vpon vs by offending but also the punishment whatsoeuer that followeth therevpon as shal hereafter God willing moste plainely appeare We are therefore put in hope by this petition to haue as well the punishment as the fault of our sinne pardoned forgiuen vs so that when any punishment of God is vppon his they neede not to despaire for we are taught and commanded by him to make suite for the forgiuenesse of sinnes which could not be done in faith if the Lord had not promised vnto vs the pardon forgiuenesse thereof The godlie at all times when any affliction was vppon them haue resorted to the Lord for the forgiuenes of their sinnes And why Are we not taught so to do in the holy scripture Doth not the praier of Solomon leaue this for a perpetuall doctrine vnto the Church that when any punishment is vpon those that be his they should cōfesse their sinnes in trueth with an assured hope in so doing to finde fauour at his handes and ease of their griefe when they shal truely turne vnto him according as it is written in that Chapter in these words When thy people Israel shal be ouerthrowen before the enimie because they haue sinned against thee and turne againe to thee and confesse thy name pray make supplication vnto thee then heare thou in heauen and be mercifull vnto the sinne of thy people Israel bring them againe vnto the land which thou gauest vnto their fathers A plaine proofe we haue in this place that the people of God may resort boldly vnto God euen then when his punishment is vpon thē for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and as plaine is this also that his mercie toward them pardoning of their sinnes consisteth not only in the remouing of the fault frō them but also of the punishment that is due for the fault transgression For he praieth that when the people shal be led out of their land by their enimies because they haue sinned against the Lord that if they shall confesse their sinnes and turne vnto the Lord then he would be merciful and bring them againe vnto the land which is to remoue the punishment from them as well as the fault and guiltinesse This was that punishment to bee captiues and prisoners in their enimies land when they are brought home this punishment is remoued The like profe we haue of this matter in the same Chapter in these wordes When heauen shal be shut vppe there shal be no rayne because they haue sinned againste thee and shall pray in this place and turne from their sinne when thou doest afflicte them then heare thou in heauen pardon the sinne of thy seruants giue rayne vpon the land They that haue sinned are incouraged to pray vnto the Lord are assured to be heard whē they shall in trueth bewayle and confesse their sinne Marke it also that as well in this place as in that former the pardon of their sinne remoueth the punishment and reacheth vnto that as well as vnto the guilt therof I do note this because of that doctrine of the church of Rome which doth affirme that God doth pardon the fault of his and yet reteine still the punishment which they say must bee redeemed by their satisfactiō A daungerous doctrine that God shuld absolue them of the fault yet presse them with the punishment whiche doth not apperteine vnto them but in respecte of their offence because they are faultie this doctrine chargeth the Lord with iniurie For if he shal remit forgiue the fault yet reserue the punishment he punisheth without a cause For where the fault is pardoned the man is as if he had not offēded he is no longer accounted a trespasser Can it then stand with the iustice of the Lord to punish him whom he him selfe hath iustified as no offender in the free pardoning and forgiuing of his fault We do see it throughout this chapter that when they shall confesse their fault and turne vnto the Lorde they are discharged of the punishmente and that the holie Ghost is ignorant of this diuorcement betweene the punishment the fault which the church of Rome hath inuented to vtter their merchādize of satisfactions withall And lest any should thinke that this prayer for the forgiuenesse of sinnes did but take place in these special causes in the remouing of those particular speciall punishments the holie Ghost maketh it generall in the seuen and thirtie verse When there shal be Famine in the land when there shal be Pestilence Blasting Mildew Grashoppers or Caterpillers when their enimies shall besiege them in the cities of their lande or any plague or any sicknesse for these are the verie words of the text that their prayers shal be auaileable when they shal confesse their faultes and truly turne vnto the Lord for the remouing of those punishments what so euer they are that be vpō thē yea euen to make them that shal haue led them away captiues to haue