over the fourth work and wonder of Providence namely The admirable and even stupendious deliverances which God vouchsafes Mariners and Sea-men in many a black dreadful furious death-threatninâ— storm and tempest exprest to the life in the 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Verses I shall not meddle with the Dâ—liverance it self though if I should it would be neither impertinent nor improper for the work of this day for certainly a man might easily run a parallel between the state of the Mariner in thâ— storm and the condition of this poor and yet bleeding Church and State In Ireland and England We that have gone down into the Sea this Red-sea of Blood and have had our businesse now for these four or five yeers in these great waters of Civil war surely we have seen the works of the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep Verse 24 If ever people saw the works the wonders of the workings of Jehovah we have We have lived I think I may safely speak it in the greatest Age of wonders that ever the Church knew We use to say Miracles are ceast but truely if men have ceased to do Miracles God hath not and yet he hath done them by men too in this Deep of Englands and Scotlands and Irelands troubles and â—fflictions For he commandeth and â—â—â—seth up the stormy winde Verse 25. which lifteth up the waves thereof Surely all the storms and tempests that have beaten upon these three Kingdoms have not come by chance and fortune this afâ—â—iction hath not risen out of the dust but as it was with Solâ—mon afâ—er his heart began to depart from God it is saâ—d 1 Kings 11.14 The Lord stirred up an Adversary unto Solomon Hadâ—d the Edâ—mite c. And Vers 23. God stirred him up another Adversary Rezin the son of Eliadah Adversary after Adversary and all stirred up by God So hath it been and is yet with us Storm after Storm Tempest after Tempest one cloud of blood and wrath after another Eccles 12.2 The clouds have returned after rain and all raised up by God in his righteous Judgement upon these sinful backsliding Nations We have as it followeth been mounted up to heaven and then hurl'd down again into the depths Oh the various changes that have been upon us I Somtimes up and somtimes down somtimes raised up as high as heaven by wonderful Deliverances and glorious Victories anon cast down even as lâ—we as hell As in the West c. by sad breakings of our Armies and losse of our Strong-holds Surely our souls have been melted because of trouble Our hopes have been melted and our hearts have been melted Oh how oft have I seen palenesse in mens faces the very shadow of death upon mens countenances I how oft have I seen men with their hands upon their loyns while fear hath taken hold upon them and sorrow aâ— pain upon a woman in travel Have we not been in the day of sad tidings from the West and other places in the Kingdom Vers 27. like drunken men full of the fury of the Lord and rebukes of our God reeling to and fro in our spirits and staggering in our Councels at our wits end Parliament at their wits end and Citie at their wits end and Armies at their wits end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All their wisdom swallowed up as the Hebrew signifies nonplust and lost not knowing what to do next unlesse it were with the Mariners in my Text for the most part the profanest of men to go and cry to God in our trouble Vers 28. betake our selves to our fasting and prayers when God hath shewed himself easie to be intreated 2 King 20.12 very gracious at the voice of our cry and hath brought us out of these distresses and straits wherein were calming the storms and stilling the waves the pride and rage Verse 30. the power and policie of our devouring Adversaries Thus hath the Lord done as often heretofore so now wonderfully of late at Dartmouth and Plymouth at Hereford at Belvoyre and at Chester the Wonder of mercy which we this day celebrate Thus you see if I should pitch upon the Deliverance it self here would be a foundation upon which we might build a Discourse not unseasonable or unsutable to the work of the day But it is not the Deliverance it self but the Return which hath called out my thoughts and now humbly calls for your attention And this Return is Twofold 1. What they do Then are they glad c. 2. What they should do O that men would praise the Lord c. And to hold you in the porch no longer though many Observations might be raised from the words I shall onely from the comparing of these two together sc What men do when mercies and deliverances come in They are glad with what they should do O that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse c. hold forth to you this Point of Doctrine Every man in the world can be glad of mercies and deliverances but the duty that God expects is that men should praise him for his mercies Then are they glad I but that will not serve the turn it is a Return of an high nature which God looks for Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse c. Or thus if you please There is a great difference between Gladnesse and Thankfulnesse It is one thing to be glad of a mercy or deliverance it is another thing to be thankful for it What that difference is and wherein it doth consist is all I intend to do upon the Doctrinal part of this Truth They differ in these four things sc in respect of their 1. Nature The difference between Gladnesse and Thankfulnesse 2. Rise or ground 3. Duration 4. Operation 1. In their Nature First Gladnesse and Thankfulnesse differ in their Nature Gladnesse or Joy is but a natural affection Some of the Stoick Philosophers have defined or described it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysippus and other Stoicks Elatio animi propter aliquid quod optandum esse videatur it is the lifting up or widening or enlargement of the heart upon the coming in of any sutable and desirable good And it is found not onely in * Psal 105.38 Lam. 1.21 natural men but even in the bruit creatures even these you see do expresse in their way a great deal of gladnesse and contentment when they meet with that which is sutable to their natures and dispositions But now Thankfulnesse which is here commended is a divine grace wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God whereby the heart is drawn out towards God in gracious and holy desires and endeavours to praise and exalt the Lord who is the Author and Donor of the Mercie as here it is expressed by this chiefest and highest act of Thankfulnesse Oh that men would praise the Lord c. Let them exalt him
