wayes There are many profane men in the world who think it not enough to commit sinne with greedinesse but will boast of their sinnes when they haue done them teaching and alluring others to commit the like iniquitie these are but like vnto These are like beasts dogges and other such brutish beasts who when they haue auoyded their dongue turne about their face vnto it delighting in the scent therof and yet blinded man will glorie in such a beastlie quality But what are these wayes Some wayes of God are vnsearcheable these a man should not learne Leuit. of God which Dauid sayth hee wil teach Som of Gods waies are vnsearchable of these wee should beware neyther to teach nor learne that which God first hath not taught vs. But there are other of his wayes which hee hath manifested as the way of iudgement whereby he walkes stubbornly against them that walke stubbornly against him going farre from them that depart from him and the way of mercie wherin he shewes himselfe vpright Psal 18. But the way of iudgement and mercy we should both teach it to others and learn it our selues with the vpright man comes neere vnto them who with a humble contrite spirit draw neer vnto him These are thy wayes O Lord which I shall teach saith Dauid when I shall learne them I haue learned the way of thy iudgment I haue felt thou art terrible to sinners and that it is a fearefull thing to fall into thine hands let me also feel thy sweet mercie forgiuing my sin then shall I teach the way of thy mercy to sinners also shall let them know how gratious thou art how ready to forgiue what they must doe if they would be receiued into thy fauour All the wayes of GOD are vnknowne to men by nature The way of Gods mercy naturally is vnknown but especially the way of his mercie Nature could neuer haue dreamed of that way of mercy which God hath discouered it surpasseth all light that is in nature if God had not reuealed it man should neuer haue knowne it Experience may confirme this for we see it is an easie thing to instruct a man in the knowledge of Gods power prouidence iustice and all but to bring a sinner to the knowledge and assurance of Gods mercy is a difficult thing It is easie to preach iudgement by the Lawe not so to perswade mercy by the Gospell this is the highest and most difficult point of a Pastors calling And sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee Marke the wordes Conuersion of a sinner is Gods worke of Dauid I saith he shal teach and they shall bee conuerted When the conuersion of a sinner is ascribed to man we must vnderstand hee is not the worker but the instrument of it He shall not want his owne recompence For they who conuert many to righteousnesse shall shine like the starres in the Firmament But the glory of the conuersion is proper to the Lord men may plant and water but God giues the increase Paul preached at Philippi but God opened the heart of Lydia Peter preached to Cornelius and his kinsmen but the Holy Ghost brought downe the vnction which made them Christians Repentance is a worke full of miracles it makes the dead to rise the blinde to see the dumb to speake and who can worke these but the Lord Vera Sanitas Macar hom 44. Repentance a worke full of miracles à Domino solo proficiscitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As one sheep cannot heale another but their health commeth from their shepheard so the true health of our soules cometh from the great Pastor and Shepheard of Israel Qui Leones mansuefecit igni vim adurendi ademit c. Hee that tamed the Lions restrained the fire from burning hee it is that must tame our wilde affections and moderate the fire of our desires Let Preachers when they goe to any such worke require the helping hand of the Lord to work with them and let people answer and pray with Ieremie Conuert vs Lord and we shal be conuerted As sinne averts man from God so it peruerts him repentance An vnpenitent sinner is a peruers and monstrous creature and how by the contrary turnes a man to God againe and rectifieth all that is in him An vnpenitent sinner is a peruerted or monstrous creature for in him that part is vndermost which should be aboue The soule that came from heauen cleaueth to the dust by his body which was made of the earth he can looke vp to heauen but in regard of his soule he is but earthly minded Againe hee hath his face where his back should be and by the contrary the world which should be behinde him is euer before him the price of the high calling of God euen the riches of that glorious inheritance which should bee before him he casteth it behinde his backe and hath no thought of it And where a wise man hath alway his heart at his right hand Eccles 10. That is set vpon best and most necessary things this foole by the contrary hath his heart at his left hand busie about vaine vnprofitable things neglecting that one thing which onely is needfull And lastly hee hath that without which should be within for he should be more beautifull within then without But the best sight ye will see in him is that which is outmost there hee lookes like a painted sepulchre but within is full of rottennesse So confused a creature is miserable man in his sinnes all is disordered in him he is Tartarus a little hell on earth a terror to himselfe a trouble vnto others euer vexed with restlesse and fruitlesse perturbations But from this time by the But by grace he is rectified and renewed grace of repentance