pitie and cōpassion on them as it is declared in that chap. This is great comfort vnto a Christian conscience when he shall learne and vnderstand that there is a medicine that can cure him euen then when the Lorde shall haue reuealed his sinne by bringing punnishment vpon it Moreouer least it should be excepted against this that in deede Solomon praied that punishments might be remoued when they should confesse and truely bewaile their sinne but howe can it be proued that the Lorde did euer promise to heare any suche prayers The matter is manifest in the booke of Chronicles And the Lorde appeared to Solomon and saide vnto him I haue heard thy prayer if I shutte the heauen that there be no rayne or if I commaunde the grashhoppors to deuour the lande or if I sende pestilence among my people if my people doe humble themselues pray and turne from their wicked ways then will I heare in heauen and bee mercifull vnto their sinne and will heale their lande In the Psalme there is plentifull profe that the Lorde wil be intreated to forgiue the sinnes of his seruauntes and to remitte their punishmentes when they shall in true repentaunce humble them selues before him They sayth the prophet that dwel in darkenesse beeing fast bound in miserie and yron because they rebelled againste the word of the Lord when he humbled their heart with heauinesse they fel downe there was no helpe then they cryed vnto the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered them from their distresse he brought them out of the shadowe of death and brake their bandes in sunder In that Psalme there is likewise proofe of the same matter apparant enoughe in these wordes Fooles by reason of their transgression and because of their iniquitie are afflicted their soule abhorreth all meate they are brought to deaths doore then they crie vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuereth them in their
is due vnto him euen vnto the third and fourth generation of them that shal be founde transgressours herein calling them haters of him who are not by faith the very knot of this spirituall wedlocke surely knit vnto him alone He can no more abide to heare of any that should be fellowes with him at our faith than the honest man can abide to heare that another besides himselfe should haue the enterteinment of an husband with his wife It is diligently to be obserued that he calleth thē haters of him who shal thus diuide their affection from him The most that they can say for this their worshippe is that it commeth from a good meaning intent this persuadeth the moste of them well of it For God say they cannot of his mercie refuse that which is wel ment intended towarde him The Lord therfore vtterly ouerthroweth this defence saying in expresse wordes that they be haters of him so ledd with the liking of their worship from the Lord and his true seruice that when occasion serueth they bewray extreame hatred therevnto prosequuting it with fire fagot in the true professours thereof This sin of idolatrie and false worship of God is diligently to be considered of that we may see the danger of it and keepe vs from transgressing therein The daunger of this sinne the greatnesse therof we can not better discerne than by the punishment executed against it from the iust Lorde who because he is iust and Iustice it selfe cannot appointe punishment but according to the nature and qualitie of the offence he threateneth that the fire of his ielousie shal burne vpon the posteritie of those that offende therein vnto the thirde and fourth generation Greate muste that sinne bee the flame of whose punishment casteth out smoke so long The greatnes of the punishment may lead vs to se the heynousnesse of that offence of Idolatrie and seruing of God by good intentes The fire of Gods wrath beeing kindled by this sinne as wee see cannot be quenched many generations after the death of them that haue beene the firste transgressours in the same The lord declareth the reason by his prophet Hosea why he will thus punishe the posteritie of the idolaters I wil haue no pitie vpon her children saith the Lord by the prophet because they be the childrē of fornication declaring that hee may lawfully disinherit them because they are none of his but children begotten in fornication The state of the children of Israel in the captiuitie of Babylon euen vntill the comming of Christe may fitly shadowe out vnto vs the truth of this punishment threatened here for idolatrie For albeit there was a returne frō Babylon yet we knowe that the number was small that returned and subiect vnto greate misery euen vntil the comming of Christ beside their punishment in the want of temporall benefites The lord thretned by his prophet Hosea according as he did perfourme