of which a just regard ought to be had Neither neede we feare if we suffer Sobrietie on one side and Charity on another and Duty on a third thus to abridge vs in the vse of our Christian liberty that by little and little it may be at length so pared away among them that there may bee little or nothing left of it To remoue this suspition let this be our Eighth and last Position No respect whatsoeuer can or ought to diminish the inward freedome of the conscience to any of the Creatures And this inward freedome is it wherein especially consisteth our Christian liberty to the Creature This freedome we are all bound to maintaine to the vtmost of our powers and not to suffer our selues to be made d 1. Cor. 7.23 the seruants of men otherwife then in e Gal. 5.13 seruing one anothâ—r by loue but to f Gal. 5.1 stand fast in the liberty wherein Christ hath set vs free Now this Liberty consisteth in a certaine resolution of judgement and a certaine perswasion of â—onscience arising thence that all the creatures of God are in themselues lawfull and free for vs either to vse or refuse as wee shall see it expedient for vs and that neither the vse not the â—orbearance of them doth of it selfe either comâ—tend or discommend vs vnto God or any way either please him as a part of his worship or offend him as transgression of his Law g Rom. 14.17 The Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke saith Saint Paul h 1. Câ—r 8.8 neither of wee 〈◊〉 are woâ—â—he better neither the worse if wee doe not eate nor on the contrary Now here is the wickednesse and the vsurpation of the High Priest of foure that he challengeth to himselfe a spirituall power ouer the consciences of men which is the greatest tyranny that euer was or can be exercised in the world laying impuriâ—y vpon the things he forbiddeth and annoâ—ing operatiue holinesse and power both satisfactory and meritorious to the things hee inioyneth Which vsurpation whosoeuer hateth not in him with a perfect hatred is justly vnworthy of and shamefully vnthankefull for that liberty and freedome which the blessed Sonne of God hath purchased for his Church But this inward freedome once established in our hearts and our consciences fully perswaded therof let vs thenceforth make no scruple to admit of such just restraints in the outward exercise of it §. 32. may stand with some restraints in the outward exercise as Christian Sobrietie Charitie and Dutie shall require For wee must know that the Liberty of a Christian is not in eating and wearing and doing what and when and where and how he list but in being assured that it is all one before God in the things themselues barely considered whether hee eate or not eate weare or not weare doe or not doe this or that and that therefore as he may vpon iust cause eate and weare and doe so he may vpon just cause also refuse to eate or weare or doe this thing or that Indeed otherwise if wee well consider it it were but the empty name of liberty without the thing for how is it liberty if a man be determinately bound the one way and tyed ad alteram partem contradictionis precisely and not left indifferent and equall to either If then the regards of Sobrietie Charity or Duty doe not require a forbearance thou knowest euery Creature of God is good and nothing to bee refused thou hast thy Liberty therefore and mayest according to that liberty freely vse that Creature But if any of those former respects require thou shouldest forbeare thou knowest that the Creature still is good and as not to be refused so not to be imposed thou hast thy liberty therefore here as before and oughtest according to that liberty freely to abstaine from that Creature §. 33. Obseru III. The Creature to be receiued with Thankesgiuing Both in vsing and refusing the Conscience is still free and as well the vse as the refusall and as well the refusall as the vse doe equally and alike belong to the true libertie of a Christian. We haue seene now what liberty God hath allowed vs and therein we may see also his great goodnesse and bounty towards vs in making such a world of Creatures and all of them good Euery Creature of God is good not enuying vs the free vse of any of those good Creatures Nothing to be refused But where is our Duty answerable to this Bounty Where is our thankefulnes proportionable to such receipts Let vs not reioice too much in the Creatures goodnes nor glory too much in our freedome thereunto vnlesse there be in vs withall a due care and conscience to performe the Conditioâ— which God requireth in lieu thereof neither can their goodnes doe vs good nor our freedome exempt vs from evill And that condition is the Dutie of thankesgiuing expressed in the last clause of the verse If it be receiued with thankesgiuing Forget this prouisâ— and we vndoe all againe that we haue hitherto done and destroy all that we haue already established concerning both the goodnes of the Creature and our liberty in the vse thereof for without thankesgiuing neither can we partake their Goodnes nor vse our owne liberty with comfort Of this therefore in the next place wherein the waight of the Duty considered together with our backwardnes thereunto if I shall spend the remainder of my time and meditations I hope my labour by the blessing of God and your prayers shall not be vnprofitable and my purpose therein shall find if not allowance in your judgements at least in your Charity Excuse To speake of which Duty of thankesgiuing in the full extent and by way of common place were to enter into a spacious field indeed a very sea of matter without bottome For mine owne case therefore and yours I shall confine my selfe to that branch of it which is most immediatly pertinent to my text viz. that tribute of Thankes which we owe vnto God for the free vse of his good Creatures forbearing to meddle with the other branches thereof otherwise then as they fall within the reach of this by way either of Proportion or Inference §. 