hee conuerteth turneth to the Lord his God then a comfortable change and comely order is wrought in him then the body becomes subiect vnto the soule then the affections begin to follow reason and order restored makes him a quiet and peaceable heart by the which he begins his heauen vpon earth VERSE 14. Deliuer mee from blood O God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse IN the middest of Dauid can not satisfie himselfe in seeking mercie for his sinnes his promises wee see how he interlaces a new petition for mercie for still he found his conscience pressed with the greatnesse of his sinne and therefore so oft as hee feeles it so oft cals hee for mercy sin is soone committed as I said but the gilt the terror and the secret accusing voice therof not so easily discharged And that now hee discends A generall confession of sinne is not sufficient in particular it is to teach vs that a generall confession of sin is not sufficient we must come to a particular for it may truly be said that he hates no sinne who hates not one aboue the rest the
doeth not now The humilitie of a penitent thinks not his name worth to be named as at other times expresse his name as when hee said Lord remember Dauid c. neither takes hee here to himselfe the name of Gods seruant as customably he doth in other places but concealeth his name ashamed of himselfe not vnlike that forlorne child I haue sinned against heauen and against Luke 15. thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne According to thy louing kindnesse Dauid depends on Gods mercy not on his owne merit We haue heard Dauid his petition in generall Now the reason whereby he will moue the Lord to grant it is not from any merit in himselfe hee vtterly disclaimes that but only from God his louing kindnesse and commiseration vpon these two doth hee now fasten his gripes and by the meditation of them hee conceiues some hope of fauour in the Lord euen when in himselfe hee had receiued a condemnatorie sentence of death by reason of his sinne Two things are requisite in The two eyes of a penitent sinner and what losse it is to want either of them a sinner that would haue mercie first an eye to know his sinnes that being ashamed of himselfe he may resolue there can be no life for him if he rest in himselfe And next an eye to see Gods mercie many haue not the first therefore thinke that either without a Sacrifice or with a small sacrifice God will bee pleased they cannot mourne for sinne esteeming their sinnes so small that they neede no great mourning Others againe haue not the other eye whereby to see Gods mercie in Christ they see their own sinne but see not God his mercie and therefore are carried either to a temporall desperation which may befal the godly that for a time they seeme to themselues vtterly vndone or then to a finall us all the reprobates doe examples wherof wee haue in Cain Saul and Iudas from whose miserable condition the Lord preserue vs. Now Dauid finding nothing Two things in God Dauid grounds vpon in himselfe to comfort him when he lookes vp to God hee sees two things as I said that sustaine him first the kindnesse 1 His benignitie or kindnesse this is either generall of God next the manifold compassions of God the word expressing his kindnesse is Chesed the benignitie of God and this is either general wher by hee loues his creatures conseruing them as he made them and delights to doe good vnto them in so farre as they are the works of his hands Thou Lord Math. 5. 45 sauest man and beast he makes his Sunne to arise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust And this howsoeuer it rendred some comfort yet could it not giue full comfort to DAVID considering that sinne the poison of the Serpent in him made him iustly Or speciall abhominable to God And therefore hee casts his eye further vnto that speciall benignitie of God which in effect is his mercie whereby hee loues his owne in Christ redeemes them from their sinnes and saues them by his grace when they haue lost themselues by their iniquitie And this is euident by the other word immediatly he adioynes The speciall is in effect Gods mercy and tender compassion of God his compassion which is the other ground whereupon the faith of Dauid reposed for the word Racham signifies to loue from the verie bowells and inward affection being deduced from the name Rêchêm which signifies the What great comfort wee haue into it wombe or matrice that with most kindly and tender affection compasse and nourish the Infant within it suppose it cannot bee thankefull for the present nor doe the duetie wherein it is bound but rather be offensiue to the mother that carries it Dauid knew that the like tender affection was in God toward his owne poore children yea and much more greater then the heauēs are higher 〈…〉 from the earth so farre are the thoughts of God his loue and compassion aboue all that can bee in vs it is possible the mother may forget the birth of her wombe but the LORD cannot forget them who are his Therefore doth he not only Compassiōs in the plurall number are ascribed to God ascribe vnto God compassions but great cōpassions or a multitude of them so he speakes for two causes first because where God shewes mercies he 1 Because where he shewes mercie he shews many mercies together shewes many mercies together a heape and a verie masse of mercies The royall heart of Alexander thought it not honorable for him to