so glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises and doing wonders Fearefull in praises saith he because he cannot duly bee praised but with astonishment according to that of the Psalmist God is very terrible in the assembly of the Saints And thus Psal 89. 7. should he be to vs in praising him As if wee should say O our God let not thy fauours seeme ordinary vnto vs which thou bestowest vpon vs. It may seeme a small thing to vs to haue water to our hands aire to breath in earth to tread vpon and the like but when wee doe consider who it is that giues and to whom that thou art he who art a God of glory whose glory is able to swallow vp Heu miser quid sum vas sterquilinij concilia putredinis plenus foetore August our vnderstanding and that it is to vs who are a sinke of sinne and stinking noysomnesse before thee we are confounded in our selues and cannot tell which way to returne thee thankes which in the least measure may answer thy loue and so forth Thus haue we considered that thankes which we must giue to God in word yet that is not enough for it remaineth that we bee thankfull vnto God in deeds also And wherein this stands we cannot better learne then by looking into those that haue beene thankefull vnto God in the Scriptures Now these haue performed a reall thankfulnesse vnto God two waies First by studying and caring in what particulars they may shew themselues thankfull vnto God As one that hath receiued a great kindnesse doth bethinke himselfe how hee may in some measure requite it so will he that is thankfull doe As 2. Cor. 7. 11. the penitent man careth for the remission of his sinnes and eternall happinesse by Christ and therefore careth also to vse meanes answerable thereunto so doth also the truly thankfull person See it in Dauid who hauing receiued a great kindnesse from God saith What shall I Psal 116. 12. giue vnto the Lord as if he did consult and take care with himselfe how to be thankfull to God Euen thus must it be with vs we must when wee are by our selues alone take thought and care what to doe wherein wee may shew our selues thankfull to God As a man roles euery stone and takes thought how to liue and beare about the world as we say so must all of vs whom God hath pleased to deliuer from these dangerous times either by healing our sores or by keeping vs from infection or by comforting our hearts against the feare of our enemies either at home or abroad say and thinke with himselfe O Lord what shall I doe How shall I carry my selfe in my thoughts words and actions yea and sufferings so as may pleasethee and I may testifie how highly I prize those fauours which I haue receiued from thy hands Thus we must study but wee must not there leaue this were but like a dash of raine which wets not to the root therefore answerable to our care and study we must in the second place take paines to shew our thankfulnesse in foure particulars First we must register the noble acts of God according to that of the Psalme This shall be written for the generations to come Hence was it that the Patriarkes erected Psal 102. 18. Mountaines builded Altars and imposed fit names vpon their children that they might in these things register the kindnesse of God vnto them Therefore as Ahashuerosh did cause his deliuerance from Bigthan and Teresh to be written in the booke of the Chronicles before Hest 2. 22. the King so must we haue a record of fauours that we telling our soules that such a yeare God did such a kindnesse for thee and such a yeare moneth weeke or day did he another to day thou hast receiued one euidence of his loue and yesterday thou diddest receiue another wee may not onely practise a dutie of thankfulnesse in it but prouoke our selues thereby to be thankfull in after times As Ahashuerosh his registring of his deliuerance Hest 6. made him afterwards to be thankefull to Mordecai who vnder God was the author of it And think we not thus of our selues that there are few who haue done thus before vs. I make no doubt but that thousands of Gods people of whom the world is not worthy haue taken this Heb. 11. course in secret yea and do take it And of a good man I haue often read who is said to delight in one booke which he daily carried about him and was portable enough for it had but two leaues one blacke and the other white in the black he made a register of his sinnes that he might daily be humble in the white he made a register of Gods mercies that he might be thankfull Secondly we must heartily labour the good of others For can we requite God himselfe we cannot do it Our Psal 16. goodnesse reacheth not to him onely he pleaseth to interpret some seruices which he requires as thankfull requitals to himselfe amongst which this is one to do good to others Now this wee must do by way of thankfulnesse vnto God both vnto their soules and bodies As for their soules wee must labour their conuersion and turning from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God Acts 26. 