34. and what is meant thereby And first we are to know that by Thankesgiuing in my Text is not meant onely that subsequent act whereby wee render vnto God praise and thankes for the Creature after wee haue receiued it and enioyed the benefit of it which yet is most properly Thankesgiuing but we are to extend the word farther euen to those precedent acts of Prayer and Benediction whereby we beseech God to giue his blessing to the Creature and to sanctifie the vse of it to vs. For what in this verse is called Thankesgiuing is in the next verse comprehended vnder the name of a Vers 5. hic Prayer And we shall accordingly find in the Scriptures elsewhere the words 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one wherof signifieth properly Blessing the other Thankesgiuing vsed oftentimes promiscuously the one for the other The blessing which our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ vsed at the consecration of the Sacramentall bread b Luk. 22.17.19 St. Luke and c 1. Cor. 11.24 St. Paul expresse by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Math. 26.27 St. Mathew and e Mark 14.22.23 St. Marke by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Prayer of blessing vsed before the eating of common Bread is by f Math. 15.36 Mark 8.6 Ioh. 6.11 Act. 27.35 euery one of the foure Euangelists in some places described by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by g Math. 14.19 Mark 6.41 Luk. 9.16 three of them in other some places by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the name h See Casaub. exercit 16. in Baron sect 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is somtimes found in the writings of the Ancients for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the more vsuall name whereof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the holy Eucharist And we in our ordinary manner of speech call as well the Blessing before meate as the Thankesgiuing after by the common name of Grace or saying of Grace Both these then together Grace before meate and Grace after meate a sacrifice of Prayer before we vse any of the good Creatures of God and a sacrifice of Praise after we haue vsed them the Blessing wherewith we blesse the Creature in the name of God and the Blessing wherewith we blesse the Name of God for the Creature both these I say together is the just extent of that Thankesgiuing whereof my Text speaketh and we are now to entreat Concerning Meates and Drinkes §. 35. For meates and drinkes vnto which our Apostle hath speciall reference in this whole passage this duty of Thankesgiuing hath bin euer held so congruous to the partaking thereof that long and ancient custome hath established it in the common practise of Christians not only with inward thankfulnesse of heart to recount and acknowledge Gods goodnes to them therein but also outwardly to expresse the same in a vocall solemne forme of Blessing or Thankesgiuing that which we call Grace or saying of Grace Which very phrases whether or no they haue ground as to me it seemeth they haue from those words of our Apostle 1. Cor. 10. i 1. Cor. 10.30 For if I by grace bee a partaker why am I euill spoken of for that for which I giue thankes I say howsoeuer it be with the phrase sure we are the thing it selfe hath sufficient ground from the examples of Christ and of his holy Apostles From whom the custome of giuing Thankes at meales seemeth to haue bin deriued throughout all succeeding ages euen to vs. Of Christ himselfe we reade often and in euery of the Euangelists that hee blessed and gaue thankes in the name of himselfe and the people before meate in 14. and 15. of k Math. 14.19 15 36. Mathew in 6. and 8. of l Mark 6 41. 8.6 Marke in 9. of m Luk. 9.16 Luke and in 6. of n Ioh. 6.8 Iohn And in Math. 26. that after meate also when Supper was ended he and his Disciples o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math. 26.30 sang an hymne before they departed the roome And St. Luke relateth of St. Paul Act. 27. when hee and his company in the Ship who were wel toward 300. persons were to refresh themselues with food after a long fast that he tooke Bread and first p Act. 27.35 gaue thankes to God in the presence of them all and then after brake it and began to eate yea St. Paul himselfe so speaketh of it Rom. 14. as of the knowne practise of the Church among Christians of all sorts Weake and Strong He that was strong in the faith and knew the liberty he had in Christ to eate indifferently of all kinds of meates flesh as well as hearbes did eate of all indifferently and gaue God thankes for all The weake Christian too who made scruple of some kinds of flesh or other meates and contented himselfe with hearbes and such like things yet gaue God thankes for his hearbes and for whatsoeuer else hee durst eate q Rom. 14.6 Hee that eateth eateth to the Lord saith hee there at verse 6. for he giueth God thankes and hee that eateth not to the Lord he eateth not and giueth God thankes too Notwithstanding they differed in their judgements and opinions and consequently in their practise concerning the lawfull or vnlawfull vse of some meates yet they consented most sweetly and agreed both in their judgement and practise in the performance of this religious seruice of Thankesgiuing So then giuing of Thankes for our meates and drinkes before and after meales in an outward and audible forme §. 