c. And therefore this is to be found onely in the Saints Psal 33.1 Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright Let the Saints be joyful in glory Psal 149.5 6. let them sing aloud upon their beds let the high praises of God be in their mouthes c. they be the Righteous onely the upright the Saints in whose bosoms this grace dwells and who can manage this Spiritual service and duty of rejoycing and praising the Lord in a right manner Indeed the holy Psalmist doth often expresse the workings of his heart upon the receipt of great deliverances and mercies under the notion of gladnesse all over the Psalms but you are to take it as a Synonymon or t'other expression of thankfulnesse not a meer stirring of natural joy and complacency in and for deliverances and mercies but the Spiritual movings and sparkling of his affâ—â—ction towards God in witnesse whereof you shall never sinde that notion stand single but like the * 1 Cor. 6.17 Spirit of the holy man himself joyned unto the Lord either as the Author or as the Object of his Gladnesse I will be glad and rejoyce in thee Psal 9.2 And Be glad in the Lord Psal 32.11 ye righteous And Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy work Psal 92.4 c. to shew that his gladnesse was sanctified and spiritualized into the grace of Thankfulnesse And indeed Grace is nothing else but the natural affection baptized as I may so say and regenerated by the holy Ghost and the Blood of Christ faced and pointed upon God as its proper and highest object Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth Coloss 3.2 Set and Set not the affection is not changed in the matter of it but in the object So natural sorrow and grief spiritualized and set upon the right object sc upon an * Mich. 7.9 offended God is the grace of * â— Cor. 7.9 Repentance And Anger sanct fied and faced upon Gods dishonour is Zeal And Love fired with a flame from Christ and carried up in that flame to Christ is no longer the affection but the grace of Love sic in caet And thus natural joy and gladnesse heavenlized and set upon God 2 Joh. 4.19 is the grace of Thankfulnesse And this is the first difference Gladnesse or Joy is but a natural affection Common to good and bad to man and beast but Thankfulnesse is that affection sprinkled with the Blood of Christ proper onely to the Saints because like the Saint himself it is made partaker of the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Secondly they differ in their Rise or Ground Second difference Rise or Ground The Rise or Ground of Gladnesse as it is a meer natural affection is meerly the poss ssion of some sutable desirable Good which comes in whether National or Domestick or Personal together with those natural fruits and improvements which arise and grow upon it As here in the Text Then are they glad what is the Rise Because they bâ— quietâ—â— they are now out of those fears and dangers which made their hearts work as tempestuoussy as the Sea it self Safety and rest are the ground of their joy glad the storm is over and they safe in the Haven And so you may proportion it in your thoughts in other deliverances and mercies National or Private Gladnesse riseth not higher then the bulk and body of the Good it self as the rich fool in the Gospel lookt upon his heap of wealth and glads his soul in it and in the advantages he promiseth himself from it Soul here are goods lâ—id up for many yeers Luke 12.19 he shall need to take no more care or thought as long as he lives take thine ease eat drink and be merrie The Grounds of Thankfulnesse But now the Grounds and Rise of Thankfulnesse they are of a more generous and divine Nature such as these 1. A Spiritual Title First a Spiritual and Divine Right to mercies a Scripture-title What is that Why the Saints have Fi st a Right of Sonship The wicked have a Right to what they have not onely a civil right before men but a divine right bâ—fore God but it is but a Right of Creation they have a right To the Creatures but it is but a right Of the Creatures But now thâ— Sâ—ints have a right of Sonship If children Rom. 8.17 then heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ. Whatever mercy or deliverance they have it is part of their childes portion though they are not joynt-purchasers yet they are joynt-heirs with Jesus Christ they have all by inheritance Heb. 1.2 as Christ is Heir of all things so they in him All is youâ—s and you are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3.22 23. And thus â—eing Children and Heirs they have a Secoâ—d Right and that is a Right of Promise or Covenant and therefore Believers are call'd The children of promise Rom. 9.8 because they be both a 2 Pet. 1.4 begotten and b 1 Tim. 4.8 mâ—intâ—in'd by promise whatever they have they have by promise Godlinesse is profitable for all things having the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come Others are fed out of the Common basket of Providence they are fed out of the Ark of the Covenant which is the great List of the promises Every childe of God be he never so poor is served in Plate The words of the Lord are pure words as Silver tried in a furnace of earth He speaks of the word of promise Psal 12.6 So that if it be but bread and water yet it is served in to a childe of God in the silver and golden vessels of the Promises And this affects them more then all the bulk and heap of mercies and comforts which they do possesse or that worldlings do possesse Thou hast put more gladnesse into my heart then in the time that their corn and their wine encreased Psal 4.7 How Why by the shines of his face and favour as Vers 7. This is the Rise of a gracious Joy and Thankfulnesse That what he hath he hath not onely by Gods leave but with Gods love not by Creatureship onely but by Sonship not by providence onely but by promise With the men of the world the Principal is more then the Interest but every childe of God accounts his Interest more then the Principal Therefore you shall finde the Church glorying in this That all her deliverances and mercies are Covenant-mercies If God destroy her enemies she looks upon it as a fruit of the Covenant He is the Lord our God his judgements are in all the world She triumphs in the execution of Gods righteous judgements upon the enemies of the Church Psal 105.7 but upon what ground It follows He hath remembred his Covenant for ever c. It was a
