upon their Consciences by Jotham to the mutual destruction of them and Abimelech whom they had advanced over them upon thâ— ruins of the 70 Sons of Jerubbâ—al For saith Jotham My Father fought for you and adventured his Life for you and delivered you out of the hand of Midian and ye are risen up against my Father's House this day and have slain his Sons threescore and ten persons upon one Stone and have made Abimelech the Son of his Maid-Servant King over the Men of Sechem because he is your brother c. Judg. 9. 17. Then God sent an evil Spirit between the men of Sechem and Abimelech to punish their cruel ingratitude v. 23. Which is the Substance of that whole Chapter of Judges 9. And after they had destroyed one another that sad History as any in the Book of God is concluded thus Thus God rendred the wickedness of Abimelech which he did unto his Father in staying his seventy brethren and all the evil of the men of Sechem did God render upon their heads and upon them came the curse of Jotham the Son of Jerubbaal v. 56 57. So that now you see this horrible sin of Ingratitude that is punished by God in so high a degree must needs be an accursed and destructive thing Another said instance of the like sin and punishment we have recorded concerning Joash King of Judah who was marvelously preserved in the Massacre of the Royal Family from Athaliah's bloody Fingers by Jehoiada the High Priest and his Wife Jehoshabea and kept safe in the House of the Lord six Years under the tyrannous Usurpation of that wicked Idolatress 2 Chron. 22. 10 11 12. Jehoiada set the Crown on his head put down the Usurper restored the Kingdom to their former freedom and raised the Royal Family to their former Splendor and Dignity and left it flourishing in Peace and Plenty But after the death of his 〈◊〉 Tutor Governour Gua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protector 't is recorded Thâ—â— this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and turned 〈◊〉 and Murderer two iâ—separable Companions and commanded Zachariah the Priest the Son of Jehoâ—aâ—a to be stoned even in the Court of the House of the Lord for reproving his Idolatry and saying Because ye have forsaken the Lord He also hath forsaken you Thus Joash the King remembred not the kindness which Jehoiada his Father had done unto him but flew his Son and when he died he said The Lord look upon it and require it Which Prayer of this dying Martyr the Lord heard and recompensed this cruel ingratitude of Joash towards God and Man speedily upon his own head to the ruine of himself and of all his Princes that seduced him and of all his Armies in which he trusted by an inconsiderable party For the Army of the Syrians came with a small company of Men and the Lord delivered a very great Host into their hand because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers so they executed Judgment against Joash And besides all this The Lord smote him with grievous torments in his body by incurable diseases as in the case of Jehoram that murdered his Brothers 2 Chron. 21. 18. And at last to put an end to the miserable life of this godless Wretch his own Servants conspired against him for the Blood of the Sons of Jehoiada the Priest and flew him on his Bed and he died But they buried him not in the Sepulchres of the Kings 2 Chron. 24. 18 20 21 22. an honour that was bestowed upon Jehoiada the High Priest his Preserver and Restorer v. 16. though out of indignation denied him as to Jehoram before him that lived undesired and died unlamented 2 Chron. 21. 20. Thus did God plentifully reward this proud Doer as the Psalmist speaks Measuring to him again with the same measure that he had meted withal a just measure of Wrath pressed down and shaken together and running over into his Bosome as our Lord speaks Luke 6. v. 38. Obj. Some will say My Will is good but I want means and abilitiy to requite any henefit received hy me Answ 1. Profess and acknowledge always the good Turn it is a part of an ingenuous Disposition to profess who hath done thee any pleasure yea half a requital Eph. 5. 20. Secondly Use Prayer to God for their good Estate if thou be poor he is rich to requite and doubtless as the cry of the poor can awake His Justice as Himself speaks For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Psal 12. 5. So can the joyful Thanksgiving by the mouth of them that are partakers of the benefit and withal their Prayers for the means of it awake His Liberality as Paul undertakes My God shall supply all your necessities according to his Riches in glory by Christ Jesus Phil. 4. 19. Here I cannot but put the Poor in mind of their duty which receiving good at the hands of them that relieve them are very unjust if they give not again this Duty back to them to Pray for them So Ministers which in that very Name as one part of their Ministerial Duty for the whole is the Word and Prayer as the Apostles speak But we will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word Acts 6. 