36. and other Creatures the Thankesgiuing of the mouth expedient is an ancient a commendable an Apostolicall a Christian practise ordinarily requisite as an outward testimony of the inward thankfulnesse of the heart and therefore not to bee omitted ordinarily neither but in some few cases There being the like necessitie of this dutie in regard of inward thankefulnes as there is of vocall Prayer in regard of inward Deuotion and of outward Confession in regard of inward Beliefe and looke what exceptions those other outward duties may admit the very same mutandis mutatis and in their proportion are to be admitted here But not â—nely Meates and Drinkes but euery other good Creature also of God whereof we may haue vse ought to be receiued with a due measure of thankfulnesse And if in these things also so often as in good discretion it may seeme expedient for the aduancing of Gods glory the benefiting of his Church or the quickning of our owne Deuotion wee shall make some outward and sensible expression of the thankfulnes of our hearts for them wee shall therein doe an acceptable seruice vnto God and comfortable to our owne soules For for this cause God instituted of old among his owne people diuers solemne feasts and sacrifices together with the Sanctifying of the first fruits and of the first-borne and diuers other ordinances of that nature as on the other side to be fit remembrancers vnto them of their duty of thankfulnes so to bee as well good testimonies and fit expressions of their performance of that duty But if not alwayes the outward manifestation thereof §. 37. but of the Heart necessary yet God euer expecteth at least the true and inward thankfulnesse of the heart for the vse of his good Creatures r Col. 3.17 Whatsoeuer you doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes vnto God and the Father by him Col. 3. s Phil. 4.6 Bee carefull for nothing but in euery thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiuing let your request be made
That former issued from the decree of Common prouidence and so belonged vnto all as that prouidence is common to all But this later degree proceedeth from that speciall word of Gods decree whereby for the merits of Christ Iesus k 1. Cor. 15.45 the second Adam he remoueth from the Creature that l Gen. 3.17 curse wherein it was wrapped through the sinne of the first Adam And in this the wicked haue no portion as being out of Christ so as they cannot partake of Gods Creatures with any solid or sound comfort and so the Creatures remaine in this degree vnsanctified vnto them For this reason the Scriptures stile the m Heb. 12.23 Faithfull Primogenitos the first borne as to whom belongeth n Deut. 21.17 a double portion and o Rom. 4.13 Haeredes mundi heires of the world as if none but they had any good right thereunto And St. Paul deriueth our Title to the Creatures from God but by Christ p 1. Cor. 3.22.23 All things are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods as if these things were none of theirs who are none of Christs And in the verse before my Text he saith of meates that q Vers. 3. hic God hath created them to be receiued with thankesgiuing of them which beleeue and know the truth as if those that wanted faith and sauing knowledge did but vsurpe the bread they eate And indeede it is certaine the wicked haue not right to the Creatures of God in such ample sort as the Godly haue A kinde of Right they haue and we may not deny it them giuen them by Gods vnchangeable ordinance at the Creation which being a branch of that part of Gods image in man which was of naturall and not of supernaturall grace might be and was fouly defaced with sinne but was not neither could be wholly lost as hath bin r See before §. 14. already in part declared A Right then they haue but such a right as reaching barely to the vse cannot affoord vnto the vser true comfort or sound peace of conscience in such vse of the Creatures For though nothing be in and of it selfe vncleane for Euery Creature of God is good yet to them that are vncleane ex accidenti euery Creature is vncleane and polluted because it is thus sanctified vnto them by the word of God And the very true cause of all this is the impurity of their hearts by reason of vnbeliefe The holy Ghost expresly assigneth this cause s T it 1.15 To the pure all things are pure but to them that are defiled and vnbelieuing is nothing pure but euen their mind and conscience is defiled As a t Sinterum est nisi vas quodtunque infundis accessit Horat. 1. Epist. 2. nasty vessell sowreth all that is put into it so a conscience not u Fide purifitans corda Acts 15.9 purified by faith casteth pollution vpon the best of Gods Creatures §. 42. and how this belongeth to the present point But what is all this to the Text may some say or what to the point What is all this to the Duty of Thanksgiuing Much euery manner of way or else blame St. Paul of impertinency whose discourse should be incohaerent and vnjointed if what I haue now last said were beside the Text. For since the sanctification of the Creature to our vse dependeth vpon the powerfull and good word of God blessing it vnto vs that Duty must needes be necessary to a sanctified vse of the Creature without which we can haue no faire assurance vnto our Consciences that that word of blessing is proceeded out of the mouth of God And such is this duty of Thankesgiuing appointed by God as the ordinary meanes and proper instrument to procure that word of blessing from him When we haue performed this sincerely and faithfully our hearts may then with a most cheerefull but yet humble confidence say Amen So be it in full assurance that God will joyne his Fiat to ours crowne our Amen with his and to our So be it of Faith Hope adde his of Power and Command blessing his Creatures vnto vs when we blesse him for them and sanctifying their vse to our comfort when we magnifie his goodnes for the receipt You see therefore how as vnseperable vndiuided companions the Apostle joyneth these two together the one as the