in deede that he would no more suffer them to inioye the vse of his worshippe I will cause saith the Lord al her mirth to cease her feast days her new Moones and her Sabbaoths and al her solemne feasts And in the thirde chapter the Lorde in like manner declareth that the children of Israel shal remain many daies without a king also without an offring Long before their captiuitie they had nothing beside the outwarde shew and ceremonies of the worship of God which also vtterly ceassed when they were led into banishment yet the comforte came which was promised in the latter time vnto their posteritie according as it was fore-told them by the Prophete but greate was that sinne that procured so long lasting punishmente vppon their posteritie and so greate a punishment that they should be diuorced from the lord For he affirmeth this by his Prophet that he wil marrie them vnto him for euer declaring thereby that they had bene diuorced before But we need not take examples of God his punishment of Idolatrie from the people of Israel wanting beside other benefites the true worshippe of God so long time Poperie in these last times may be a true spectacle thereof where the declining from true religiō hath brought so miserable blindenesse continuing so many generations The Papistes now in the latter dayes of the Gospel after this as it were solemnizing of the marriage againe betweene the Lord and his Church require to knowe where the Church was before this time of the Gospel as if some of the Israelites after that the Lorde had returned vnto them in mercie and betrothed them a newe vnto himselfe againe should haue required where the Church had beene in their captiuitie when they wanted the sacrifice and offeringes the Sabbaothes new moones and all the true outwarde worship of God calling into question the trueth of that true worship and seruice of God because they had been so long without it before Those times of Poperie were the times of idolatrie and punishment of the Lord for idolatrie they were as I may call it the widowhoode or rather the diuorced estate of the churche when notwithstanding the Lorde did beare loue and secrete liking vnto those that were his yet was their outward estate the condition of a widowe or rather of a diuorced woman hauing in it the badge of displeasure and punishment from the lord To require therfore that this our time should bee confourmed in worshippe vnto that is to like of diuorcement better then marriage to craue that the vnlawful libertie of the one may be a paterne warrant to dissolue the godly and lawful bonde of the other The Lord affirmeth likewise that he Wil shewe mercie vnto thousandes of them whiche loue him and keepe his commandementes wherein he noteth vnto vs two properties in the true worship of God the first is the loue of him the seconde the keeping of his commandementes wherof the first that is the loue of him openeth vnto vs what beginning true worshippe hath and the seconde which is the doing of things pleasaunt in his sight telleth vs by what rule that worshippe doth proceede euen by his word which truely discouereth what thinges are pleasing or displeasing vnto him That loue towardes him beginneth all true seruice and worship of God hereby it is manifest because the Apostle declareth that the children of God are sealed vp with the spirite of adoption whereby they crie Abba Father whiche beareth witnesse vnto their spirite that they are the children of God. Whiche inward testimonie of adoption cannot be without the loue of him that hath adopted them And in the Epistle to the Galathians the Apostle hath these wordes In Iesus Christe neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but faith that worketh by loue And in the same Epistle he affirmeth The life whiche he nowe liueth to be in this faithe that the Sonne of God hathe loued him and giuen him selfe for him This loue therefore that ariseth of the
and disposer of them but the vngodly whatsoeuer they say in worde thinke in heart that they came by fortune and chaunce and therefore doe not giue him the glorie for them neither sanctifie them by prayer as things receiued in especiall good will from God. In the Psalme there is plentifully set foorth vnto vs what protection the godly shall finde against all dangers in their distresses in the end of that Psalme it is declared by what meanes they shall escape those dangers in these wordes He shall call vpon me and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him with long life will I satisfie him and shew him my saluation If any shall diligently reade that notable book of prayer the prayer booke of the holy Ghoste I meane the booke of Psalmes he shall cleerely see that which before was said that the prophet is no way