4. receive temporal things Lastly Before I close up this place of Thankfulness to Men we must not pass by our Thankfulness to God For if to Men we must be Thankful How much more to GOD And the ground of Unthankfulness to Men is from their Unthankfulness to GOD. There is not any other fault more generally blamed even by those that have but the Light of Nature than ingratitude as I have largely shewed nor any Ingratitude greater than towards God because of none we receive more or greater Benefits than from him to say nothing that it being impossible that we should attain to that degree of Thankfulness which should be in requiting the Benefits we daily and hourly receive of him he is contented to take the Acknowledgement of them for Payment so as it must be the effect of a most Villaâ—nous Injustice to deny him that For which cause in the Scriptures we have the Invitations of Holy Men to Thankfulness the praise of this Duty and the Precedents of good Men performing it In special the Book of the Psalms hath his name in the Hebrew Tongue as ye would say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Book of Praises not as if the whole Book had nothing else but because it is the chief part and most principally intended And for this cause doth the Church use in the beginning of her solemn Service the 95 Psalm as a means to invite us to that Duty so good and comeâ—â— yea so just and necessary as the Psalm for the Sabbath Day begins 'T is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises to thy
name O thou most High Psal 92. Men are not so forward to this Duty of Thankfulness as they ought so it is to Prayer we are more ready as being sensible of our wants not to Thanksgiving as having them furnished and so now in good case This appears in the Gospel in the ten Lepers one only of which returned after his cleansing to give Thanks though nine intreated cleansing And Jesus answering said Were there not ten cleansed but where are the nine There are not found that returned to give glory to God but this stranger Luke 17. v. 19 20. The more untoward we be to this Duty the more must we be called on and the more enforce our selves unto it in the words of the Psalmist Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Sâ—ul Psal 66. 1â— Wherein he calls and provokes others to the like Duties as shewing That we ought not to hold it enough that we for our own parts serve God but he draws others to it Superiours by Authority Equals and Inferiours by Persuasion all by Example See the practice Sing praises unto the Lord ye Saints of his and give Thanks at the remembrance of his holiness Psal 30. 4. And again O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Psal 34. 3. 11. Yea so far is this affection of gratitude towards God intended as the very Angels and all other Creatures are invited to this Duty as the 103 and 148 Psalms shew throughout Whether because company increaseth courage in us in any work or else we would shew that we account our own endeavour too little and too defective whence we desire that which we lack others with us should help to supply This is also wonderfully well fitting to our natural Inclination for Man is a Sociable Creature and loves company even in civil life wicked men are companions in evil and say Come with us let us lay wait for blood let us lurk privily for the innocent with out a cause Prov. 1. 11. And how much more in the highest Acts of Religion wherein our life is best imployed ought God's Saints to do the like 1. Here then are we to be encouraged in the solemn Worship of God which is altogether Eucharistical to frequent those Assemblies yea and privately to encourage and stir up one another as the Apostle speaks Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching Heb. 10. 25. A Matter that the Psalmist professed joyed his heart when he found in his People I was glad when they said unto me Let us go into the house of the Lord. Psal 122. v. 1. 2. On the other side here is blamed the backwardness of those that even invited and encouraged yea enforced in a manner by Authority refuse to come to give Thanks to the Lord in a Service of God wherein themselves can find nothing to blame unless that it is understood and not standing in an unknown Tongue and consequently a dry and fruitless Devotion The same if it were to run to Creatures and visit the Sepulchres of the Saints would count no labour too much nor way too long 3. And the like is to be said of others that separate themselves from such Eucharistical Assemblies where the Name of God is called upon with Joy and Thankfulness upon surmises of Blemishes and Defects or mislike of the Society Not to enter into the Question at this time Where God is to be praised All company that truly fears God is good and if not in our Assembly Where have they either learned that he is to be praised or found those great benefits of His whereupon they acknowledge that they are bound to praise Him and to give Thanks unto His Holy Name for them 4. We have Precept upon Precept for the practice of this Duty of Thankfulness Offer unto God Thanksgiving saith David Psal 50. 14. Let us come before his face with Thanksgiving saith our Translation but the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Confession There be two things included in this Confession and they be the very proper parts of Thankfulness First That we have received the favours and good things we have from God Secondly That we are obliged and stand Debtors to Him of our Service and Duties for them So here is forbidden either malignity to conceal or arrogate to our selves as our own purchace what we have received of him or else to detract that Duty which in all reason we are bound to perform in that consideration especially because to Men we may go further to some degree of recompence but to God there is the uttermost we can do and therefore we ought to apply this to particulars as in mentioning God's particular Favours to his Redeemed ones to Travellers to Captives to Sick-men to Sea-men this is all he calls for O that men would praise the Lord for his Goodness and for his wonderful works to the Sons of men Let them exalt him also in the Congregation of the people and praise him in the Assembly of the Elders Psal 107. v. 13. 