cause the other as the meanes of the Creatures sanctification It is sanctified by the word of God Prayer By the Word of Gods powerfull decree as the sole efficient and sufficient cause and by the Prayer of Thankesgiuing for such Prayer he meaneth as either hath Thankesgiuing joyned with it or else is a part of Thankesgiuing or Thankesgiving a part of it by Prayer I say and Thankesgiuing as the proper meanes to obtaine it This is the blessed effect of Thankesgiuing as it is an Act of Religion And thus you haue heard two grand Reasons concluding the necessity of Thankesgiuing vnto God in the receiuing and vsing of his good Creatures The one considering it as an Act of Iustice because it is the onely acceptable discharge of that obligagation of debt wherein we stand bound vnto God for the free vse of so many good Creatures The Other considering it is an Act of Religion because it is the most proper and conuenient meanes to procure from the mouth of God a word of Blessing to sanctifie the Creatures to the vses of our liues and to the comfort of our Consâ—iences This Thankesgiuing being an Act both of Iustice and Religion whensoeuer we either receiue or vse any good Creature of God without this we are vniust in the Receipt and in the Vse prophane It is now high time we should from the premises inferre something for our farther vse and Edification And the first Inference may be shall I say for Triall or may I not rather say for Conuiction §. 43. The first Inference for Conuiction of our vnthankefulnes to God since wee shall learne thereby not so much to examine our Thankefulnes how true it is as to discouer our Vnthankfulnes how foule it is And how should that discouery cast vs downe to a deepe condemnation of our selues for so much both Vniustice and Prophanenesse when we shall finde our selues guilty of so many failings in the performance of such a necessary Duty both of Iustice and Religion But we cannot abide to heare on this care We vnthankfull to God farre be that from vs we scarce euer speake of any thing we haue or haue done or suffred but we send this clause after it I thank God for it And how are we vnthankfull seeing wee doe thus It is a true saying which one saith Thanking of God is a thing all men doe and yet none doe as they should It is often in vdo but seldome in imo it swimmeth often vpon the tip of our tongues but seldome sinketh into the bottom of our hearts I thanke
Dutie §. 59. The third Inference for Direction by remouing the impediments of Thankefulnesse the continuance of Gods blesâ—ings our future Necessity our Misery in wanting our Importunity in Crauing his free liberality in bestowing should quicken vs to a more conscionable performance of this so necessarie so just so religious a Duty And thus hauing seene our vnthankfulnesse discouered in sixe points and heard many Considerations to prouoke vs to thankefulnesse it may be we haue seene enough in that to make vs hate the fault and we would faine amend it and it may be we haue heard enough in this to make vs affect the duty and we would faine practise it may some say but we are yet to learne how The duty being hard and our backwardnes great what good course might be taken effectually to reforme this our so great backwardnes and to performe that so hard a duty And so you see my second Inference for exhortation breedeth a third and that is for direction which for satisfaction of those men that pretend willingnes but plead ignorance I should also prosecute if I had so much time to spare Wherin should be discouered what the principall Causes of our so great Vnthankefulnesse which taken away the effect will instantly and of it selfe cease Now those Causes are especially as I conceiue these fiue viz. 1. Pride and Selfe-loue 2. Enuy and Discontentment 3. Riotousnesse and Epicurisme 4. Worldly Carefulnesse and immoderate desires Carnall Securitie and foreslowing the time Now then besides the application of that which hath alreadie beene spoken in the former Discoueries and Motiues for euery Discouery of a fault doth virtually containe some meanes for the correcting of it and euery true Motiue to a duty doth virtually containe some helpes vnto the practise of it besides these I say I know not how to prescribe any better remedies against vnthankefulnes or helpes vnto thankefulnes then faitâ—â—â—lly to striue for the casting out of those sinnes and the subduing of those Corruptions in vs which cause the one and hinder the other But because the time and my strength are neere spent I am content to ease both my selfe and you by cutting of so much of my prouision as concerneth this Inference for Direction and desire you that it may suffice for the present but thus to haue pointed at these Impediments and once more to name them They are Pride Envy Epicurisme Carefulnesse Securitie I place Pride §. 60. viz. 1. Pride where it would be the formost because it is of all other a Maxime facit ingratos nimtus sui suspectus insitum mortalitati vitium se suaque mirandi Senec. 2. de benef 26. the principall impediment of Thankefulnes Certainely there is no one thing in the world so much as Pride that maketh men vnthankefull Hee that would be truely thankfull must haue his eyes vpon both the one eye vpon the Guift and the other vpon the Giuer and this the proud man neuer hath Either through b Cacus amor sui Horat. 