of some earthly businesse and shal I not reioyce in the Gospel of God in good newes from heauen touching the saluation of my soule Againe shall I laugh and bee cheary in being with my frieÌ„d and shall I be all amort when I draw neere my God Shall I be glad of acquaintance with a man and not bee glad that I know my God in Iesus Christ which is life euerlasting Iob. 1.17.1 The wicked they exult in seruing sin SataÌ„ to their destruction shall I bee without ioy in seruing my God who giueth of his free grace to me life euerlasting O our reioycing is earthly little ioy of the holy Ghost dwelleth with vs. We are like such as are sicke of light phrensies they â—ill laugh at their shadâ—ow at their own phanâ—es but can see nothing â—â—to nay distaste that which sauoreth of right reason As therefore against the former so against this also we must fight the good fight of faith looking to him who hath said hee will make our hearts glad in his house who hath promised to send his spirit to vs that our ioy may bee full praying him that in this regard hiâ— Kingdome may come and that hee would rectifie this affection in vâ—to make vs able to takâ— comfort in that whicâ— is matter of true reioâ—â—cing Now for praysiâ—â— God and thankfulneâ—â— to him wee haue this commandement * Phil. 4.6 in al things giue thanks yea in euils Iohn 1. Psal 104. end shal we receiue good things from God and not euill the Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken blessed bee his name No wonder for medicine is as good in due season as the delightfullest dainties Now our inward and outward crosses are by Gods graces made wholesome physicke to purge out our corruptions and make vs partakers of the quiet fruit of righteousnesse and holinesse Yea our hearts should be so thankfully affected that like a fire it must breake forth and inflame others My soule my heart al within me praise the Lord Psal 104 35. My soule praise the Lord praise yee the Lord. He doth stirre vp himselfe and prouoke others as the Cocke that first clapping his wings about his bodie rowseth vp himself and after crowing awaketh others Otherwise coÌ„mon termes of thankfulnesse without affectioÌ„ are a court-holy-water as we say which our God that looketh at heart and raines doth not respect And truly there is great cause looke at benefits past eaten bread must not be forgotteÌ„ thanks must still be greene doth not the particular deliuerance when many fell on each hand of you bind you still to thankfulnesse If all things you enioy you know the temporall blessings as tolerable health good name and reputation freedom from suite and seruice ability rather to â—e helpful then chargeble the domesticall peace your liberties without feare of restraint all of them in their place no small matters Will you consider spiritual blessings that which you haue downe in hand is as great a work of his mercie as the glorious staâ—e you looke for hereafter Is not the Lords worke more admirable in his first making and quickning the infant in the wombe then in feeding it there drawing it forth and nursing it vp to full stature so his begetting vs who were dead to bee aliuâ— though yet in the wombe of our mother the Church is more then the bringing of vs to a perfect man in Christ Iesus when now we are new borne babes in him And though it seeme strange yet it is onely in this respect because we are like infants who liue but know not in comparison that they liue so wee hauing in small measure that Spirit which teacheth vs to know the things bestowed on vs know not how great that grace is which is already shewed vs. It is no smal thing when wee were dead in ignorance and the lusts of our ignorance to bee quickned with the life of God in knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse when wee were enemies to bee made friends yea sonnes and daughters The Apostle doubteth not to reason from this as the greater to life euerlasting as the lesser Ro. 5.10 If God when we were enemies hath recoÌ„ciled vs by his death how much more wil he saue vs with perfect saluation of soule and body by his life that is by putting forth the power of his Spirit now hee liueth to die no more These then are great things his acquitting you from the sinne and death for Christ the suâ—â—ties sake his sending his Spirit into your heart and giuing you part in the first resurrection Beside these you must remember what aduersities he hath holpen you in how he hath eased the yoke of your corruptions which haue had more power in you then now they haue yea what euils he hath put by you Haue you not been tempted in â—his or that kind it is because God in mercie would not leade you into temptation Yea this is in some respect more to bee acknowledged theâ— victorie when you are tempted For not to bee tempted is more immediately from God and lesse in mans power then to