giue a small thing what then shall we think of our God The ods is so great that there can bee no comparison But sure where hee giues any of his chief blessings there hee giues such a treasure forth of his infinite riches of mercie as we are not able to speake of Yet for our comfort in our Sixe ranks of mercie meditation his mercies shewed vnto vs since wee could 1 Preuenting mercie know what mercie was wee may reduce them to six rankes the first I call preuenting mercies whereby the Lord did vs good when wee knew him not and kept vs from many sinnes which otherwaies wee would haue committed O quanta dignatio Bern. de Euang 7. Panum Ser. 1. pietatis quod ingratum sic gratia conseruabat Many sinnes haue we done against him but farre moe should we haue done if his mercie had not preuented vs Agnosce ergo gratiam eius cui debes etiam quod non admisisti Augu. Mihi debet iste quod factum est dimissum vidisti mihi debes tu quod non fecisti Acknowledge therefore Gods mercie toward thee euen in these sinnes which thou hast not done If thou seest one who is debitor to mee for a sin which hee did and I forgaue him vnderstand also that thou art debitor to me for keeping thee that thou didst not the like for there is no sinne which any man hath done but an other man would doe the like if God by grace did not preserue him from it The second ranke hath in it his sparing mercies or the mercies Sparing mercies of his patience though we haue beene kept from the doing of many sinnes yet haue we done enough to condemne vs. There is an other sort of mercie Peccabam tu dissimulabas non continebam a sceleribus tu a verberibus abstinebas I sinned and thou heldst thy tongue I transgressed thou sparedst and killedst mee not when wee looke to Zimri and Cosbi slaine in the act of harlotrie to Ananias and Saphira striken to death in their sinne what shall wee say but it is a great mercie of God that hitherto wee haue not beene taken away in the middest of our sinnes In the third ranke wee place his pardoning mercies for a 3 Pardoning mercies man may thinke what
benefit is it to mee to bee long spared seeing at the last iudgment will come quo diutius expectat eo districtius iudicabit but this fear is taken away from the godly by God his pardoning mercies he forgiues their sins in Christ he will neuer impute their iniquitie vnto them but taketh them vtterly away Peccatum non imputatum est quasi nunquam fuerit commissum But with these is also giuen 4 Renewing mercies vs the fourth sort that is his renewing mercies There are many quorum infructuosa est poenitentia who repent of their sinnes but are not renewed by amendment of life in whom nouissimus error peior est priori their returning like Dogges to their vomit is worse then their first transgression but the Lord when hee giues to his owne children the grace of remissiō doth also giue with it the grace of renouation whereby hee makes them new creatures abounding in the fruits of righteousnesse to Gods glorie the edification of their brethren and the comfort of their owne consciences in Christ And yet all these were nothing if it were not that the fift 5. Corroborating and continuing mercie ranke of mercies were also heaped vpon vs which I call continuing mercies whereby wee perseuer in that estate of grace whereunto we are once called Adam in his best estate of innocencie continued not would wee stand in grace if perseuerance which hee wanted were not communicated vnto vs. As mercie brought vs to this state of grace so it is by mercie also that we are kept in it And the last ranke is of Gods crowning mercies whereby he 6. Crowning mercies shall perfect his owne worke finish that which hee hath begunne in vs hee shall performe to vs his promised Kingdome feare of euill shall be farre from vs in that Paradise no tempter shall bee to snare vs mercie shall compasse vs no good shall be lacking to vs the Lord shall bee all in all vnto vs and from that blessed fellowship and cōmunion with him shall wee neuer be diuided againe And as this way Gods mercies Compassions in the plurall number are ascribed to God because the proofe and practise of them is manifold are manifold so likewise are the prayses of them in respect of innumerable persons on whom they haue beene declared for miserationes Dei sunt opera processus misericordiae eius and so his meditation is O Lord thou hast shewed compassion to many a penitent sinner since the beginning of the world thou neuer reiectedst any that sought thee with a penitent heart for number they cannot bee told to whom thou hast beene mercifull quot enim iusti tot miserationes let them al be gathered that are in heauen and earth if it be demanded of them how is it they haue been saued they will all answere Not vnto vs O Lord but vnto thy name be the praise And therefore seeing thou O Lord art the same And no shadow of change is with thee I beseech thee close not that dore of mercie on me which hath opened to receiue so many sinners before me and these Riuers of cōpassion which haue flowed so abundantly toward others let them not bee dryed vp to mee This earnestnesse of Dauids Feeling of our wants make earnest Prayer praier flowes from the feeling of his great sinnes he knew his sinnes were great and therfore craues he great mercies magna siquidem vulnera paribus indigēt Basil Pharmacis yea that in this one transgression manifold sinnes were included and that therefore hee needed not one but a multitude of diuine commiserations Vniuer sam in se Dei gratiam effundi totum miserationum fontem in peccati sui vlcera euacuari orat But how soeuer the mercies The mercies of God are plentifull yet not extended to all and why of God bee plentifull yet are they not extended vnto all they are free indeede I haue mercie saith the Lord on whom I will haue mercie but so that if there be any man to whō they flow not he may alwaies finde the cause in himself in his hard heart that cannot repent it holds true in all the reprobate which the Apostle speakes of the rebellious Iewes Yee put it from you meaning the word of the Gospell wherein mercie and grace is offered and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life therefore that mercie which is here craued by Dauid Act. 13. 