1. Carm. od 18. selfe-loue he is starkeblind and seeth neither or else through Partiality he winketh on the one eye and will not looke at both Sometimes he seeth the Guift but too much and boasteth of it but then he forgetteth the Giuer he c 1. Cor. 4.7 boasteth as if hee had not receiued it Sometimes again he ouerlooketh the Guift as not good enough for him and so repineth at the Giuer as if hee had not giuen him according to his worth Either he vnderualueth the Guift or else he overualueth himselfe as if he were himselfe the giuer or at least the deseruer and is in both vnthankefull To remoue this Impediment who euer desireth to be thankfull let him humble himselfe nay emptie himselfe nay deny himselfe and all his owne deserts confesse himselfe with Iacob d Gen. 32.10 lesse then the least of Gods mercies and condemne his owne heart of much sinfull e Sacrilegus invasor gloria tua Bern. in Cant. serm 13. sacriledge if it dare but thinke the least thought tending to rob God of the least part of his honour Enuy followeth Pride §. 61.2 Enuie the f Superbia prima soboles inaniâ— gloria-mox in ridiaÌ„ giâ—net Greg. 31. Mor. 31. Daughter the Mother a second g Non potest quisquaÌ„ invidere gratias agere Sen. 3. de benef 3. great Impediment of thankfulnesse The fault is that men not content only to looke vpoÌ„ their owne things and the present but h Vehemens importunuÌ„ malum Invidia quae nos inquiâ—tat dum comparat Hoc mihi prastitit sed illi plus sed illi maturius Senec. 2. de benef 28. comparing these with the things of other men or times instead of giuing thankes for what they haue i Illis non tam iucundum est multos post se videre quamgraue aliquem ante se. Senec. Epist. 73. repine that others haue more or better or for what they now haue complaine that it is not with them as it hath beene These thoughts are Enemies to the tranquilitie of the mind breeding many discontents and much vnthankefulnesse whilest our * Math. 20.15 eyes are euill because God is good to others or hath beene so to vs. To remoue this Impediment who euer desireth to be truely thankfull let him looke vpon f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch de tranquil anim Nulli ad aliena respicienti sua placents Senec. 3. de Ira. 30. his owne things and not on the things of other men and therein consider not so much what he wanteth and faine would haue as what he hath and could not well want Let him thinke that what God hath giuen him came from his free bounty he owed it not and what he hath denyed him he withholdeth it either in his Iustice for his former sinnes or in his Mercy for his farther good that God giueth to no man all the desire of his heart in these outward things to teach him not to looke for absolute coÌ„tentment in this life least of all in these things If he will needs looke vpon other mens things let him compare himselfe rather g Quodque aliena capella gerat distantius vber Tabescat neque se maiori pauperiorum Turbae compares Horat 1. Serm. Satyr 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch vbi Supra with them that haue lesse then those that haue more and therein withall consider not so much what h Nec â—a intuimur quae nos alys praposuere sed ea Sola quae fortuna praesedentuÌ„â— ostentat Sen. 3. de beÌ„ 3. himselfe wanteth which some others haue as what he hath which many others want If a few that enioy Gods blessings in these outward things in a greater measure then he be an eye-soare to him let those many others that haue a scanter portion make him acknowledge that God hath dealt liberally and bountifully with him We should doe well to vnderstand that
TWO SERMONS PREACHED at PAVLES-Crosse LONDON The one November 21. the other Aprill 15. 1627. BY ROBERT SAVNDERSON Bachelour in Divinitie and sometimes Fellow of LINCOLNE-Colledge in Oxford LONDON Printed by B.A. and T.F. for ROBERT DAVVLMAN and are to be sold at his Shop at the signe of the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1628. TO THE WORSHIPFVL my very kind Neighbour and Patron THOMAS HARINGTON of Boothby-Paynell in the County of LINCOLNE Esquire SIR although I neither haue nor ought to haue any other prime intention in the Publishing of these two Sermons then I had in the Preaching of them and then euery Minister that fore-casteth to make his last account with comfort ought to haue in the whole course and exercise of his Ministerie viz. the building vp of the people of God in Faith and Godlinesse yet I cannot but desire withall that as they passeth abroad in the world they may stand vp euery where as a publique testimonie of my priuate obligations to you Whereof omitting those daily kinde offices of Friendship and Neighbourhood which you are euer ready to doe me and mine vpon all occasions as also your zeale vnto Iustice and the Common-good aboundantly manifested in managing the affaires of your Countrey with singular skill Industry and Faithfulnes I neede produce no other argument then this that liuing so long vnder my Charge as I doe also vnder your Patronage you neuer yet gaue me the least cause to thinke my selfe either despised in the Worke or defrauded in the Wages of my Ministery Which as it is a gracious euidence of a pious and sincere heart in you so it is a Circumstance wherein I am happie beyond the condition of most of my Brethren in the same Calling God make me truly Thankfull to him for his good Prouidence ouer me therein and for all other his Mercies towards me and both continue and increase your Comforts amid all the Afflictions of this present euill World and in the end make you partaker of the Ioyes of the world to come Yours in the Lord Robert Saunderson Boothby-Paynell Linc 1. Iuly 1628. Errata IN Page 5. and in Note line 6. for Psal. read Verse In page 14. from line 6. for Psal. read Verse fiue times in that page A SERMON PREACHED AT Pauls Crosse London November 21. 1624. 1. TIM 4.4 For euery Creature of God is good and nothing to bee refused if it be receiued with Thankesgiuing OF that great and Vniuersall Apostacie §. 