preuaile against temptations For nothing doth ouercom vs without our will but without our wills God doth leade vs into triall for he knoweth we would taste little of these if it were in our power to bee our owne caruers You must bee as thankful for such sins which God hath not let you know as for those which hee hath pardoned in you hauing committed them Whither doe you thinke you are bound to praise God more if hee restore you when you are sicke or if he keep you so that you feele no sicknesse Now if you weigh what things God hath prepared for you they are such as neuer eye saw neuer entred fully into the hart of mortal man Compare the state of Prince Henrie in his Queen Mothers womb with his condition at full age in all the glory of his Fathers Court there is a broad difference which may fitly resemble the diuersitie of our present and future condition We are borne sons and daughters of God heyres apparant to the Kingdom of heauen but while the Church doth heere trauell of vs we are pent vp in darke cloysters annoied with much stincks of sinne in ouâ— selues and others but hereafter our state shalâ— be altogether lightsome happie and glorious So that wee may well say to God O how great is the good which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee How great things dost thou worke before the sonnes of men for such as hope on thee You see then how for things past for things present and things God hath in store for vs wee are bound to bee thankfull Now if you aske what it is in which our thankfulnesse standeth I answere first in a heartie acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse to vs in all things with conscience of our owne vnworthinesse as who are lesse then the least of his mercies Compare Genes 32.10.33.5 1. Ch. 29.14 Moses
consider your owne waies Wee will keepe a reckoning what we run vpon the score with men but rare are they that thinke how deepe they are in Gods books such ill husbands wee are for our soules Now wee must heere marke warily whether wee haue not lost some graces which wee haue had I mean haue them not so powerfully as we haue felt them Whether wee doe not giue place to sloth doing Gods seruice coldly sleightly whether wee haue not forgotten our couenant which wee haue made with God in Baptisme viZ. of dying to our owne thoughts words and deeds daily and labouring in our whole course to feele that not now we liue but Christ in vs as Paul speaketh his spirit teaching vs to doe euery thing as before him in conscience of his will to his glory Yea you here must call to mind the most ſ Deut. 9 7. grieuous sinnes which you at any time haue prouoked God with wee must not bid adieu to the remembrance of our sinnes past and pardoned but must euer beare them in memory so far forth as may help vs with godly sorrow holy bashfulnesse and lowlinesse of minde Deut. 9. Now then thus setting the matter before you if you finde not your harts pricked with it then you must as the Prophet speaketh take words to your selues t Hos 14 3. and trouble your owne soules as thus What shall I thinke of my sins against God not grieue nor blush at them If I haue ouershot my selfe so that men may haue a saying to me it doth cut mee at the heart I am ashamed if somthing crosse but my corrupt nature ere while I haue griefe at will and shall I not grieue for offending my God If I had broke day and not kept touch with man I could not looke him in the face shall it not goe nigher me that I haue kept my couenant no better with God If my seruant haue loytered his day ouer and not done my worke he blusheth and is afraid to come before mee and shall not I change my countenance and be moued that I haue been so vnprofitable in the works of God Thus as men in swoones being chafed come again so shall your soules while thus you bestirre them feele some warmth returning to them But if yet the heart will not relent you must in the third place seeing your barrennesse and inabilitie turn you to Christ speaking to him in this wise Were it to grieue at earthly occasions or that my selfe were displeased heere my affections would come to mee before I sent for them but for godly sorrow none of it groweth in our gardens our foolish hearts loue not holy mourning our hard hearts will not relent to thinke how we displease thee we knowing there is no strength in vs to any thing is good look to thee thou art the Christ u Act. 5.31 Lord thou giuest repentance to thy Israel and forgiuenesse of sinne thou Lord dost circumcise the heart thou hammerest x Ezech. 