46. by a most fearefull decree was denied vnto them God gaue that people a name Lo-Ruchamah I will no more haue pitie Hos 1. 6. on them whereupon followed another name expressing their Such as will not be Gods people shall not find Gods mercy miserie after that once God for their sins had cast them away Lo-Ammi that is to say they are not my people and I will not bee theirs No tongue can expresse the miserie of that man who for his proud continuance in sinne and contempt of grace offered vnto him receiues most iustly from the Lord that decree of Lo-Ruchamah I will haue no mercie on him where the Fountayne is stopped the Springs of necessitie must drie vp where mercie is denied all good things flowing from it must decay This will be the cursed condition of the damned All fat and excellent Reuel 18. 14. things shall depart from them from which the Lord deliuer vs. Put away mine iniquities Hitherto Dauid enters to his particular petitions we haue heard Dauid his generall petition for mercie now followes his three particular petitiōs expressing what mercie it is hee craued as wee shewed in the beginning of the Verse His first particular petition Whereof the first is a petition for the remission of his sinnes is for forgiuenesse of his sinne the fact was past but the gilt remained the pleasure of it was soone done but the terror of it still vexed him all the comfort of his Kingdome could not make him merry the torment of an accusing conscience for sin was more strong to deiect him then all the pleasures of Canaan were to sustaine him yea it is most sure that externall comforts are so far from comforting a troubled conscience that by the contrarie they encrease the trouble thereof and the more worldly comforts be presented the greater is the heauinesse of that soule which is afflicted for sinne and therefore now when hee comes to The griefe of sinne can not be asswaged by any worldly comfort the point hee tels where his sore was what grieued him most iniquitie iniquitie hee cryes out for this in the 32. Psalme Blessed is the man whose wickednesse is forgiuen whose sinne is couered and to whom the Lord imputes not iniquitie As if he would say hee that hath not this hath no blessing all comforts without this are comfortlesse Where wee haue to take vp What a fear full euill sinne is what a cursed and miserable thing sinne is a sparkle of fire come from hell that burnes vp all
created in him he acknowledgeth that his sinne had not onely wounded him but slaine him and that he stood in neede not of any reparation but of an new creation wherein hee vtterlie And so aboue the power of nature distrusteth the power of his nature yea the ability of his owne free will notwithstanding grace once resumed hee findes it so oppressed by the power of his corruption that he is forced to craue from God the benefit of a new creation Vt cor eius tale fieret per gratiam Sauan quale non potuit esse per naturam Of our selues wee fall but of our selues wee rise not againe Not onely is our first conuersion a worke of Gods grace altogether and alone but the workes of our restitution by repentance after we haue fallen as it is in the Lords praise Hee quickened vs when we were dead So is it his praise that hee keepes Psal 100. As we created not our selues So we cannot renew our selues our soules in life The Lord made vs we made not our selues Wee are content to giue him the glory of our first creation let vs also giue him the glory of our second creation Yea so oft as we fall into sinne let vs consider that our rising againe is no lesse a worke of the great power and mercy of God then was the raysing of Lazarus out of the graue for otherwise wee should haue lien still with others rotting and perishing in our sinnes And so haue wee to praise the Lord not onely for our first and second creation but for the renewing of that benefit vnto vs as oft as we by our transgression haue lost that life which the Lord did once communicate vnto vs. And this that our sanctification A proper comparison of our first creation with the second or restitution by repentance after that wee haue sinned is called new creation renders yet vnto vs a profitable instruction if we compare our new creation with Adam his first creation When shall wee say that Adam was made a naturall man neuer till the Lord breathed the breath of life into him the Lord first formed his body of clay after the same shape and similitude that now yee see the body of man in all the porportion of the members thereof No image can be made by mans wit so liuely representing a man as did that portraiture of clay which the Lord at the first formed with his owne hand