18. that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith in Christ Thus Dauid promiseth vnto God when he saith Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free Spirit Psal 51. 12 13. then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee Yea and Peter was commanded thus much when Christ saith vnto him When thou art Luke 22. 32. conuerted shew thy thankefulnesse by strengthening thy brethren As for the bodies of others wee must relieue so farre as our selves bee not grieued the poore members of 2. Cor. 8. 13. Iesus Christ For do but marke how it was with the Iewes when they freely heard the word of God againe they did eate and drinke and did send away part as they were Neb. 8. 10. 11. 12 commanded to those for whom nothing was prepared for ioy that they vnderstood the words which they had taught them And we may reade of an Apostolicall ordinance of thankfulnesse in the Primitiue Church to be obserued euery Lords day or first day of the weeke that euerie one should put aside by himselfe and lay vp as God had prospered 1. Cor. 16. 1. 2. him for the necessities of the Saints Thus also must it be with vs who haue tasted how good God is in these times of troubles we must throw about these our almes both spirituall and temporall Wee must labour to do others soules good who are within our gate and iurisdiction saying as Dauid Come ye children hearken vnto me Psal I will teach you the feare of the Lord or
his Ier. 13. 23. skinne and the Leopard his spots then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill saith Ieremy As the Drunkards of Ephraim had a Crowne of pride in it so in all Esa 28. 1. parts amongst vs we haue had those that are mighty to drinke Wine and strong to powre in strong drinke Oh Esa 5. 22. how many haue harped vpon that Epicurean string Come I will bring Wine and we will fill our selues with strong Esa 56. 12. drinke and tomorrow shall be as this day and much more abundant How many haue sacrificed their owne distempers to others healths Haue not wee had also too too many of them who like fed horses haue neyed after their Ier. 5. 8. Neighbours wiues and waited for the twi-light that they might fill themselues with dalliances on those cursed pleasures of sinne for a season Haue not wee beene full of pride for want of that emptying grace of humility that God may be all in all What shall I speake of vaine glory whereby we liue vpon the stinking or vaine breath of impostumated mouthes Or of our Hypocrisie wherby we haue beene painted Tombes full of stinking sauors Or of our Security whereby we haue cryed Peace Peace when we haue beene ready to be swallowed vp of the Plague Sword Famine yea Hell Or of the disorders of the poore who are vnruly and negligent because they are dis-heartned with the oppressions of the rich Or of the disorders of the rich who prouide for themselues and are carelesse of the common good because they are dis-heartned with the clamours of the poore Or of the neglect of Iustice because some Rulers loue to say with shame Bring ye What shall I speake of our Hos 4. 18. moderate thoughts concerning Popish superstition as if it were as good a way to Heauen as the best Religion in the world notwithstanding the abominable idolatry which doth depend vpon the workes and whole worship of it Or of that ignorance which is amongst vs that makes vs a prey to the Priests and Iesuites that make vs I say need to be taught the first principles of the Word of God euen Milke and not strong meat notwithstanding Heb. 5. 12. that concerning the time we ought to be teachers I might speake to the griefe and vexation of our soules and spirits of a world of other our sinnes which are as a cloud of witnesses against vs as if we were set to schoole to a thousand Vices In regard whereof God may iustly say to vs as to his people of old Who shall haue Ier. 15. 5 6. pity vpon thee O Ierusalem Or who shall be sorry for thee Or who shall goe to pray for thy peace Thou hast forsaken me saith the Lord and gone backward therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee and destroy thee for I am weary of repenting God might I say iustly say thus vnto vs and deale with vs accordingly yet he hath not dealt with vs after our sins nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities As a girdle cleaueth to the loines of a man so hath God Ier. 23. 11. tied vs vnto him that we might be his people and shewed his maruellous great kindnesse to the generations to come Oh therefore let vs labour as wee are bound to take notice of the fauours of God and to make a Catalogue of them to prouoke our slothfull hearts to obedience and thankfulnesse How came it to passe that the Israelites were so vnthankfull Surely they forgat God Psal 106. 