36.26 and breakest by thy Spirit the stone of them making them fleshie tender y Lam. 5.21 Lord do thou turne vs and we shall be turned Thus while you turne your eies to Iesus that quickning Spirit he will bee present to quicken this grace in you But what if yet your harts should not so kindly melt with in you as you desire yet al◠is safe for this is the smoke of repentance z Mat. 12.20 which Christ will not leaue till it blaze forth hee will not put forth a smoking weeke This desire and labouring after it is happines it self Blessed a Mat. 5.6 are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnes yea vsing this course to consider of your wants to chide after some sort your own soules and to look to Christ the giuer of repentance the stone of your hearts the hardnes wil come away by little litle whē in bodily wounds the approuedst plaisters must be often laid on you must not thinke that these spiritual euils so long growing on vs should bee quite gone on the sudden I doe beseech you therefore as euer you would taste the comforts of God as you would find ease in euill houres when nothing but God can refresh you yea as you loue to escape much worldly sorrow which tendeth but to death so acquaint your selues betime with this exercise of a broken heart b Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted and wee know much more earthly sorrow then we should because we will not trouble our owne soules a little blowing vp that godly sorrow which is required at our hands Now for the second of helping you forward in obedience the sum of the couenant twixt God and vs is this he in Christ saith he wil take vs for his c Hos 2.23 people wee promise to him that we will haue him for our God This therefore doth comprise our duty to God that we set him vp in our harts as God which thing wee doe first when we grow vp to know him and to acknowledge him in all things Secondly when we make him our trust Thirdly when we loue him aboue all Fourthly when wee feare him Fifthly when we reioice in him Sixthly when our hearts are thankfully affected to him making him their song and praise This is to haue him for our God when we know nothing trust in nothing loue feare reioice in nothing whē our hearts are thankfull aboue all to him To speake a little to the seuerals We cannot haue God our God till wee come to know him in Christ ignorance doth d Eph. 4.18 estrange vs from God and knowledge doth acquaint vs with him This Paul prayeth for in the behalf of the Colossians 1.10 that they might be filled with the knowledge of God the spirits of their mind being opened to look towards him Euen as our image in the glasse doth looke to vs from whom it is reflected so Gods Image in vs doth make the eie of our mindes view him the author of it in vs. Now this knowledge considereth of God two waies either simply apart frō al other respect and thus it conceiueth a spirituall essence in respect of his properties or persons into which this diuine selfe same nature is distinguished the Father Sonne and Spirit al of them hauing the same spirituall nature as if I and you with som third man might bee supposed all to haue but one and the selfe same soule and body being distinct persons Or else it considereth God as made manifest in our Nature for Iesus the Sonne hauing one and the same Nature with the Father hath taken such a soule body as we haue sinne excepted to fellowship of his person and thus is become e Mat. 1.23 Emmanuel God with vs or God f 3. vlt. manifested in our Nature in which humane Nature God the Sonne suffered death for vs in which likewise hee manifested his
example Exodus 18.8 Secondly we must tell of Gods kindnesse that we may glorifie him before others come I will tell you saith Dauid what God hath done for my soule Thirdly it doth make vs cast about what we may returne to God in way of thankfulnesse Psal 116. What shall I giue the Lord for all his benefits vnto mee Fourthly it will make vs accuse our selues if we bee backward in dutie Thus we see when wee receiue any more speciall kindnesse from our frinds first our inward affections doe acknowledge and intertaine it gladly Secondly we tell what such an one hath done for vs. Thirdly we will thinke how wee may requite him or testifie our thankfulnes at the least toward him Lastly we challenge our selues if time goe on and no token of our good will be returned as to blame that forget so great curtesie as was shewed to vs. Now then that you haue heard what it is to bee thankfull what good reason wee haue wee must lay our selues to this rule and we shal find wee come as short here as in those aforenamed O wee are horribly vnthankfull what good blessings do we receiue not once casting a look to the donour of them When wee are kept in the night our houses from fire breaking into c when refreshed with sleepe when kept al day in our out-going and incommings when fed doe wee acknowledge our God heartily in these yet it is hee that watcheth or in vaine they keepe the Citie it is he that rocketh vs asleepe and draweth the courtaine of the night about vs he giueth sleep to his beloued Psal 137. It is hee that wardeth about vs all day keeping