1. The Coherence which should bee in the Church through the tyrannie and fraud of Antichrist there are elsewhere in the Scriptures more full scarce any where more plaine predictions then in this passage of Saint PAVL whereof my Text is a part The Qualitie of the Doctrines foretold Vers. 1. Contrary to the Faith Erronious Diuelish a Vers. 1. Now the Spirit speaketh expressely that in the later times some shall depart from the Faith giuing heed to seducing Spirits and doctrines of Deuils The Qualitie of the Doctors foretold Vers. 2. Lyars Hypocriticall vnconscionable b Vers. 2. Speaking lyes in Hypocrisie hauing their Consciences seared with a hot jron But least these generalities should seeme not sufficiently distinctiue each side charging other as commonly it happeneth where differences are about Religion with Apostacy and Errour and Falshood and Hipocrisie the Apostle thought it needfull to point out those Antichristian Doctors more distinctly by specifying some particulars of their diuelish Doctrines For which purpose he giueth instance in c Vers. 3. two of their Doctrines whereof he maketh choyse not as being simply the worst of all the rest though bad enough but as being more easily discernable then most of the rest viz. a Prohibition of Marriage and an Injunction of abstinence from certaine Meates Which particulars being so agreeable to the present Tenets of the Romish Synagogue doe giue euen of themselues alone a strong suspition that there is the seate of Antichrist But joyned vnto the other Prophecies of d 2. Thes. 2.3 c. St. Paul and e Apoc. 13.11 c. St. Iohn in other places make it so vnquestionable that they who will needes bee so vnreasonably charitable as to thinke the Pope is not Antichrist may at the least wonder as f Moulins accomplishment in the Preface one saith well by what strange chance it fell out that these Apostles should draw the picture of Antichrist in euery point and limbe so just like the Pope and yet neuer thinke of him §. 2. Scope The words of the Text are the ground of a Confutation indeed properly and directly of the latter of these two Errours onely concerning Abstinence from certaine meates but yet so as it strongly ouerthroweth the other too concerning Marriage and in trueth generally all other superstitious Precepts or Prohibitions of like Nature Marriage being the holy Ordinance of God as Meates are the good Creatures of God and neither Marriage nor Meates nor any other Creature or Ordinance being to be refused as vpon tye of Conscience prouided euer they be receiued with such thankefulnesse and such other requisite conditions as become Christian men For euery Creature of God is good and nothing to bee refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing Which words giue vs occasion to consider of Three points §. 3. And diuision of the Text. which according to the number and order of the seuerall clauses in this verse are these First the Qualitie of Gods Creatures as they come from him and are giuen to vs Euery Creature of God is good Secondly the vse of Gods Creatures consisting in their lawfulnesse vnto vs and our libertie vnto them And nothing to bee refused Thirdly a condition necessary on our parts least the Creatures otherwise good and lawfull should become vnto vs euill and hurtfull and that is Thankefulnes If it bee receiued with Thankesgiuing The two first set out the bountie of God towards vs who hath made a world of Creatures and all good and hath not enuyed vs the vse of any of them and the third containeth our dutie vnto God in regard thereof viz. to returne vnto him for the free vse of all his good Creatures the tribute of our Thankes Of these three Points it is my purpose by Gods grace and with your patience to speake in such manner as shall be most for our edification in such measure as the vsuall houres will allow and in such Order as the Text giueth them and first of the First from the first clause thereof Euery Creature of God is good By Creature vnderstand §. 4. Obseru 1. The Goodnes of the Creature declared not onely such as are appointed for nourishment but euen all kind of created Beings the g Gen. 1.1 Heauen and the Earth and h Exod. 10.11 all things therein contained i Col. 1.16 visible and invisible with all their seuerall Properties and Accidents Of all and each of these the Apostles assertion is true
vs the more wantonly haue wee followed the swinge of our owne hearts and the more contemptuously spurned at his holy Commandements It was a grieuous bill of complaint which the Prophet in the name of God preferred against Israel in Osee 2. that his h Osee. 2.8 corne and wine oyle and the siluer and gold which he had giuen them they employed in the seruice of Baal an abominable Idoll If when God giueth vs wit wealth power authoritie health strength liberty euery other good thing in stead of vsing these things to his glory and the comfortable reliefe of his seruants we abuse them some or all to the seruice of those Idols which we haue erected to our selues in our hearts to the maintainance of our pride and pompe making Lucifer our God of our pelfe and profits making Mammon our God of our swinish pleasures and sensuaality making our i Phil. 3.9 belly our God are we not as deepe in the bill as those Israelites were as vniust as they as prophane as they as vnthankefull euery way as they Flatâ—er wee not our selues Obedience to Gods commandements and a sober charitable vse of his Creatures is the best and surest euidence of our thankefulnesse to God and the fairest requitall we can make for them Iâ— we withdraw our obedience and fall into open rebellion against God if wee abuse them in making them either the occasions or instruments of sinne to the dâ—shonour of God and damage of his seruants we repay him ill and vnworthily for the good we haue receiued and are guilty of vnthankefulnesse in this foulest and highest degree Now we haue seene what we are let vs say the worst we can by vnthankefull ones call them wretches caytâ—ffes