have shewed * Vide pag. 8. before He will ever be mindful of his Covenant and therefore the sutablest Return that we can make is the making good our Covenant to God the payment of our Vows to him Thy vows are upon me Psal 56.12 I will render praises eo thee Sixthly in Believing Sixthly in believing Let God deliver a thankful heart and it will trust him another time And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians Exod. 14.31 and the people believed the Lord and his servant Moses that was a thankful Return indeed a people or person cannot more honour God then by believing on him Abrabam was strong in faith Rom. 4.20 giving glory to God God did this great work upon the Egyptians on purpose that they might believe him ever after The Psalmist observe it Thou breakest the heads of the Dragons in the Waters Psal 74.14 Thou brakest the head of the Leviathan in pieces Who was that Leviathan who were these Dragons Surely none other but Pharaoh and his Armie as huge as the Leviathan as fierce as Dragons Oh they had stings in their heads I but God brake their heads and quencht their stings in the waters To what end Thou gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting in the wildernesse What did the Israelites powder up the carcases of these Leviathans and Dragons the Egyptians to serve them for Victuals while they kept Lent in the Wildernesse No he gave them to be meat not food for their bodies but food for their faith that as long as they should travel in the wildernesse where they should meet with innumerable multitudes of nonplussing oppositions and dangers they might remember the Dragons and the Leviathan as David after did the Lion and the Bear and their faith might be strengthned when it had fed well on the remembrance of that wonder of salvation And so it was for the present Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and they believed the Lord and his servant Moses a blessed frame of heart and fruit of Thankfulnesse would it have held but there was their folly and unthankfulnesse they would not feed upon this experience and it became their sin and their ruine in the wildernesse How long will this people provoke me Numb 14.11 how long will it be ere they believe me for all the signes which I have shewed them in the wildernesse In this Wildernesse they shall wander Verse 33. and there they shall die But to proceed Seventhly in ordering the conversation Psal 50. ult A Seventh operation of Thankfulnesse is A well-ordering of the Conversation He that offereth me praise glorifieth me but to him that ordereth his conversation aright c. It is a kinde of honour done to God to keep a day of Thanksgiving to hear two Sermons to sing Psalms to pray and praise c. but the main work is the ordering of the Conversation or as the Hebrew signifies disposing of ones way aright Thankful lips do well but thankful lives do better A day of thanksgiving is somwhat but a life of thanksgiving is all Eighthly in desires that others would praise God Eighthy a thankful heart is fill'd with enlarged desires that others that all would be thankful The holy Psalmist here cries out to all that receive mercies that they would return praiseâ— c. He observeth how much men take in from God and how little men lay out for God and is troubled at it He cries out as a man in pain and grief of spirit Oh that men would praise the Lord He would not willingly have God be a loser by any of the wonders he doth for the children of men and surely this an high expression of Thankfulnesse when the heart travels with holy desires that all the world might come in and be tributary to the glory of God it is the designe of the 148 Psalm thorowout the thankful Psalmist engageth heaven and earth Angels and men the whole Creation to come in and help him keep a day of Thanksgiving A gracious heart doth not think it enough to praise God alone though it would be praising God were there none in heaven or earth to bear it company To that end Ninthly Ninthly in talking of Gods works sal P. 145. 10 11 12. a thankful heart delights to be talking of the wonderful works of God Thy Saints shall blesse thee they shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom and talk of thy power to make known to the sons of men thy mighty acts And the Psalmist doth not intend to binde this burden upon others that he might might withdraw his own shoulders no he looks upon it as a priviledge as well as a dutie and therefore engageth himself I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majestie Verse 5. and of thy wondrous works A gracious heart delights to be spreading and publishing of the wonderful works of God repeating and reckoning up all his loving kindnesses I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord and the praises of the Lord Isa 63.7 according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on me and the great goodnesse rewards the house of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses so sings the Church Isa 63.7 And this the Saints do to the end that they may not onely provoke one another to set forth his praises but that they may render their God glorious to all the world and propagate and perpetuate the memory of his wonderful works to all generations One generation shall praise thy