21. 3. 32. The form of Thanksgiving which is prescribed to every Israelite that sells any Possession or part of the Holy Land is at large set down by Moses Deut. 26. from the first Verse to the 12. which well deserves our Meditation and Application for with such Sacrifices God is as well pleased as with hilastick Oblations under the Law for the Peace-offering and Thank-offering were of all others the most chargeable 'T is recorded that Solomon offered a Sacrifice of Peace-offerings which he offered unto the Lord two and twenty thousand Oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand Sheep at the Dedication of the House of the Lord 1 Kin. 8. 63. The greatest that we read of though great Sacrifices are mentioned in many places yet none like this that might seem to destroy all the Cattle in a whole Country By the Multitude of Gratulatory Sacrifices the People of God were wont to testifie their Zealous and Grateful Affections to God the Donor of all in Signification and Expectation of that plenteous Redemption wrought by Christ as the Psalmist concludes the Psalm 130. v. 7 8. The like Affections ought to be in us all for these Considerations 1. For the multitude of his Mercies how many are they that we have received already and daily do enjoy what hast thou saith the Apostle that thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 4. 7. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderous works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I should declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbred saith the Psalmist Psal 40. 5. And again How precious are thy thoughts
that which the Apostle writes in the Second Chapter and first Verse that these Colossians were not Converted by himself He writes thus For I would that ye knew what great Conflict I have for you and for them of Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh They were then Converted by the Ministery of some other possible by Epaphras whose Preaching he mentions verse 7th of the First Chapter as ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant who is for you a faithful Minister of Christ Yet the common case of all the Churches at that time and almost of all times alike Satan left no Stone unmoved to disturb them and corrupt the Truth they had received with Men's Traditions and Inventions so hard a thing it is to keep us to the Simplicity that is in Christ Jesus as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 11. 3. The evil Seeds that were scattered by his malice and curiosity of his Ministers were those about Meats Observation of Times and Days worshiping of Angels and the like whereof in the latter end of the Second Chapter The Apostle's purpose then in this Epistle is to recal them first to Christ and his sufficiency of Redemption c. Secondly To stir up their minds to the practice of the duties of Love and the shewing the fruits of Sanctification unto which two Heads this whole Epistle setting the wonted Complements of Salutation Entrance and Conclusion aside may fully be reduced Now since we know the general Scope of the Epistle let us come to these words that were read even now and their Connexion with the foregoing The Apostle in the 12th verse of this Chapter with courteous and alluring language in the terms which he gives these Colossians styling them The Elect of God holy and beloved and that which hereby he would work them to commends unto them sundry and divers Duties of Christianity to be practised and hath opened a rich Wardrobe of certain Excellent Vertues to put on and cloth our selves withal as parts of Sanctification Put on saith he bowels of mercies kindness bumbleness of mind meekness long-suffering Five Duties near of affinity together the last whereof long-suffering he sets forth by two acts of it and by the worthiness of the Pattern out of which it is taken verse 13. Forbearing one another forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so do ye Which words of the Apostle do to us declare That our Lord Jesus Christ himself as always so eminently in his Passion was thus clad and invested a great inducement to us to like either the Stuff or Fashion whose whole Life ought to be an Imitation of so great an Author as he speaks For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you John 13. v. 15. The Apostle hath not yet done but persists in the same Argument in the 14 and 15 verses which are a Declaration of the formerly mentioned Duties of meekness and long-suffering wherein you see are contained three Vertues more exhorted unto Love Peace and Thankfulness verse 14. Love and above all these things put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness As if he had said Besides all the former as continuing in the manner of speaking taken from Apparel aloft over all these as an upper Garment put on Love which is the bond of perfectness Now in the 15th verse which I have read unto you the Apostle calls the Colossians to two Duties of Sanctification Peace and Thankfulness and first of Peace an Argument always worthy to entertain us the very Name whereof is sweet the thing it self not only delightful but healthful sweeter than honey and the honey-comb including all good by Scripture-use and all Blessings that God will bestow upon his People as the Psalmist concludes the 29th Psalm He will bless his people with peace all happiness outward success and prosperity Touching the Sense and meaning of these words that we may proceed on good ground and the better understand the whole Order and Web of the Discourse The Peace of God here spoken of is not properly Peace with God Luke 19. 