churâ—es any thing loade them with infamies disgraces contumelies charge them with iniustice prophanenesse Atheisme condemne them and with them the vice it selfe Vnthankefulnesse to the pit of Hell doe all this and more and spare not and as Dauid did at Nathans parable when we heare any case or example of ingratitude in any of the former degrees whether really done or but in a parable pronounce sentence vpon the guilty k 1. Sam. 12.5 The man that hath done this thing shall surely die But withall let vs remember when we haue so done that our hearts instantly prompt vs what Nathan told Dauid l Ibid. 7. Thou art the man Wee we are the men We are these vnthankfull ones Vnthankefull to God first in passing by so many of his blessings without taking any consideration of them Vnthankefull secondly in ascribing his blessings wholly or partly to our selues or any other but him Vnthankefull thirdly in valuing his blessings so lightly as to forget them Vnthankefull fourthly in diminishing the worth of his blessings and repining at our portion therin Vnthankefull fifthly in not rendring to him his according to the good he hath done for vs but sixthly and most of all vnthankefull in requiting him euill for good and hatred for his good will Dealing thus with him let vs not now maruaile if he begin to deale something strangely and otherwise then he was wont with vs. If he deny vs his Creatures when we want them if he take them from vs when we haue them if he withhold his blessing froÌ„ them that it shall not attend them if wee find small comfort in them when we vse them if they be vnanswering our expectations when we haue bin at some paines and cost with them if as the Prophet speaketh m Agg. 1.6 we sowe much and bring in little we eate and haue not enough we drinke and are not filled wee cloath vs and are not warme and the wages wee earne we put into a bag with holes if any of these things befall vs let vs cease to wonder thereat our selues are the causers of all our woe It is our great Vnthankefulnesse that blasteth all our endeauours that leaueneth with sowrenesse whatsoeuer is sweete and turneth into poyson whatsoeuer is wholesome in the good Creatures of God It is the n Vers. 5. hic word of God and Prayer that sanctifieth them to our vse and they are then good when they are receiued with Thankesgiuing so long as we continue Vnthankefull we are vaine if we looke for any sanctification in them if we expect any good from them I haue now done with my first Inference for Tryall or rather Conuiction I adde a second of Exhortation §. 42. The second Inference of ExhortatioÌ„ with sundry Motiues to Thankefulnesse The Duty it selfe being so necessarie as we haue heard Necessary as an Act of Iustice for the receipt of the Creature and necessary as an act of Religion for the sanctifying of the Creature how should our hearts be enflamed with a holy desire and all our powers quickened vp to a faithfull endeauour conscionably to performe this so necessary a duty One would thinke that very necessity together with the consciousnesse of our former vnthankefulnesse should in all reason be enough to worke in vs that both desire and endeauour In all reason it should so but wee are vnreasonable and much a doe there is to perswade vs to any thing that is good euen when we are perswaded Wherefore to enforce the exhortation more effectually I must haue leaue to presse the performance of this duty vpon your Consciences with some farther Inducements and important Considerations Consider first the Excellency of the Duty §. 53. viz. 1. The excellency of the Dutie There are but three heads whereto we referre all that is called good Iucundum Vtile Honestum Pleasure Profit and Honesty There is nothing desireable or louely but in one or other of these three respects Each of these singly we account good but that excellently good wherein they all concurre We loue things that will giue vs delight sometimes when their is neither profit nor credit in them we loue things that will bring vs profit though possibly neither delightful greatly nor seemely and we loue things that wee thinke will doe vs honesty often times without regard either of pleasure or profit How should we then be affected to this duty of giuing thankes and singing praises vnto our God wherein all these doe joyntly concurre and that also in an excellent measure Dauid hath wrapped them all together in one verse in the beginning of Psal. 147. o Psal. 147.1 Praise yee the Lord for it is good yea it is a pleasant thing and praise is comely It is good it will bring you profit it is pleasant it will affoord you delight and it is comely it will do you honestie and what can heart wish more Againe many good vertues and graces of God in vs shall expire together with vs which though they be eternall in their fruit and reward yet are not so as to their proper actes which after this life shall cease because their shall be neither neede nor vse of them then p 1. Cor. 13.8 Whether