works to another and shall declare thy mightie acts that is one generation shall make over the report and memorial of the glorious cts of God unto another that so he may have the glory of what he doth in one age in all the succeeding ages and generations of the Church to the end of the world Psal 78.5 This was the testimonie which the Lord established in Jacob and the Law which he appointed in Israel That they should make known to their children the strength and the wonderful works which God hath done to what end That the generation to come might know them Verse 6. even the children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their children c. according to this Law your may finde them acting Vers 2 3 4. Verse 2. I will open my mouth I will utter darksayings of old Verse 3. Which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us Verse 4. We will not hide them from their children shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done They had received the memorial of the wonders of God from their fathers and they will hand it down to their children that the wonders of God might be
which they have been so long strangers To that end hasten I beseech you your Ordinance for Ordination it were a sad thing that the strong Holds of the Kingdom should be taken for God and kept for the Devil for want of Pastors according â—o Gods own heart and that may feed them with knowledge and understanding Vers 32. Secondly Praâ—se him in the Assembly of the Elders by setting up Church-Government according to your Covenant What it is I need not tell you enough hath been said about this mattâ—r and you are wise I will not I need not ask you Whether you intend really and cordially to go about this Work this greatest work wherewith God and the Kingdom have entrusted you I know you do intend it and if you do Why not now when the Lord hath so miraculously broken the power of the enemie and in so great a measure subdued the Kingdom before you as if God of purpose had created you an opportunity to give demonstration to the world that you are in good earnest Onely let me say thus much to you in that plainnesse you give the Ministers of the Gospel leave to use Jesus Christ will not always wait upon States and Kingdoms he will not always come a begging as it were to Parliament-doors He that bids his Servants shake off the dust of their feet Matth. 10.14 in case of refusal of their message knows how to do it himself Psal 2.12 should he be angred out of his patience Time is coming when Kings and Kingdoms would be as glad of Christ as he would be now of them When in their fears and dangers when enemies be upon them and ruine and desolation at their gates then Isaiah lift up a prayer then send the Lamb to the Ruler with supplications Lord Jesus come thou and rule over us But as the Scotch-man said of the English-mans Will Imprimis I bequeath my soul to God c. I but said he Will he tak it man will he tak it so may I question concerning such tenders of Thrones and Kingdoms Will Christ take them will he accept of them when haply they shall be surrendred upon no better terms then a desperate King would deliver up his Crown to any of his Neighbours Vortinger c. even to a Stranger that would come and help him against his prevailing enemies what Christ would do in such a case jude you And therefore Oh kisse the Son lest he be angry Psal 2.12 and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him Happie Parliament happie State happie People happie Person that makes Christ their choice and not their necessity I have done Onely suffer me one word more Take heed I humbly beseech you of setting your selves down at the upper end of Christs House and Table and of suffering Him to be thrust down to serve as an underling at the lower and to have no more then the lusts of some and the humours and fancies of others can spare him But you have not so learned Christ and therefore to all you that stand before God this day and to as many as desire to be a thankful people let me adde a word to close up all Here is a Model let it be your wisdom and honour to mould and form your Thankfulnesse for this days and for all your mercies upon it 1. Give all diligence to possesse your selves of the grace of Thankfulnesse as well as of the affection of Joy and Gladnesse to that end ply the Throne of Grace and plead the accomplishment of that promise A new heart will I give you Ezek. 36.26 and a new spirit will I put into you That is done when all the natural affections have a divine spiritual impresse stampt upon them when as they have born the image of the earthly so now they bear the image of the heavenly 2. Studie I beseech you Spiritual Grounds and Rises from which your Thankfulnesse may take flight heaven ward as First Scripture interest studie rather a good Title then great Possessions namely to enjoy what you have by Sonship as well as Creatureship by co-inheritance with Jesus Christ by promise as well as providence with Gods love as well as by Gods leave Studie the Covenant well and then count thy interest better then the principal I tell thee for thy comfort if thou canst do so if Scripture-interest can bring in more content and satisfaction to thy soul then all earthly possessions if Covenant-title can draw out and endear thy heart to Gâ—d more then all the deliverances and provisions cast in by providence fear not thou art a childe of promise Secondly observe the Returns of Prayer if thou hast been a praying Christian all this time of Englands trouble and art such a one as lookest after thine own prayers knowest them when thou seest them again if the hearing of thy prayer can endear thy heart to God more then the bulk of thy mercy whatever it is of these visible treasures I pronounce the a man or woman that hast more cause to rejoyce then if God had given thee this days surrender the City of Chester solely and entirely to thine own share Thirdly be critical to spie out soul-advantages the Spiritual part of every mercy and wear them as the richest piece of all thy possessions Fourthly eye the Exaltations