distressed but hee runneth foorthwith vnto God by prayer and findeth comfort at his hands knowing as he testifieth in the Psalme that the Lorde is neere vnto all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in trueth that hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him that he will heare their cry and saue them It hath bene declared that we in this petition are taught to call vpon God for deliuerance whatsoeuer our necessitie shal be and that with hope in God to be heard albeit we see no meanes how we shal be holpen It hath in like manner bene declared how hardly this is perfourmed of vs that we should haue hope when we can see no meanes lightly to helpe so that it is the faithfull man alone that giueth this glorie vnto god We learned out of the Psalme that the faithful man beeing tossed with the tempest vpon the sea and seeing no possibilitie to escape resorteth vnto God by prayer and findeth the fruit thereof This as was said before is hardlie perfourmed in such extremities where there appeareth no meanes likely to deliuer vs It is as hard a thing by reason of our corruption to seeke at God his hands by true prayer those outwarde benefites that are procured by our laboure as by meanes appointed of God to helpe vs therevnto As for example whē a man hath an occupation to liue by it is no easie matter for him to craue as hartily at God his hands for his liueing as that man that wanteth all ordinarie meanes to mainteine him We are taught in this petition to beg at the hands of God by prayer those outwarde thinges that haue meanes ordeined to bring thē euen then when we haue the vsuall meanes For the man that hath friends of great credite that are able to compasse matters of greater importance then he hath any to trouble them withall must looke seke for successe at the Lorde by prayer as carefully as if he knew of no helpe or friendshippe at all When men of wisedome credite or power go aboute their matters without any calling vpon the name of God they plainly denie the Lord that honour that is due vnto him for he must be acknowledged as hee is in deed the disposer of all outwarde benefites aswell of those that come by the meanes of our labour indeuour or other our meanes whatsoeuer as those that come so as we can giue no reason of the same comming by casualtie or fortune as men commonly vse to speake And in this petition wee are taught to craue all outwarde benefites and the successe and goeing forewarde of all our laboures of the LORDE who is the onely giuer of them and without whose especiall blessing all healpes and meanes are to no purpose according as it is written in the Psalme Except the Lorde builde the house they labour in vaine that builde it It is vaine for you to ryse early and lye downe late declaring heereby how little helpe there is in all our carefull toyle to atteyne to wealth and earthlie commodities And therefore in all our trauailes wee are taught to resorte vnto GOD by earnest and faithfull prayer It is he that muste blesse our going in and our comming out as wee do reade in the Psalmes Wherfore the godlie looke for a peculiar blessing of GOD vppon their laboures and seeke vnto him for it when as the vngodly ascribe the honour that is due vnto God vnto those helps and meanes of counsel labour or indeuour which are but the instrumentes appointed of the Lord therevnto The daunget of this disease is so greate and man so easilie drawen to seeke vnto the healpes that hee hath without any due respect and regarde of the Lorde that in expresse wordes he giueth his people warning of this offence in Deuteronomie Beware leaste thou say in thine hearte my power and the strength of myne owne hand hath prepared me this aboundaunce but remember the Lord thy GOD For it is he whiche giueth the power to get substaunce Let vs learne to sanctifie all outwarde blessings by prayer seeking them vnfeignedly at the Lorde and acknowledging them in trueth and from a persuaded heart to haue beene giuen vs from the hands of our God what soeuer hath bene store or strength of our meanes to procure thē by For otherwise they are not pure vnto vs if we bee not resolued of the giuer thereof reaching through all meanes into the sight of his goodnesse who is the Lord and disposer of these temporall thinges A Christian is taught in this petition not to be tormented before hand with the feare of an hard estate and euil condition in time to come because the Lord who is the disposer of all outward thinges hath taught his to resort vnto him for the necessitie of the day in the day and time of their distresse promising to stand by them in their troubles and wants and to declare himselfe to be their God by the benefites and mercies that he will graunt at their requests What a great