whereby it commeth to passe that by how much wee ouer-valued it in the pursuite by so much we vnder-value it in the possession And so in stead of giuing Thankes to God for the good wee haue receiued wee complaine of the inconueniences that adhere thereunto and so much vnderprise it as it falleth short of our expectation and looke how farre wee doe vnderprise it so farre are we vnthankfull for it To remoue this Impediment who euer would bee thankfull let him moderate his desires after these outward things fore-cast as well the inconueniencies that follow them as the commodities they bring with them lay the one against the other and prepare as well to disgest the one as to enjoy the other The last Impediment of Thankfulnesse is Carnall securitie joyned euer with Delayes and Procrastinations §. 64.5 Delay When we receiue any thing from God wee know we should giue him thankes for it and it may be we thinke of doing such a thing but wee thinke withall another day will serue the turne and so we put it of for the present and so forwards from time to time till in the end we haue quite forgotten both his Benefite and our owne Duty and neuer performe any thing at all My Text doth after a sort meete with this corruption for heere the Apostle saith the Creature should be receiued with Thankeâ—giuing as if the thankes should goe with the receipt the * Qui gratus futurus est statum dum accepit de reddendo cogitat Senec. 2. de benef 25. receipt and the thankes both together To remoue this Impediment consider how in euery thing delayes are hurtfull and dangerous how our affections are best and hottest at the first and doe in processe of time insensibly deaden and at last dye if we doe not take the opportunity and strike as wee say whilest the jron is hot how that if pretensions of other businesses or occasions may serue the turne to put off the tendering of our deuotions and rendering of our thankes to God the Diuell will bee sure to suggest â—now of these pretensions into our heads and to prompt vs continually with such allegations that wee shall neuer be at leasure to serue God and to giue him thankes §. 65. The fourth Inference and the Conclusion of all Let vs remember these fiue Impediments and beware of them Pride Enuy Epicurisme Worldly Carefulnesse and Delay All which are best remedyed by their contraries Good helpes therefore vnto thankfulnesse are 1. Humilitie and Self-deniall 2. Contentednesse and Selfe-suffiâ—ency 3. Painfulnesse and Sobrietie 4. The Moderation of our desires after earthly things 5. Speed and Maturitie And so much for this third Inference of Direction I should also haue desired if the time would haue permitted although my Text speaketh of our Thankesgiuing vnto God precisely as it respecteth the Creature yet to haue improued it a little farther by a fourth Inference that if wee be thus bound to giue God thankes for these outward blessings how much more ought wee then to abound in all thankfulnesse vnto him for his manifold a Ephes. 1.3 Spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ for Grace and Election for Mercy and Redemption for Faith and Iustification for Obedience and Sanctification for Hope and Glorification If wee ought to pray for and to giue thankes for our b Math. 6.11 daily bread which nourisheth but our bodyes and then is c Math. 15.17 cast into the draught and both it and our bodyes perish how much more for that d Ioh. 6.51 Bread of life which came downe from Heauen and feedeth our Soules vnto eternall life and neither they nor it can perish If wee must say for that Giue vs this day our daily bread shall we not much more say for this e Ioh. 6.34 Lord euermore giue vs this bread But I haue done Beseech we now Almighty God to guide vs all with such holy discretion and wisedome in the free vse of his good Creatures that keeping our selues within the due bounds of Sobriety Charity and ciuill Duty wee may in all things glorifie God and aboue all things and f Ephes. 5.20 for all things giue thankes alwayes vnto God and the Father in the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST To which our Lord Iesus Christ the blessed Sonne of God together with the Father the Holy Spirit three Persons and one only wise gracious and euerliuing God bee ascribed as is most due by vs and his whole Church all the Kingdome the Power and the glory both now and for euermore Amen Amen Here endeth the first Sermon A SERMON PREACHED AT St. PAVLES Crosse Aprill 15. GEN. 20.6 And God said vnto him in a dreame Yea I know that thou diddest this in the integritie of thine heart For I also with-held thee from sinning against mee therefore suffered I thee not to touch her FOr our more profitable vnderstanding of which words §. 1. The Occasion it is needfull we should haue in remembrance the whole storie of this present Chapter of which storie these words are a part And thus it was Abraham commeth with Sarah his wife and their family as a Stranger to sojourne among the Philistims in Gerar couenanteth with her before-hand thinking thereby to prouide for his owne safetie because she was beautifull that they should not bee to know that they were any more then Brother and Sister Abimilech King of the place heareth of their comming and of her beauty sendeth for them both enquireth whence and who they were heareth no more from them but that shee was his Sister dismisseth him taketh her into his house Hereupon God plagueth him and his house with a strange Visitation threatneth him also with Death giueth him to vnderstand that all this was for taking another mans wife Hee answereth for himselfe God replyeth The Answere is in the two next former Verses the Reply in this and the next following verse §. 2. Scope His answere is by way of Apologie hee pleadeth first his Ignorance and then and thence his Innocence a Vers. 4 5. And hee said Lord wilt thou slay also a righteous Nation Said not hee vnto me shee is my Sister and shee euen shee her selfe said He is my Brother in the integrity of my â—eart and innocency of my hands haue I done this That is his Plea Now God replyeth of which reply letting pafse the remainder in the next verse which concerneth the time to come so much of it as is contained in this verse hath reference to what was already done and past and it meeteth right with Abimelechs answere Something he had done and something he had not done he had indeed b Vers. 2. taken Sarah into his house but he had c Vers. 4. not yet come neere her For that which he had done in taking her he thought he had a just excuse and he pleadeth it hee did not know her to bee another mans wife and