and liftings up of God in all his works especially such as this day brings in to us and let them lie neerest thy heart they will keep it warm with an heavenly influence 3. Be careful to maintain a faithful Remembrance of the mercies of God in your heads and a setled constant frame of Thankfulnesse upon your hearts for know this The mercies of God cannot perish alone but thou shalt perish with them if thou forget them that is with a carelesse gracelesse forgetfulnesse God will forget thee if thou cast the mercies of God out to the dung-hill God will throw thee after them O be often charging thy soul Psal 103 2. with David Blesse the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits 4. Designe out for God the choisest and most spiritual Returns such as you have beheld First set up God in your thoughts exalt him in your admiring facultie Psal 66.3 Say unto God How terrible art thou in thy works through the greatnesse of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee Secondly engage your selves and others in Prayer to God say Psal 63.2 O thou that hearest Prayer to thee shall all flesh come Be stedfast and unmoveable always abounding in this work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult forasmuch as you see your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord He never said to the seed of Jacob Seek ye me in vain Isa 45.19 Thirdly let your Thankfulnesse work it self into pure flames of Love to God and expresse it by labouring To Know more of God Enjoy more Communion with God Boast and glory more in God Fourthly studie Self-denial let there be but one will between God and thee and let that will be Gods He is a thankful man indeed that in doing and suffering can say Father not my will but thine be done Fifthly pay your Vows If ever England or thou prosper it must be by keâ—ping of Covenant Ezek. 17.14 Be often rolling that in thy soul Psal 56.12 I will render praises unto thee Sixthly Give glory to God by believing by all the wonders that God hath done learn to trust him in the nâ—xt strait if faith have not produced these Deliverances let these Deliverances produce faith If happie they that have not seen and yet believed what shall become of them that have seen and yet believe not Seventhly look to the ordering of your conversation the dispesing of your way aright The thankfulnesse of the life is the very life of Thankfulnesse Eighthly widen your hearts in enlarged desires that others may praise God go a begging from door to door thorow the whole Creation for praises for thy God Ninthly to that end declare among the people his doings Psal 9.11 Psal 66.2 Sing forth the honour of his Name make his praise glorious It were a good becoming Solemnitie on these days of Thanksgiving if Christians in their private meetings together to feast and rejoyce before the Lord would make it a Law that every one in their turn should remember and repeat some special eminent Victory or Deliverance wrought by God either for the Nation in general especially since the coming together of this happie Parliament and the beginning of these unhappie Wars or for themselves in particular Such conference as this would keep out vain and unprofitable discourse preserve the memorial of Gods Loving kindnesses exceedingly honour God and adorn your Christian meetings together surely such praise were comely for the upright Christians take all the ways you can that Gods praise may live when you are dead Tenthly be continually breathing after heaven where the praises as well as the spirits of just men are made perfect 〈◊〉 use Austins Contemplation with a little variation O Lordâ— says he can no man see thy face and live then let me die that I may thy face Say thou O Lord can no man praise thee and live then let me die that I may live to praise thee for ever And let me speak this one word to the comfort of all you who can spread or as the Hebrew signifies measure your Thankfulnesse upon this Model as Elijah spread himself upon the Shunemites dead son 2 Kings 4.34 mouth to mouth eyes upon eyes and hand upon hand limb upon limb and part upon part yea that do make it a businesse so to do you have begun your heaven on earth die when you will you may change your company but not your work you have begun an everlasting day of Thanksgiving you have the Word of God for it Who so offereth praise Psal 50. ult glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God AMEN FINIS
A MODEL OF True Spiritual Thankfulnesse Delivered in a SERMON Before the Honourable House of COMMONS Upon their day of THANKSGIVING being Thursday Feb. 19. 1645 for the great Mercy of God in the Surrender of the Citie of Chester into the hands of the Parliaments Forces in CHESHIRS under the Command of Sir WILLIAM BRERETON By THO. CASE Preacher in Milkstreet London and one of the Assembly of Divines ISA 1.25.3 The strong people shall glorifie thee the citie of the terrible Nations shall fear thee ISA 1.26.2 Open ye the gates that the righteous Nation which keepeth the Truth may enter in London Printed by Ruth Raworth for Luke Fawne at the signe of the Parrot in Paul's Church-yard 1646. Die Lunae 23 Februarii 1645. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament That Master Rous do give Thanks to Master Case and Master Woodcock for the great pains they took in the Sermons they preached at the intreatie of this House on Thursday last being a day set apart for a day of publike Thanksgiving for the taking of Chester and to desire them to print their Sermons And it is ordered that none shall print their Sermons without license under their hands writing H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Luke Fawne to print my Sermon THO. CASE To the Honourable House of Commons in Parliament now assembled NOBLE SENATORS TO serve Your and the Kingdoms Thankfulnesse for the late mercy of God in putting Chester into your possession give me leave from the Presse to present unto your view what might have been burdensom from the Pulpit a short List or Catalogue of some eminent Providences wherewith the mercy of the