burthen therfore are we discharged of by the Lord who in promising to heare vs in the day of our calamitie hath cut off many cares griefes and vexations which long before they come torment the vngodly and when they are vppon them doe driue them either to despaire or to vngodly shiftes How iust also is the plague and punishment of those who refusing this benefite of the Lorde will haue their owne care and feare vsurpe vpon the mercie and goodnesse of GOD who in singular good will hathe returned vnto vs the benefite of our thoughtes and cares to haue them otherwise bestowed for our good in his seruice willing vs not to be careful before hand for the necessitie to come for the care of the day shall suffice for the same If the Lorde in mercie abate and giue backe this benefite of our care that we may haue it before the necessitie come free to bestowe vpon his seruice for our owne profite what madnesse is there in our refusall nay
we haue so often heard of before when he prayeth that the people of God may haue their punishmentes remoued when they call vppon him there is alwayes added the condition of turning from their sinne either in expresse wordes or else in wordes that necessarily importe the same As to take one example for many in that Chapiter hee hath these wordes When Heauen shall be shutt vpp and there shall be no rayne because they haue sinned against thee and they shall pray in this place confesse thy name and turne from their sinn when thou doest afflict them then heare thou in Heauen and pardon the sinne of thy seruauntes and of thy people Israel when thou haste taught them the good way wherein they may walke so that the turning from sinne is necessarily required of them that doe looke for the forgiuenesse of sinne And then especially when the Lorde shall testifie against vs from Heauen by punishments laide vppon vs wee haue to call to minde our former sinnes and ceasse to be carelesse and secure therein For when the Lord forgiueth sinne hee also cureth sinne not suffering vs any longer to sleepe in the same beeing snared with the baytes and allurementes thereof but begetteth in vs a new care to shake it off and a new watchfulnesse ouer it There is added to the end of this petition For thine is the kingdome the power the glorie for euer which doeth admonish vs of sundrie profitable instructiōs for by it we are taught what shuld be the end of our petitions why we would haue thē graunted euen that his kingdome power glorie may be aduāced For as we haue learned before while that the Lord frameth his to the obedience of his wil giueth good things vnto thē remoueth euil thinges from them his name is halowed his kingdome cōmeth his wil is done here in earth for by dealing thus with his seruaunts he will be knowen to rule and reigne here vpon earth be glorified in the same This desire therefore to haue him glorified should bee bothe at the beginning and end of our prayers whether our suit be for spirituall graces or for tēporall blessings By this also our faith is strengthened in the hope to obteine our petitions because the Lorde cannot neglect the glorie of his name and the honour of his kingdome whiche dependeth vpon the perfourmaunce of his mercies towardes his seruauntes that call vpon him therfore our hope cannot deceiue vs beeing ioyned so neere vnto the glorie of our God. Moreouer in this we are admonished that it is not the worthynesse of our selues nor yet of any other but the honour of his name that commendeth our suites and petitions vnto the lord Finally heerein we are admonished of a speciall worshippe and seruice which is thanks giuing vnto GOD when soeuer wee receiue any benefite of what kinde soeuer For we acknowledging in our prayers not onely that hee hath the disposing of these benefites but also that his kingdome glorie honour consisteth in the rewarding of his with the same shall be found traytors to the crowne of his kingdome if after benefites receiued wee doe not by thanks giuing confesse and acknoweledge the same This giuing of thanks is a speciall worshipp and seruice of God in somuch that the Lorde reiecting sacrifice placeth his honour in thanksgiuing Will I eate the fleash of Bulles or drinke the bloude of Goates sayth the Lord by his Ptophet Offer vnto God praise and pay the vowes vnto the moste high and call vppon mee in the day of thy trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And in the laste verse of that psalme it is said that he who offereth praise vnto the Lord doth glorifie him Whereby it appeareth that the Lord esteemeth thanksgiuing as a speciall worship and seruice of him whiche may well bee perceiued in sundrie places of the Scripture but especially in the booke of the Psalmes It is in deede a seruice of God peculiar