21. that made them and the strong God of their saluation Therefore Moses saith Remember the Lord thy God for it Deut. 8. 18 19. is he who giueth thee power to get riches And afterwards Ioshuah puts them in minde of Gods benefits both before the Law and after the Law as yee may see in that excellent Iosh 24. 2 3 4 c. Parliament speech which hee made before his death So let vs lay the mercies of God before vs that wee may be moued to be thankfull To this end that I may giue a little light let vs behold God either giuing of vs fauours or remouing miseries from vs. If we would a little see his fauours let vs consider our selues liuing a fourefold life The first is a life of vegetation whereby wee grow and this putteth vs in minde of a double benefit First that God hath not made thee a Dwarfe or imperfect man of parts but hee hath giuen thee the full feature and proportion of a man that thou maist be able to doe all the businesse of a man If thou hadst not this thou wouldst see the worth of it Carendo magis quà m fruendo If thou wert as little Dauid to combat with Goliah or if thou didst dwell among the sonnes of Anak or if Og the Deut. 3 11. King of Bashan should set vpon thee who was of the remnant of the Gyants and had his bed nine cubits long and foure cubits broad according to the cubit of a man it would trouble thee much but God hath prouided better for thee for thine and for thy Countries good Yea secondly God hath not made thee fire and haile and snow and vapour Psal 148. 8. and winde If hee had but made vs a Hailstone yet we must haue praised him according to our creation how much more now God hauing giuen vs life The second is a life of sense whereby wee heare see smell and the like as beasts doe and this putteth vs in minde of a threefold benefit First that God hath giuen vs the comfort of our senses If by Sight thou couldst not discerne colours by Hearing sounds by Feeling substances qualities and quantities by Smelling sauours and by Tasting meates though wee had neuer so much wisdome wee would thinke our selues halfe dead and no better then obiects of scorne and pitty Yet God hath not onely giuen vs this but more for secondly hee hath giuen vs a full measure of naturall delights for all our sences There are variety of Flowers to fill thy smelling chaunting of Birds to delight thy hearing vnmatchable Colours for thy eye infinite variety of Meates for thy taste and soft and hard hot and cold substances for thy touching Yea and more then this Thirdly he hath made vs the noblest composition of all sensitiue creatures God might haue made vs a Dragon in the deepe a Toade in the earth an Owle in the aire and a Boare in the Forrest but he hath made vs men and women after his owne Image though wee haue defiled it Gen. 1. 27. Yea and though hee hath made Plants to excell vs in Col. 2. grouth and Beasts in particular senses as a Dogge in smelling a Hawke in seeing a Spider in touching and an Hare in hearing yet in all these Senses no creature is like vnto man But thirdly if to these we adde the life of reason then Gods kindnesses are
to death For man is not Lord ouer the spirit to retaine the Eccles 8. 8. spirit neither hath he power in the day of death And all of vs who haue felt heard seene or vnderstood of the abatements of this noysome euill may say Blessed bee the Lord for this maruellous kindnesse and let all Gods people say Amen It may be you wil aske why we should account this such Ob. a kindnesse seeing he giues it to many that are wicked people and denies it to many whom he dearely loueth I answer that it is neuer the lesse fauour for that If Solu hee giue it vnto wicked men it is because God may shew the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance towards them and if they after their hardnesse and hearts that cannot repent heape vp to themselues Rom. 2. 4 5. wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the iust iudgement of God What good haue they by it what good can they haue by it If he deny it vnto good men it is as a father denies a knife to a Childe who knowes not how to vse it To dye of the Plague is better then to escape to such To such to dye is gaine for all Phil. 1. things worke together for their good and so whether they Rom. 8. liue or dye they are the Lords Rom. 14. 8. You haue now so farre as I intended as in a little Map a glimpse of the world of those kindnesses which God hath shewed to vs. Let vs take heede that wee doe not diminish the worth of them Yee know what is said of the Israelites That they despised the good and pleasant land Psal 106. 