day being clothed will appear very rich and glorious 1. And first you may please to observe that the very lengthning of the Siege was the advance of the Designe while in the issue it appears to have been nothing else but an ambushment of Providence laid of purpose to draw on the enemy to their own destruction Surely their pride and power have not met with a more burdensome stone in all their bold and confident Adventures then the Siege of Chester upon which God bath broken them with breach upon breach and blest you with victory upon victory worth many Chesters and when he had done cast that also in for an advantage Thus many times do we look upon disappointments of our hopes as frowns of displeasure which afterwards we finde to be Plots of Mercy Who would not wait upon that God who if be withhold a mercy for a while pays interest for the forbearance of more worth many times then the principal it self 2. That in three Storms of the greatest disadvantage that height of walls depth of trenches impregnablenesse of Forts and multitudes of enemies as many in the City as yours in the Siege could render the Forces were confest by the enemy to have done more execution then they received either in their assault or retreat wherein one particular providence must not be silenc'd * Lieut. Col. Venâ—bles an active Commander who was four times upon the walls and though through the unexpected disadvantages of the designe not seconded according to expectation yet was brought off harmlesse save onely a slight wound on his arm to minde him what arm it was that made his rescue 3. That in all the Sallies which the enemy hath made upon the Parliaments Quarters they had more cause at their returns into their strong Hold to wring their hands then to ting their bells being always sent home with more blowes then they give 4. That our Engines during the Siege have constantly done more execution upon the enemy within then theirs have done upon our men without though the oddes of all offensive and defensive advantages were on their side whereby God would manifest the difference between having walls and bulwarks for Salvation Iâ—a 26.1 and having Salvation for walls and bulwarks 5. It was onely an unexpected Help to our side that a Blinde of Providence caused them to leave the Prospect of a Steeple so neer the City-walls undemolished from whence our men did perform daily justice upon the Rebels slaying one of their steruest and divers others So God oftentimes beats the enemie with their own weapons 6. The patience and constancy of your Souldiery was eminently remarkable which was such as though there were temptations enough to storm it as extremity of weather want of pay clothes food unparallel'd hard duty all the time of the siege being forced many times to fetch their water from * â— Sam. â—â— 15 the gate of Bethlem and that not for wantonnesse but for necessity their bread from the enemies Quarters the stores of the languishing Countrey being drained and expected supplies from neighbouring Counties failing to the extreme harassing and hazarding of their Forces both abroad and at home I say such notwithstanding was their constancy and patieâ—ce that none of all these could conquer it Providence always stepping in with timely Supplies and admirable Resenes in their deepest discouragements and desertions In the mount the Lord hath been seen Gen. 22.14 7. The nature of your Forces which performed this service renders it the more observable they being not an united Brigade cull'd and form'd for such a designe but a collective Body out of some few adjacent Counties the more capable of discontent and uncapable of Commands had not God put a singular Spirit of Wisedom and Activity into the Commanders and of willingnesse or awe into the Souldiers So that here you have that word made good again Zech. 46. Not by might nor power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts 8. The enemy were not so high all the time of the Siege in their demands but your terms were as honourable in the Surrender which received this addition Magmon est testimohium pro â—o qui judicium ad â—â—sario comminit Abulens that the enemies themselves confesse Conditions were never better kept since the wars began A testimony out of the mouth of an adversary is double honour 9. Of what Consequence the Successe is let Chesters expectation from Ireland and the preparations of the Irish Cut-throats for Chester the Key of this Kingdom the Rest of that poor fainting County the trembling of all the malignant neighbouring Strong Holds in Wales and the securing of your Northern Leagur from the approach of an enemy the opening of the way of Trade between London and these parts the dashing in pieces of the Enemies Designes who lo were hastning now to the Infallible relief of their Garisons in Cheshire and Lancashire the reducing of the North the absolute Conquest of Scotland and then back again to the sharing of England for all this and more too Sisera-like they had not onely designed but dispatcht in their vain Confidences The strengthning the hands of our Friends thorow the whole Kingdom who shall hear and rejoyce the weakning of the Enemy who shall hear and their heart