and proper vnto the children of god For the wicked are not acquainted with it they see not the Lord his arme in their deliuerances they see not through the instruments that God vseth to helpe thē by into the especiall goodwill and fauour of GOD from whence the godly take those healpes to come as a plaine profe therof Therfore doth the Prophet say The voice of ioy and deliuerance shal be in the tabernacles of the righteous saying the right hand of the Lorde hath done valiauntly Hee maketh it the peculiar worke of the righteous to reioyce in the Lorde and in heart to prayse him For notwithstanding all people taste liberally of his benefits yet the feeling of his fatherly goodnesse whiche procureth giuing of thanks in deed is proper onely vnto the children of God. It is a singular priuiledge that he doth vouchsafe his elect alone when he giueth such a sweete taste vnto his benefites as driueth their heartes to reioycing and giuing of thankes not onely in the comfort of the present benefite but also in that hauing receiued an assured token of his fauour they peaceably passe ouer the course of their life assuring them selues that they are had in especiall reckoning and account with the lord Therefore the Prophete is bolde to haue this speech of them Blessed is the people that reioyce in thee they shall walke in the light of thy countenaunce O Lorde they shall reioyce continually in thy name and in thy righteousnesse shal they exalt them selues He maketh it no common matter to reioyce in the Lord but matter belonging onely to the electe and blessed people of God how greatly it pleaseth the Lorde The Apostle wittnesseth in the Epistle to the Corinthes where hee requireth the prayer of the church of God for him in his affliction that when his deliueraunce is obteyned by the prayers of many many persons may giue thanks vnto god Which notably declareth how acceptable a seruice it is to giue thanks vnto God when the afflictions of the children of God serue therevnto and are beecome a speciall ende of the same As wittnesseth in like manner the Prophet The Lorde hath looked downe from the height of his Sanctuarie that hee might heare the mourning of the prisoner and deliuer the children of death that they may declare the name of the Lorde in Hierusalem and his praise in Sion Now if it be demaunded why the sacrifice of thanks giuing is so acceptable a worship and seruice of the Lord The answere is ready because it ascribeth the gouernment and distribution of all benefites vnto the Lord denying them to come by casualtie or chaunce as doe the vngodly whatsoeuer they say in that they are neither comforted truely in them nor yet thankfull for them Moreouer it acknowledgeth God not to be a dead thing and bare name that regardeth not men that serue him in the obedience of his will but that in trueth hee hath a care of his Church helpeth
in their neede and regardeth them in perfourming the trueth of his promise towardes them This acknowledging of the mercies of God by giueing of thanks helpeth forwarde the faith of other in persuasion of this tender care that hee beareth towardes his Wherefore the godly were accustomed to open vnto others the children of God the especiall benefites and mercie whiche they had receiued of the Lorde that they might not onely ioyne with them for the praise of his mercie but also receiue increase of faith in the visible experience of his goodnesse It is wel knowen that the people of God vnder the law had a solemne rite ceremonie in perfourming the vowes of thankesgiuing and peace offering when soeuer they had receiued any notable and singular benefite of the Lorde Whiche was a thing so well pleasing the Lorde that they present this their purpose to prayse the Lorde and to tell what he had done for them as a reason to persuade him to worke their deliuerance when they are distressed according as wee reade Saue me from the Lyons mouthe and aunswere me in sauing me from the hornes of the Vnicornes I will declare thy name vnto my brethren in the middest of the congregation wil I prayse thee saying Praise the Lord ye that feare him magnifie him all yee seede of Iacob For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the poore but when he calleth vnto him he heard My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation my vowes wil I perfourme before them that feare him The pore shall eate and be satisfied they that seeke after the Lorde shall praise him This kinde of persuasion haue the seruants of God often vsed and therefore wee doe reade that the godly in their petitions haue vsed often these words Shut not vp ô Lord the mouthes of them that prayse thee open not the mouthes of the vngodly that they may praise the power of their idols and magnifie a