but al this time it lay vpon the ground hauing eyes that saw not eares that heard not a mouth that could not speake and feet that could not walke hee was then very like vnto that which now man Many professed Christians are but carkases of Christians is but as I said was not a naturall man til God breathed the breath of life vnto him Let vs consider the like in the new creation how many shall ye find verie like vnto christians baptized in the name of Iesus who haue a mouth to speake and an eye to looke vp vnto heauen and an care as a man would thinke to heare very reuerently the word of the Lord who when all is done what euer they seem in the eies of men are no other in Gods sight but as the carcases of christians So to speake destitute of that quickning spirit of grace which onely giues life to the actions of men Let vs take heede to our selues that we bee not of that number for then onely haue wee this comfort that we are Christians indeed when we finde that quickning spirit of grace which is in Christ Iesus communicating life vnto our spirits that what we doe in the workes of Christianity stand not in externall shew but may proceede from inward sense and feeling VERSE 11. Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thine holy Spirit from me STill Dauid continues Dauids feruency in Supplication his supplications seeking a remedy of these manifold miseries which he found by experience his sinne had brought vpon him For wee must remember that all these petitions proceeded from a sense of a contrary euill which by his sinne hee had incurred and craues that God of his mercy would diuert it He lamemted before that sinne had slaine him and made him like a dead man wanting a heart or quickning spirit and now hee feares lest as the dead are abhorred by the liuing so the Lord should cast him out as a dead and abominable thing out of his presence Whereof wee learne this is The pleasures of sin are deare bought one of the iust punishments of sinne it procures the casting out of a man from the face of God and it may let vs see how deare bought are the pleasures of sinne when a man to enioy the face of the creature depriues himselfe of the comfortable face of the Creator as Dauid here for the carnall loue of the face of Bathsheba puts himselfe in danger to bee cast out for euer from the presence of the Lord his God If man could remember this in all Satans tentations what it is For Satan seekes frous man better then he can giue him that the deceiuer offers and what it is againe that hee seekes hee would be loth to buy the perishing pleasures of sinne vpon such a price as Satan selleth them but would answer him as the Apostle did Simon Magus Thy money with thy selfe goe into perdition thy gaine thy glory thy pleasure and what euer thou wouldest giue me to offend the Lord my God goe with thy selfe into perdition for what canst thou offer vnto mee comparable to that which thou wouldest steale from me But how is it that he praies A twofold presence of God Cast me not out from thy presence May a man bee cast any way from it saies hee not himselfe What way can I flee from thy presence This is soone answered by distinguishing his twofold presence one in mercy wherewith hee refresheth and comforteth his owne and this without intermission they enioy who are in heauen another in wrath whereby hee terrifies and torments without intermission the dāned in hell As to thē who are vpon earth certaine it is hee is displeased with many who because No casting out from the one they see not his angry face regard it not borne out with temporall recreations of the cteature which wil faile them and there are many againe to whom hee lookes as a louing father in Christ and yet they see not his mercifull face by reason of many interiected vailes but to them who once haue felt the sweetnesse of his fauourable face it is death to want it Absolom protested hee could not want the sight 2. Sam. 14. 32. of Dauid his Father hee spake it out of his hypocrisie but to such as are truely godly there can be no punishment so heauy as to debarre them and it were but for a short time from the comfortable face of their heauenly father Thirdly let vs learne how What
striken that his people may be spared and they againe repayed him with the like louing affection for when he would haue gone out to battel against Absalom they would not let him hazard himselfe Thou art said they more worth then ten thousand of vs. A happy harmonie where a King with tender affection embraceth his people as his owne children and they again esteeme and reuerence him as their father For thy good pleasure He neyther The Church is preserued by Gods mercy not their merit pretends his merits nor his peoples innocency but appeales to Gods mercie the good pleasure of his owne will mou'd him to chuse a Church and it is the same that moues him to conserue it Euen when the sins of his people procure that he shold destroy it if there were no more to preserue the Church but hir owne deseruings or the fauour fidelity and constancie of Kings protectors thereof it could not continue long but God is the builder of Ierusalem his fauour is the wall thereof and therefore is it that neither the sinnes of them who are within nor malice of them who are without it can ouercome it Build vp the wales He praies Ierusalems materiall walles were foure both for the materiall and spirituall wals of Ierusalem In regard of materiall wals Ierusalem