as eternal as the God of those wonders And to that end Tenthly in longing to praise God in heaven Tenthly and lastly gracious spirits in laid and enamel'd with Thankfulnesse because they can live but a while to praise God on earth and their generations too shall not continue after them for ever to do this work therefore they breathe after heaven where in the presence of God their praises shall be perfected and perpetuated here they are weak weary full of natural and sinful mixtures and defilements there they shall be vigorous active pure perfect as unchangeable as interminable as eternitie it self They rest not day and night Revel 8.4 saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almightie which was and is and is to come Thankfulnesse is a pure flame of a restlesse motion ever mounting upward till it come to its element the Quire of Saints and Angels in heaven where it shall sing everlasting Hallelujahs to him that sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb where it shall keep a day of Thanksgiving that shall never know an evening And thus have I done with the fourth and last difference between Gladnesse and Thankfulnesse sc their operations and so with the whole Doctrinal part of my Discourse I should now come to improve it to Vse and Application two ways especially 1. By way of an Examination 2. By way of Direction But truely the very opening of the Doctrine unto you hath done both these already to your hands or at least furnisht you with materials upon which you may do both your selves Take this Model or Platform of true Thankfulnesse lay it before you operate upon it in your serious and impartial thoughts and if you would know whether you are a thankful people or no you may easily resolve into an Vse of Examination while every branch under all these four heads of differences will serve you as Note of Trial whereby you may make some Judgement upon the question Whether you do more then others of the world in this great work of Thankfulnesse And if you would know how you might be thankful set this Model in your eye and it will serve you as Directory wherein every branch again will be a Rule whereby you may form and proportion your Thankfulnesse according to the Word and the example of those Saints who have excell'd in this grace and duty of Thankfulnesse Truely Honourable and Beloved you had need to do it and to do it with your best and purest intentions for I professe to you the most not most of men onely but of Christians do wofully mistake both this duty and themselves too The world yea the greatest part of the Gospel-world is extremely out in this great businesse of Thankfulnesse It is sad and fearful to observe with what skins and shadows and almost mockeries God is turn'd off in stead of this pure holy spiritual active grace and duty of Thankfulnesse God looks for praise and we turn him off with a natural lazie selfish Gladnesse Some haply go not so far but like the elder Brother in the Gospel stand murmuring quarrelling without whilst in our Fathers house there is feasting and musick Many malignant spirits there be who fret and repine and gnash their teeth at the glorious Successes wherewith God hath been pleased to crown the out-goings of his servants and people in these later days But truely that sads not my spirit so much as to see a people whom God hath strived to endear unto himself by so many miracles of preservation Deliverances and Victories to mock God out of his praise and themselves at length out of their mercies Surely we may weep over our Deliverances and turn our days of Thanksgiving into days of mourning and lamentation to consider how we dally with God and put him off with a few empty formal Complements in stead of that real and spiritual and vital dutie which he expects and deserves at our hands And therefore I said when I heard I was designed to the service of this day I will not stand to analyse this mercie nor take in pieces this work of God the surrender of that strong impregnable Hold of Chester though very great and worthy to be sought out by all them that take pleasure in the works of the Lord but I will tell the Parliament and tell the Kingdom what it is to be thankful that they may see how much they are mistaken and what wrath hangs over our heads for the carnality rottennesse hypocrisie of our rejoycings over all the wonders which God hath done for England And therefore Noble Senators and all you that stand before God this day or to whom the words of this day may come sit down I beseech you seriously examine your selves by and compare your selves with this Model of Thankfulnesse held forth to you this day and see whether indeed you do come up to the Law of that Service which all the wonders that God hath done for you doth call for at your hands and what course you are to take for the preventing and averting of that wrath which I am afraid is gone forth against us for this thing I cannot stand to convince you by each particular in this Model Give me leave to single out but one branch and to deal faithfully with you in that particular it is a main one and such as will include many other It is the fifth branch of the fourth head of Difference between Gladnesse and Thankfulnesse namely Paying of Vows or keeping of Covenant with God Noble Patriots and all you that come hither to keep a day of Thanksgiving to God this day come on set up tribunals and place Conscience thereon as an impartial Judge to keep a little day of Judgement in your bosoms this day We must all appear before the Judgemedt-seat of Christ one day 2 Cor. 5.10 and how soon the Lord onely knows Come start not back better judge our selves then be judged of the Lord If we cannot stand before our own Consciences how shall we be able to stand before that Judge who is greater then our heart and knoweth all things 1 Joh. 3.20 the great-heart-maker and the great-heart-searcher Come on then I say and see whether in this one branch of Thankfulnesse we can approve our selves to God to be a thankful people I will not ravel into your bosoms to enquire with what dispositions of spirit upon what grounds and interests to what ends and references you entred into the Solemn League and Covenant though I wish with all my heart that you would perhaps you would finde a pad in the straw in your entrance into this Covenant possibly you may discover rashnesse in opposition to judgement hypocrisie in opposition to truth and sincerity it may be base lowe carnal ends and aims in opposition to Righteousnesse which are the Qualifications of a religious Covenanter Jer. 4.2 perhaps such workings of heart as sometimes brought the Sichemites into Covenant with the sons of