fleashly king They were persuaded that the Lord did greatly esteme his owne glorie and honor that it was a speciall seruice and worship that he delighteth in as it is in deede For euen the end of our saluation is the praise of his free mercie and grace and he hath elected his to the prayse of the riches of his grace and the end of our temporall deliuerance is to acknowledge and magnifie that grace whiche we haue tryed to bee true had good experience of the same So doth the godlie king Ezechias confesse that the Lorde would not haue him swalowed vp of the pit without the taste of his mercie in deliueraunce because if he had so departed the Lorde should then haue wanted that seruice of thankes giuing for his deliuerance which is so acceptable vnto him For those that are so ouerwhelmed in their afflictiōs tast not of the mercies of deliuerance which openeth their mouth filleth it with the prayses of the lord It was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule sayth Ezechias from the pit of corruption for thou haste cast all my sinnes behinde thy back for the dead cannot prayse thee they that go downe into the pitt cannot hope for thy trueth but the liuing shall confesse thee as I doe this day The father to the children shall declare thy trueth the Lorde was ready to saue mee therefore wee will sing my songe all the dayes of our life in the house of the Lord. That he sayth The dead cannot prayse him wee haue to take it as the trueth is that when those that be his are not deliuered in their distresses hee wanteth that praise here in earth where his glorie is often oppressed whiche their deliueraunce would plentifully spread abroade And they doe moste thirste after the tryall of his goodnesse heere vppon earth where there bee so many enimies to his glorie that seeing the plaine proofe thereof they may be plentiful in his praise Therfore doeth Dauid in like manner require deliuerance that he be not ouerwhelmed in his afflliction and so the Lord wante the praise of his deliueraunce Returne O Lorde deliuer my life saue mee for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall praise thee The Scripture is plentifull in such proofes where the seruants of God haue greatly longed for deliuerance that they might praise his name and haue vrged it as a reason to persuade the Lord to heare their petitions because then they would offer vnto him that well pleasing sacrifice and seruice of thankesgiuing a sacrifice that doeth so greatly please the Lorde and therefore cannot but be well liked of all those that be his It was declared before that there was a solemne rite and ceremonie among the Iewes in their thanks giuing after sōe greate benefite receiued where the godlie mett together not only to giue praise but also to be confirmed and strengthened more more in their faith persuasion of his fatherly care and regarde that he hath towards those that be his This is made plaine vnto vs in the Psalme He hath brought me out of the horrible pit sayth the Prophet and hee hath put in my mouth a new song of prayse vnto our God. Many shall see it and feare and shall trust in the Lorde It cānot but be a singular worship of God that ascribeth this right of gouernement and care of his seruants vnto him that also hath in it such force to increase faith which is the founteine of all obedience How greate then is the sinne of vnthankfulnesse when men passe ouer the benefites of God and the assured pledges of his fauour without any thankfull remembraunce or comfortable assuraunce of the good will of GOD Surely the neglect of this duetie I meane of thanks giuing to God when we receiue any singular benefite as some notable deliuerance from daungers or happie out going frō our trouble denieth the Lord to be the disposer and gouernour of thinges here belowe fathereth them vpon fortune or chaunce How soeuer they denie it in wordes it denieth in deede any especiall care to be in God ouer his it maketh God to be nothing beside a bare name and vaine imagination it ouerthroweth faith whiche persuadeth vs of the speciall care and good will that God beareth vs in taking his benefites not as common thinges but as pledges of his peculiar fauour in that as common matters and no witnesses of any especiall good will by vnthankfulnesse they are passed ouer and lightly let slippe Moreouer the want of this dutie hindereth the profiting of others in that they denie this helpe of strengthening their faith which the Lord hath appointed and the seruauntes of God hath practised according as it was of late cited out of the Prophet that many shoulde see what the Lord had done and be drawne to put their trust in him Now let vs pray vnto our heauenly Father in the name of his sonne that we may so pray that we may obteine