38. whereof the Apostle speaks Rom. 5. v. 1. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and John 14. v. 27. Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I it unto you But peace with men which we are bidden to hold withal if it may be Rom. 12. ver 18. If it be possible as much as in you lyeth live peaceably with all men The peace one with another which he would have us to keep as Heb. 12. 14. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord and Be at peace among your selves 1 Thess 5. 13. But yet it is called God's peace 1. Because he is the Author of it for God is not the Author of Sedition but of Peace as in all the Churches of the Saints saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 33. and 2 Thess 3. 16. 2. Because God hath called us to it into one body 1 Cor. 7. 15. But God hath called us unto peace for the keeping of which the fault of departing must be in the Christian-man or woman saith the same Apostle 3. Because it is given of God and approved by him he it is that gives it to us and commands us to keep it by the Prophet Zachary 8. 19. Love the truth and peace And our Saviour Have Salt in your selves and have peace one with another Mark 9. 50. Yet if any because of the likeness of this place with the Seventh Verse of the Fourth Chapter of the Epâ—stle to the Philippians And let the peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ shall take this Peace of God of the Tranquillity of Conscience I will not much stand against it tho' these words in one body serve more for the other sense of peace one with another Rule in your hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hold the Prize In the Greek the word is taken from the Gaming 's and Masteries then used in Greece when the Apostle wrote this such as were running wrestling fencing fighting c. to which there were wont to be appointed a Master of the Game that should order the whole and did give the Garland to the best Doer from which Garland or Prize this word is also taken it may be Englished Hold the Mastery or Give the Garland Marshall or have the preheminence Chrysostom Have the Garland and bear the sway In your hearts and in your minds souls and consciences unto the which you are called in one body That is the mystical body of Christ often in Scripture see Chap. 2. v. 19. And not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment minâ—stred and knit together encreaseth with the
Peace of God See 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no division among you that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment Exhort Let us then for the better calming of our Passions bethink us and ask our selves these few Questions First Who and what we are and were Our Lord resolveth this Question chiefly in his Epistle to the Church of Laodicea Because thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayâ—st be rich and white rayment that thou mayest be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see Rev. 3. v. 17. 18. Secondly Who it is that calls us When our Lord commanded blind Bartimeus to be called that cried after him Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me And they call the blind man saying unto him be of good comfort rise he calleth thee and he casting away his garment rose and came to Jesus Mark 10. 50. So ought we to cast away all our Animosities and petty Dissentions and admit this sweet and easie Yoak of the Peace of God to rule in our hearts for faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it saith the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 24. And again God is faithful by whom ye are called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord saith the Apostle Peter 1. 2. 9. 2. From the dominion of sin and Satan unto the glorious liberty of the children of God Rom. 8. 21. Gal. 5. 1. From the troubles of this tumultuous World that is like the raging Sea that cannot rest and the Christians are as weary of it as David was of Mesek when he said Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesek that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar my Soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace I am for peace but when I speak they are for war And again he said O that I had wings like a Dove for then would I flye away and be at rest Psalm 55. v. 6. Upon which account our Lord calleth his Church from the World the Seat of cruel men to Heaven in these endearing expressions Come with me from Lebanon my Spouse with me from Lebanon loâ—k from the top of Amana from the top of Shema and Harmon from the Lions Den from the Mountain of the Leopards Cant. 4. 9. Fourthly Unto what are we called God hath called us unto peace 1 Cor. 7. 