24. and ye know what they said of Mannah Our soules are Numb 11. 6. dried vp and we can see nothing but this Man and againe Numb 21. 15. Our soule loatheth this light bread But though Israel play the harlot yet let not Iudah sinne and though Israel according to the flesh hath beene vnthankfull yet let not Israel according to the spirit No let vs rather heare our good God speaking vnto vs and saying Haue I beene a wildernesse vnto thee or an vnpleasant land Ier. 2. 31. If you shal aske me What good it wil do vnto vs thus to behold God in his mercifull kindnesses vnto vs Truly they will be excellent meanes to subdue the pride of our hearts and to make vs seruiceable to Gods will The power of God alone doth it not for though Christ manifested his power yet it did no good to them that apprehended him they went backward and fell to the ground at Iohn 18. 6. his very word yet they persisted in their course The iustice of God doth it not for though God brought one Plague after another vpon Pharaoh which made him stoope for the present as many haue done I feare in this Plague yet presently he hardned his heart but if the mercy of God comes it is like the Sunne which thawes hard Ice and the Fire which makes old Wax soft pliable and fit to be wrought vpon Though Iustice follow vs to Hell yet there is blasphemy and gnashing of teeth both which are arguments of pride But Paul knew how forceable an argument this was I beseech you by the mercies of God Rom. 12. 1. Is not my word saith God like an hammer and like fire Ier. 23. 29. The Law which bringeth tidings of Iustice may like a Hammer breake our stony hearts in pieces breake I say before bend but the Gospell bringing the glad tidings of saluation by Christ like fire will melt vs and mould vs anew This will breede the spirit of iudgement as Dauids kindnesse made Saul iudge him more righteous then himselfe and the spirit of burning to clense out Esa 4. 4. and purge away the filth of sinne that the graces of God may be shed into vs or at the least shine from vs and amongst the rest this iust thankfulnesse Well say you I see that God blessed for euer hath beene maruellous kinde vnto me I haue heard and felt many particulars of it and I see that the thought of it is of excellent vse to breake my proud heart and make mee thankfull to God I pray now tell mee wherein must I shew my thankfulnesse to God I answer to giue you a little helpe herein I must first lay downe the root and ground of thankfulnesse and secondly the practise of it As for the root of thankfulnesse It is the loue of God No man will freely and ioyfully acknowledge that all goodnesse in what estate soeuer comes from God alone except we loue God We see ordinarily if men happen to receiue kindnesses from them they loue or desire not to be beholding vnto how they pinch courtesie as wee say and slight them whereas if wee doe receiue them from such as we prize in our affections then euery Mole-hill is a Mountaine and a point from a friend is better then a pound from an enemy Therefore Paul louing Aquila and Priscilla did freely acknowledge their kindnesse Rom. 16. 4. saying They haue for life yea for my life layed downe a necke yea their owne necke vnto whom not onely I giue thankes but all the Churches of the Gentiles So likewise Dauid when he had professed saying I loue the Lord Psal 116. 1 12. he presently sheweth it and saith farther What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits Oh therefore let vs labour to winde vp our hearts from the loue of the world 1 Iohn 2. 15. and the things which are in the world that the loue of the Father may be in vs. And if we desire to be thankfull let vs not giue either God or our soules rest till we haue found this loue in vs in these fiue particulars First in taking any paines and induring any hardnesse for Gods sake As Iacob did thinke seuen yeeres trouble Gen. 29. 20. nothing for Rachel because he loued her and Gods people of old haue indured the losse of Father Mother Houses Lands Wife and Children for Christs sake because they loued him so must we euery day and vpon the Lords day in liuing the life of Iesus and dying for the Lord when he calleth suffer any thing for the Lord if we loue him Secondly in setting our hearts towards him and vpon him for where our Treasure is there will our hearet be also Mat. 6. 21. Of the wicked man the Psalmist saith That God is not in all his thoughts but hee that loues him can thinke of him almost to an extasie As when Dauid saith Oh how I Psal 119. 97. loue thy Law he presently addeth It is my meditation continually so when wee can say That wee loue God our thoughts of him will let in comparison of other things deepe and long yea we will thinke vpon him sometimes in the night season and our soule shall receiue comfort