vs in our waies Psal 120. He openeth his hand and like a great house-keeper giueth vs our daily bread If in earthlie things which wee see tast we cannot praise him what taking shall wee bee found in about heauenly wheÌ„ you haue your daily sins forgiuen you in Christ when you are kept from the sin of your own hart the corrupt examples of worldly men the spirituall wickednesses that fight against vs when you go in spirituall peace from morning to night which alone is a gift passing vnderstanding Phil. 4.7 doe you acknowledge God with affection toward him in these things it is he that shifts vs out of the scapes of our corruptioÌ„ washing vs in the bloud of his Christ from the filth of our sinne hee forgiueth vs euery day our trespasses it is his power 1. Pet. 1.5 in which as in a tower we are kept safe against all our enemies vnto saluation Hee is the God of peace the Prince of peace in Christ who stilleth theâ—â— accusing and subdueth the rage and vsurpation of sinne in vs we are like infants that haue much done about them but knowe not who doth it take no knowledge of them Our God doth carry vs on in the armes of his tender mercy But alas little doe wee vnderstand of him In benefits receiued often I meane not meate and drinke but many other which in the course of the day are giuen vs of God our spirits do not once looke vp to him but as swine take the mast so doe wee our blessings or if we do any thing in way of thankfulnesse how ouerly do we turne ouer this duty our affections and inclinations more bent another way theÌ„ to that we haue in hand euen the thankful praising of our God we serue him as our children serue vs wheÌ„ they come in to vs froÌ„ their play and haue got somthing of vs they wanted away they goe without looke or leg to vs but if they know we will haue it then they doe them in some fashion but so as we may see their hart is in their game abroad more then their dutie so for speaking what our God hath done for vs thankfulnes will not slip ouer a benefit receiued when doe wee with delight tell of his kindnes When doe we beat our heads not suffering our teÌ„ples to rest till wee haue giuen our God some argument of our thankfulnesse Alas we vse our God as if it greatly mattered not how he were dealt with Now then take words to your selues condemning froÌ„ your harts this grieuous sinne Say if a man doe bid mee to supper once a quarter I thanke him then when I meet him after I thank him of my last being with him I tell what kinde welcome what good cheere hee made mee bid him home againe check my selfe if I forget him But if some greater matters be bestowed on vs how kindly doe wee take them how doe we loue to tell of them how doe wee yeeld our selues vp to them to bee at their coÌ„mands to the vtmost of our abilities Shall I thanke him that giueth me a supper in loue and tell of his louing entertainment bee ashamed if I make no neighbourly requitall and shall I not bee affectionately thankfull to my God who giueth me all my daily bread yea who feedeth my soule with himselfe in Iesus Christ heere is my body my blood that I might liue for euer Shall I not tell of those fined wines those fatte things euen of my God broken in his body and soule with sorrowes sheadding his precious blood wherewith my vnworthy soule hath beene fed and feasted Shall I for some small kindnesse tell a man I am his to bee commanded and shall I not resigne my selfe to my God who hath paid my debt and purchased mee a new stocke euen the hope of eternall life with his precious blood shall I blush vpon some more vnthankfull part to maÌ„ and not be ashamed of vnthankfulnesse toward God What shall I be worse to my God then an Oxe or an Horse is to his owner If I should shew one exceeding great loue he should not at all regard mee or returne mee some common countenance could I endure it Thus then turne your selues to God I am become worse to thee then the whelpes that feede vnder my boord are to me they will open and fawne in their kinde on me but my heart hath no power to bee thankfull to thee to praise thee O thou who requirest of me in all things to giue thee thankes hast promised to write thy commandemeÌ„ts in my heart put into my heart a law of thankfulnesse O thou quickening spirit quicken my soule this way labour for thankful hearts God asketh vs but this as a rent for all his blessings bestowed on vs I will deliuer thee and thou shalt praise my name Psalm 50.15 Wee will not forfait things to men for not payment of rent let vs not giue God cause to re-enter and straine vpon vs and all wee haue for not magnifying and praising him Thus if my God helpe you to stirre vp your hearts to repentance and to surrender your hearts to him by eying him trusting on him louing him reioycing in him by making him your feare by praising him with spirit word and worke then happy shall you