15. Let our Calling admonish us of our Duty We are called unto Peace saith this Text also Peace peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will heal him Isa 57. 19. Knowing this that we are thereunto called that we should inherit a blessing saith Peter 1 Pet. 3. 9. And what greater blessing than peace that in the bowels of it hath all blessings lodged And our Apostle tells us above Sixteen hundred years ago That the God of peace shall bruise Satan the grand Enemy of our peace under our feet shortly Rom. 26. v. 20. That we may know in this our day the things that belong to our peace that they be not hid from our eyes as our Lord spake when he wept over Jerusalem Luke 19. 42. I will conclude this first Reason Why the peace of God should bear rule in our hearts Because we are called thereunto with our Lords charge to his Disciples in bidding them Beware of offences He concludes his Speech thus Have salt in your selves and have peace on with another Mark 9. 42. 50. Where the Salt of true Grace is it will make the means of peace sweet and savoury and no stain of corruption or the least unsavouriness shall remain to disrelish any squeamish Stomach Let us remember withal That he that is the God of peace that hath called us to peace is also the God of all grace Who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus as Peter speaks 1 Pet. 5. 10. And so an entrance shall be ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. v. 1 1 where we shall enjoy everlasting peace Reas 2. The second Reason why the peace of God should rule in our hearts is this That we are in one body For that this is a distinct Reason appears because he says Not unto our body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one body This Similitude more fully is as much as to say You Christians with Christ make as it were a body Therefore as it were monstrous if one body should yield members fighting one against another and making as it were a civil war in the natural body So it is if disorder be found amongst you Christians that which Christ makes up a mystical body The resembling Christians to a body is at large exemplified and garnished 1 Cor. 12. and in divers other places of Scripture mentioned Val. Max. Flor. tit 1. P. 27. Yea we read in the Roman History That upon a time there was a great Sedition in the City of Rome the Commons complaining of the Senate and Nobility rose up tumultuously against them One Menenius Agrippa wiser than the rest brought them to peace and unity again by this very Similitude of Members and Body and made such an Oration unto them At what time said he in man's Body the Members did not as now agree in one but each had his several counsel and speech the rest of the parts had indignation that by their care labour and industry and ministry all things were provided for the Belly it being quiet and at ease in the midst did nought else but enjoy the Pleasures that were given it Whereupon they conspired that the Hand should not reach any meat to the Mouth nor the Mouth receive it being given nor the Teeth chew it Whilst thus enraged they would needs master the Belly with Famine The Members themselves withal and the whole Body came to an extream Consumption whereby appeared that the Bellies Service was not the worst nor slackest that it did not less nourish than receive nourishment yielding back into all the parts the life and blood which having digested the meat it laboureth thereout and divideth withal into the Veins and Conduits of the whole Body Such said he is the Civil Discord and Anger of the People against the Senate By this means he perswaded the People to lay down their Arms and so turned their Minds from their intended Hostility and Violence to Unity and Peâ—ace And indeed the Apostle's Speech If ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another Gal. 5. 25. tends to the same
unto me O God! how great is the sum of them If I should count them they are mo in number than the Sâ—nâ— Psal 139. 17 18. David confesseth in the Contemplation and review of God's Favours that his Arithmetick fails him and comes short in a sacred Hyperbole as being far above our Capacities we cannot so much as tell them in order If you begin at your Conception in the Womb where the Psalmist begins I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made Psal 139. 14. or at God's Election in laying the foundation of your Salvation in Christ before he laid the foundation of the world as the Apostle speaks According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Eph. 1. 4 where will you end You must in plain terms resolve to say with our Psalmist Such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain to it Psal 139. 6. Secondly Consider how continual are his Mercies without any Intermission or Interruption They are renewed every Morning saith Jerem As he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Matth. 5. 45. as our Lord speaks He holdeth our Soul in Life when we think there is but a step between us and Death as David thought when he fled from Saul 1 Sam. 20. 3. and suffereth not our feet to be moved Psal 66. 9. but according to his pleasure in whom we live and move and have our being Acts 17. 