was a strong City of foure quarters euery one of them by walles deuided from another The first highest was mount Sion in it was the City of Dauid called by Iosephus the superiour city exceeding strong in regard of the naturall situation thereof the second was called the daughter of Sion because it seemed to come out as it were of the bosome of the other in this was the mount Moriah whereupon the Temple stood this City was compassed with a strong wal wherin stood threescore of strong Towres The third was beautified with many ample streets pleasant ports and compassed with a wall whereupon were fourteene Towers The fourth was inhabited by all sorts of Artificers compassed with the third wall which was twenty and fiue cubits high and had in it fourescore and ten Towers strong high and foure cornered And albeit in Dauids daies Externall state of a citie depends on Gods blessing Psal 127. the city was not as yet brought to this perfection but was rather in the building yet Dauid knew except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it and except the Lord keepe the Citie the keeper watches in vaine and that many flourishing Cities and strong Castles haue beene made desolat for the sinnes of them that dwell in them and therefore fearing least his sinne had procured a curse in Ierusalem like the curse of Iericho hee praies euen for the externall state thereof But much more may wee think he had regard to the spiritual Ierusalems spirituall walles wals therof which his sin had demolished and he praies God to repaire againe The first innermost and strongest 1 Gods protection wall of Ierusalem is the Lords fauourable protection this is called by Zacharie a wall of fire compassing Hierusalem which wil burne and consume the enemies that inuade it the 2 Holines and vnitie secondarie walles are holines and vnitie for an vnholy people are naked like the idolatrous Israelites after their worshipping of the golden Calfe and this breach of holinesse euer procures breach in vnitie among people makes a rupture in the wall whereby the aduersarie may easily get vantage Now Dauid knew that by his sinne hee had procured to be depriued of Gods fauour and that his sons and seruants should rebell against him as he had rebelled against the Lord his God and therefore he craues that these euils may bee remoued his filthie sinne pardoned the fauourable protection of God continued and vnity betweene him and his people preserued And this for Ierusalems wailes Wherof let vs learne what No enemies can destroy the walles of Ierusalem only the sins of inhabitants it is that makes the Church a prey to her enemies what destroyes the wals of Ierusalem No force no multitude no policie nor engine of the enemy only the sinnes of them who dwell within it God make vs wise to take this to heart lest our sinnes make a breach in Ierusalems walles VERSE 19. Then shalt thou accept the sacrifices of righteousnesse euen the burnt offering and oblation then shall they offer Calues vpon thine Altar HIs petitions are An heart to offer praise and prayer to the Lord is an argument of mercie concluded with a promise of thankes-giuing Whē thou shalt be fauourable to vs then shall we offer and thou shalt accept Multiplicatiō then of sacrifices is an effect of Gods fauour to haue a heart rightly set to pray to the Lord or praise him is an argument of mercie When God was angrie with Israel he sent vpō thē the Caldeans who tooke away the daily sacrifice but it is an effect of a farre more fearefull wrath when God deliuers vp men to the hardnes of their own hart suffering them so to be captiued by Satan that they can neither repēt of their sins nor pray for graces which they want nor yet giue thanks for benefits that they haue receiued where the heauens become brasse and send downe no dew what maruell the earth be like iron and can render no fruit but if the Lord looke on vs in mercie as he did on Peter then shall we mourne for our sinnes and if hee be fauourable vnto vs as heere Dauid prayes then shall we be willing sacrificers of praise and thankes vnto him The order of his wordes If our persons be not first in fauour with God our actions cannot please him makes this cleare vnto vs. When thou shalt bee fauourable to vs then shalt thou accept our offerings Except first our persons be in fauour with God our actions were they neuer so good in shew will not bee acceptable to him Examples hereof wee haue in Abel and Cain God looked first to Abel and then had respect to his sacrifice Let vs therefore aboue all things haue a care that we may be in fauour with our God reconciled with him in Christ otherwise all our prayers and oblations whatsoeuer are but an abomination to the Lord. And last of all we see heere Thankesgiuing an eternall duetie we must discharge to the Lord. how the greatest and most enduring duetie wee owe vnto God for all his benefites is thankesgiuing hee is content the profit of them all be ours hee craues no more but praise Wee want not matter for which wee should praise him onely we want affection and therefore haue we to pray that the Lord among all the rest of his great goodnesse wherein he is daily abundant toward vs would also blesse vs with a thankfull heart that in this dutie also wee may abound toward the Lord our God To whom be praise glorie and honour for euer Now vnto the King Immortall Euerlasting Inuisible Vnto God onely wise be honour and glorie for euer Amen FINIS