Ezâ—kiel c. giving the hand Ezek. 17.18 or as with us lifting up the hand to the most high God doth God aggravate their Covenant-violation when lo he had given his hand God speaks with indignation as of an eminent and remarkable treachery and persidiousnesse When lo he had given his hand And for this indeed now they begin to judge themselves We have no King because we feared not the Lord that is because we have not feared the Oath of the Lord but have dealt falsly and treacherously in the Covenant it is just with God we should have no King that our King should break Covenant with us that have broken Covenant with our God yea they judge themselves not onely for what is past but unworthy to sinde mercy for the time to come not onely We have no King but What then shall a King do to us q. d. We deserve never to see the face of our King any more but to be left to perâ—sh in our Confusions and Divisions while every man doth what is good in his own eye or if our King should come back out of Captivity What should he do to us Can we expect a King should do us any good while our God is angry with us for our Covenant-wickednesse No if he should come out of Babylon again God might make him a curse in stead of a blessing a plague and a snare to our destruction Men and Brethren this I take to be the sense of the place and I need say no more Surely every one of you here before God have with trembling hearts prevented me in the Application onely let me adde this If God were so angry and threatens so furiously the breach of a Covenant made with an Heathenish Tyrant an Infidel with whom the other Babylon Mystical Babylon teacheth no faith is to be kâ—pt because it was made before God and by the Name of God shall he prosper shall he escape that doth such things Jer. 17.19 or shall he break the Covenant and be delivered As I live mine Oath that he hath despised and my Covenant that he hath broken even it will I recompence upon his own head c. Oh how shall she escape yea of how much sorer punishment shall we be thought worthy if we be found guilty of so high a perjury in breaking and despising a Covenant made not onely before God in the Name of God but with God himself In so solemn and sacred a manner with Fasting and Prayer and Sermons and lifting up our hands to the most high God Oh that as we have sinned with this people and beyond insinitely beyond the line and measure of their transgressiâ—ns so we would judge our selves with them in the bitternesse of our spirits We have no King because we feared not the Lord speaking words swearing falsly in making a Covenant and what then should a King do to us We hope an end shall be put shortly to these bloody desolating wars and we cry to the Sword Oh thou Sword of the Lord Jer. 47.6 how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy self into thy scabbard rest and be still but the Sword will not obey our voice and no wonder for we have not obeyed the voice of the Sword we have not heard the Sword and who had appointed it and therefore methâ—nks I hear the Sword replying How can I be quiet since the Lord hath given me a charge against England Vers 7. Yea methinks I hear God renewing the Commission of the Sword in the words of that threatning I will bring a sword upon yoâ— that shall avenge the quarrel of my Covenant We keep now a day of Thankâ—giving for the surrender of a strong Hold in the Kingdom Levit. 26.25 and God hath sent us in the glad tiding of a great Victory in the West to fill up our joy and to bespeak more days of Rejoycing and Thankfulnesse but for my part I fear that for these things the Sword hath yet a Commission to come up to London to passe thorow the Kingdom and that we shall hear ere long as fast of Losing Cities and Castles and the strong Garisons of the Kingdom as now of gaining them and read our Catalogue of Deliverances and Victories backward with sad hearts Chester lost Hereford lost Dartmonth lost sic in caet If you would prevent so sad a turn of things give me leave humbly to commend to you these two short Advices 1. Proclaim I beseech you a solemn Fast wherein we may professedly humble and afflict our souls for our Covenant-violations whereby God is so deeply provoked and wherein if it might seem good to your wisdoms the Covenant might be renewed in a more solemn and serious manner with our God that as Samuel called the people to Gilgal to renew the Kingdom upon Saul so you that are England's Samuels 1 Sam. 11.14 might call the people together to this Galgal where the Lord first rolled away our reproaâ—h by bringing us into the bond of the Covenant to renew the Kingdom upon our Lord Jesus whom God hath appointed to be King in his holy Hill of Sion Psal 2.6 For think not Brethren I beseech you that because we have broken our Covenant with God therefore we are disobliged from our Covenant that were an easie way to get loose indeed if when we are weary of our Vows it were but to go and sin against them and then we are disengaged But it is with the Covenant as it is with the Law there is a twofold obligation the one to duty the other to a curse and if we break the one the other will hold us fast enough Did not my words take hold upon your fathers How Zech. 1 6. Surely not in the commanding power of them but in the executionary power they took hold on them with a vengeance And therefore our way is to bring our selves again under the commanding power that we may not lie under the condemning cursing power of the Covenant Indeed the Covenant is then broken and not fully till then when a people will not own their Covenant with God and therefore Oh that the Lord would help us in this our day to consider the things that belong unto our peace before they be hid from our eyes 2. To that end studie real Thankfulnesse To you that sit at the Stern guiding the Ship of this Church and State in this troublesome Sea let me commend unto you but this piece of Thankfulnesse Set up God Vers 23. Exalt him in the congregation of the people by setting up the Ministery of the Word Let this be your wisedom and honour that when God hath given up the strong Holds of the Kingdom to you you would render them up back again to God by placing able and faithful Ministers in those eminent places of the Kingdom that may undeceive the poor mifled people and to season them with Principles of Religion and Loyaltie to