28. as the Apostle speaks The Manna that came from Heaven was not restrained one day in forty years perambulation and peregrination in the wilderness thou with heldest not thy Manna from their mouth saith Nehemiah nor the water that flowed out of the rock but gavest them water for their thirst Notwithstanding the many and great provocations of God's People The Pillar of the Cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way nor the Pillar of fire by night to shew them light in the way that they should go saith Nehem. 9. v. 9. 20. In the Element of his Mercies we draw our Breath continually to stir us up to continual Thankfulness Thirdly Consider how great are the benefits that we receive from God that call with a loud Voice for this duty of Thankfulness for them which makes the Psalmist cry out O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men The Scripture is quoted by Isaiah Isa 64. 4. and by the Apostle rendered thus Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. What greater thing hath he prepared or can he prepare for them that love him because he loved them first 1 Joh. 4. 19. as St. John speaks than Jesus Christ the Son of his love Is not this gift of God as our Saviour speaks to the Woman of Samaria Joh. 4 10. the gift of gifts It is then all our duties to acknowledge with Joy and Thankfulness the truth of the Lord and this Mercifulness of God our Saviour in regarding our Vileness so far as to save us from our spiritual Enemies giving for us the ransom of the pretious Blood of his dear Son and to end we ever-more keep a grateful Memory of this benefit he hath appointed the use of the Holy Eucharist a name signifying Thankfulness Exh. Let us then come and rejoyce to the Lord and with a loud and strong Voice acknowledge this Benefit Let us frequent his Holy Table so mercifully set before us in the Gospeâ— in despight of our Enemies endeavouring to draw one another thereto and to live such a Life as may even silently call the very Adversaries of our profession to the Worship and Service of God whom serving chearfully on Earth for the abundance of all things it may be our portion to enjoy and to sing aloud and thankfully unto in the Heavens with his Holy Saints and glorious Angels and our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Fourthly How undeserved are the Benefits we receive from God that they may provoke us to Thankfulness and how unexpected We deserve nothing but Wrath and the curse of Mount Ebal Deut. 27. 13. or of Cain Gen. 4. 11. or of our Father Adam to whom it was said Cursed is the Earth for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy Life Gen. 3. 17. If God should deal with us according to our demerits our best performances are but glorious Transgressions and we are but unprofitable Servants at the best as our Lord speaks Luk. 17. 10. Jacob pleads his Merit towards Laban stoutly in Gen. 31. from v. 36. to v. 41. And Jacob was wroth and chode with Laban and Jacob answered and said to Laban what is my Transgression or what is my sin that thou hast so hotly pursued after me And he stands upon his guard and justifies himself and challengeth Laban to lay to his Charge any unwarrantable Action in his twenty years service though he had changed his wages ten times as the Prodigal 's elder Brother said to his Father Lo these many years do I serve thee neither did I at any time transgress thy Commandment Luc. 15. 29. But having to deal with God he sets a very low esteem of himself as not deserving the least of God's Mercies I am not worthy of the least of all the Mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant for with my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands Gen. 32. 10. See also the same dejection and self-denial in his Grand-father Abraham Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 23. and of Mephibosheth when David said unto him Fear not for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy Fathers sake and will restore thee all the Land of thy Father Saul and thou shalt eat Bread at my Table continually And he bowed himself and said What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead Dog as I am 2 Sam. 9. 8. The Mercies and Kindnesses of all Men in the World compared to God's undeserved Favours are but as a drop of a bucket of Water to the great Ocean My thoughts are not as your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways bigher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isa 55. 8 9. This Consideration makes sometimes the faithful so earnest in the affection of joy as they seem almost ridiculous in the Eyes of carnal Men as David to Michal when he danced before the Lord 2 Sam. 6. 21. But their Justification is easie it is before the Lord that
