereof 1. For a thankful heart to the giver of every good and perfect gift the God of our Salvations 2. For the Continuance of the mercy that it may not be taken away from us that the Evil removed may not again return 3. For the Sanctification of the mercy and blessing to us need to pray for an heart to use it in a right manner to the honour of Gods Name and others good That it may not be an occasion of sin to us that it may not be abused by us That when God is good to us we may not be the worse in our wayes towards him There is great need of prayer to God in a time of prosperity that we may improve it to glorifie him in our particular places wherein we are set by him 4. we shall be yet needing more and renewed mercies daily whilst we are here in this world and therefore we must be Beggars till we get to Heaven we need more grace wisdome for our work and business in our stations more mortification of our Corruptions more power against our great Adversary Satan c. And therefore have we prayed and obteined what you asked pray still that you may receive still from the same bountiful hand gracious Answers of your Requests As we are to go to the Throne rf grace in our wants so also in our Receipts of mercies that they may be Continued and Sanctified to us and also improved by us according to his will 4. Render to God the Vows that you have made to him in the time of your Trouble in the day of your great distress pay your Vows to the most high God Thus the Prophet in this Psalm 14.15 vers-whether your Vows have been more solemn or only a bare Resolution of your Heart Have you vowed to