I did it to God's Glory that I might express my Thankfulness to him and the joy of my Heart in doing him Service whom since the rest know not they are not to be respected if they scorn nor is it to be wondred if they be strangely affected with it as above the compass of their Conceit Fifthly How without hope of Requital are all yea the least of God's benefits that call for Thankfulness a cup of cold water only given to drink in Christ's name because ye belong to Christ shall not lose a just and superabundant requital saith our Lord Mar. 9. 41. See the full and final requital of all good and charitable Deeds Matth. 25. 34 35 36. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world For I was an hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prinson and ye came unto me The Wicked he requites here sometimes in their own Coin as Adoni bezek acknowledgeth when his thumbs and great toes were cut off As I have done to threescore and ten Kings so hath the Lord requited me Judg. 1. 7. We are all ready enough to requite Evil for Evil to give him quid pro quo as good as he brings as the Proverb rimes as Sampson served the Philistines As they have done unto me so have I done unto them Jud. 15. 11. But it being impossible to requite God in any thing it is a most heinous Provocation of his justice to render Evil for Good Do ye thus provoke the Lord O foolish people and unwise saith Moses with Astonishment and Abhorrency Deut. 32. 6. 'T is left as a sad blot in Hezekiah's Scutcheon tho' otherwise a good Man and a good King by God's own Testimony He trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him there was none like him among all the Kings of Judah nor any that were before him But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore there was wroth upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem 2 Chr. 32. 25. For after the defeat of Senacherib's Forces by an Angel of God that slew in one night an hundred fourscore and five thousand men of war in the Assyrian Camp and after the recovery of his Health confirmed by a sign from Heaven in the Sun's Retrogradation by ten degrees and the addition by Patent from God of fifteen years to his days with exceeding much Riches and Honour yet for all this he was not so careful to please God in an humble and thankful Acknowledgment of such great Favours as God was to pleasure him in them all Sixthly Consider from what odds the Person giving to our baseness have been all his benefits he being the great Independent Jehovah greatness is stampt upon all his Benefits to us and we a Seed of evil Doers a people laden with Iniquity children that are corrupters our spot is not the spot of his Children we are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and in want of all things as our Lord writes to the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. v. 17. Lastly Consider with what advantage of time and order in first bestowing have his Benefits been to us No eye pittied thee to have compassion upon thee I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live saith the Lord Ezek. 16. 5 6. we love him because he first loved us saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 4. 19. His love to us is an antecedent love we love him with a consequential love because he hath cast his love upon us first and therefore is no way indebted to us for our love The Apostle asks this question Who hath first given unto him and it shall berecompenced to him again for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11. v. 35 36. It is said by some we can never requite our Parents by some also we owe more to our Masters and Teachers than to Parents in as much as one gave being the other well being doubtless in both respects we cannot requite God and Christ First Our Parents begat our Bodies he gave us our senses who is therefore styled by the Apostle The Father of our Spirits Heb. 12. 9. 2. Our Masters and Teachers gave us with God's Blessing Knowledge and Learning Christ teacheth us the way to Heaven who is the Way the Truth and the Life Christ gave himself to us and for us to wash us from our Sins in his own Blood Joh. 14. 6. without which it had been better for us to have been any thing rather than men yea at all not to have been Let us with the Psalmist again and again say What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me Psal 116. 12. all his benefits are above us even the one also of our former means to express Gratitude here fails us what can we wish or desire to the most absolute and perfect Being Only we may acknowledge the Benefits and the Excellency and Liberality of the Giver which further may desire that all others would do the like this is our utmost unless further to endeavour not to be disobedient to this Heavenly Author of much good to us which yet is our duty otherwise the less we have means to the former the more ought we to be in this and say with the Man after God's own Heart I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praises to my God while I have my being my Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord Psal 103. 33 34. and in another At Midnight will I rise to give thanks to thee because of thy righteous Judgments Psal 119. 62. Let us beg of him as another Benefit that he will give us Grace and a mind to do these things who hath given the ground an occasion of them even the same our Lord Jesus Christ Now because the Apostle Peter saith no Prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation 2 Pet. 1. 20. so neither are all of sole private application but some are of a larger Extent and Compass than others if I should have studied long for a fit Text Psal 119. 16. Thy commandment iâ— exceeding broad and turned the whole Scripture I could not have had a fitter passage or greaâ—◠〈◊〉 in all the Book of God he calls more both for private and publick application than this that is in so strange a manner laid open before us to look into it and yet no more strange than true as the truth is in Jesu before whom I stand for this Doctrin of the Peace of God that ought to rule in the Hearts of all Believers gives great help advantage and admonition to Kings Law-makers Rulers to