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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81245	A model of true spiritual thankfulnesse. Delivered in a sermon before the Honourable House of Commons, upon their day of thanksgiving, being Thursday, Feb. 19. 1645, for the great mercy of God, in the surrender of the citie of Chester into the hands of the Parliaments forces in Cheshire, under the command of Sir William Brereton. / By Tho. Case, preacher in Milkstreet London, and one of the Assembly of Divines.	Case, Thomas, 1598-1682.; England and Wales. Parliament. House of Commons.	1646 (1646)	Wing C833; Thomason E323_4; ESTC R200593	35,919	45

over the fourth work and wonder of Providence namely The admirable and even stupendious deliverances which God vouchsafes Mariners and Sea-men in many a black dreadful furious death-threatnin● storm and tempest exprest to the life in the 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Verses I shall not meddle with the D●liverance it self though if I should it would be neither impertinent nor improper for the work of this day for certainly a man might easily run a parallel between the state of the Mariner in th● storm and the condition of this poor and yet bleeding Church and State In Ireland and England We that have gone down into the Sea this Red-sea of Blood and have had our businesse now for these four or five yeers in these great waters of Civil war surely we have seen the works of the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep Verse 24 If ever people saw the works the wonders of the workings of Jehovah we have We have lived I think I may safely speak it in the greatest Age of wonders that ever the Church knew We use to say Miracles are ceast but truely if men have ceased to do Miracles God hath not and yet he hath done them by men too in this Deep of Englands and Scotlands and Irelands troubles and ●fflictions For he commandeth and ●●●seth up the stormy winde Verse 25. which lifteth up the waves thereof Surely all the storms and tempests that have beaten upon these three Kingdoms have not come by chance and fortune this af●●iction hath not risen out of the dust but as it was with Sol●mon af●er his heart began to depart from God it is sa●d 1 Kings 11.14 The Lord stirred up an Adversary unto Solomon Had●d the Ed●mite c. And Vers 23. God stirred him up another Adversary Rezin the son of Eliadah Adversary after Adversary and all stirred up by God So hath it been and is yet with us Storm after Storm Tempest after Tempest one cloud of blood and wrath after another Eccles 12.2 The clouds have returned after rain and all raised up by God in his righteous Judgement upon these sinful backsliding Nations We have as it followeth been mounted up to heaven and then hurl'd down again into the depths Oh the various changes that have been upon us I Somtimes up and somtimes down somtimes raised up as high as heaven by wonderful Deliverances and glorious Victories anon cast down even as l●we as hell As in the West c. by sad breakings of our Armies and losse of our Strong-holds Surely our souls have been melted because of trouble Our hopes have been melted and our hearts have been melted Oh how oft have I seen palenesse in mens faces the very shadow of death upon mens countenances I how oft have I seen men with their hands upon their loyns while fear hath taken hold upon them and sorrow a● pain upon a woman in travel Have we not been in the day of sad tidings from the West and other places in the Kingdom Vers 27. like drunken men full of the fury of the Lord and rebukes of our God reeling to and fro in our spirits and staggering in our Councels at our wits end Parliament at their wits end and Citie at their wits end and Armies at their wits end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All their wisdom swallowed up as the Hebrew signifies nonplust and lost not knowing what to do next unlesse it were with the Mariners in my Text for the most part the profanest of men to go and cry to God in our trouble Vers 28. betake our selves to our fasting and prayers when God hath shewed himself easie to be intreated 2 King 20.12 very gracious at the voice of our cry and hath brought us out of these distresses and straits wherein were calming the storms and stilling the waves the pride and rage Verse 30. the power and policie of our devouring Adversaries Thus hath the Lord done as often heretofore so now wonderfully of late at Dartmouth and Plymouth at Hereford at Belvoyre and at Chester the Wonder of mercy which we this day celebrate Thus you see if I should pitch upon the Deliverance it self here would be a foundation upon which we might build a Discourse not unseasonable or unsutable to the work of the day But it is not the Deliverance it self but the Return which hath called out my thoughts and now humbly calls for your attention And this Return is Twofold 1. What they do Then are they glad c. 2. What they should do O that men would praise the Lord c. And to hold you in the porch no longer though many Observations might be raised from the words I shall onely from the comparing of these two together sc What men do when mercies and deliverances come in They are glad with what they should do O that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse c. hold forth to you this Point of Doctrine Every man in the world can be glad of mercies and deliverances but the duty that God expects is that men should praise him for his mercies Then are they glad I but that will not serve the turn it is a Return of an high nature which God looks for Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse c. Or thus if you please There is a great difference between Gladnesse and Thankfulnesse It is one thing to be glad of a mercy or deliverance it is another thing to be thankful for it What that difference is and wherein it doth consist is all I intend to do upon the Doctrinal part of this Truth They differ in these four things sc in respect of their 1. Nature The difference between Gladnesse and Thankfulnesse 2. Rise or ground 3. Duration 4. Operation 1. In their Nature First Gladnesse and Thankfulnesse differ in their Nature Gladnesse or Joy is but a natural affection Some of the Stoick Philosophers have defined or described it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysippus and other Stoicks Elatio animi propter aliquid quod optandum esse videatur it is the lifting up or widening or enlargement of the heart upon the coming in of any sutable and desirable good And it is found not onely in * Psal 105.38 Lam. 1.21 natural men but even in the bruit creatures even these you see do expresse in their way a great deal of gladnesse and contentment when they meet with that which is sutable to their natures and dispositions But now Thankfulnesse which is here commended is a divine grace wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God whereby the heart is drawn out towards God in gracious and holy desires and endeavours to praise and exalt the Lord who is the Author and Donor of the Mercie as here it is expressed by this chiefest and highest act of Thankfulnesse Oh that men would praise the Lord c. Let them exalt him

which they have been so long strangers To that end hasten I beseech you your Ordinance for Ordination it were a sad thing that the strong Holds of the Kingdom should be taken for God and kept for the Devil for want of Pastors according ●o Gods own heart and that may feed them with knowledge and understanding Vers 32. Secondly Pra●se him in the Assembly of the Elders by setting up Church-Government according to your Covenant What it is I need not tell you enough hath been said about this matt●r and you are wise I will not I need not ask you Whether you intend really and cordially to go about this Work this greatest work wherewith God and the Kingdom have entrusted you I know you do intend it and if you do Why not now when the Lord hath so miraculously broken the power of the enemie and in so great a measure subdued the Kingdom before you as if God of purpose had created you an opportunity to give demonstration to the world that you are in good earnest Onely let me say thus much to you in that plainnesse you give the Ministers of the Gospel leave to use Jesus Christ will not always wait upon States and Kingdoms he will not always come a begging as it were to Parliament-doors He that bids his Servants shake off the dust of their feet Matth. 10.14 in case of refusal of their message knows how to do it himself Psal 2.12 should he be angred out of his patience Time is coming when Kings and Kingdoms would be as glad of Christ as he would be now of them When in their fears and dangers when enemies be upon them and ruine and desolation at their gates then Isaiah lift up a prayer then send the Lamb to the Ruler with supplications Lord Jesus come thou and rule over us But as the Scotch-man said of the English-mans Will Imprimis I bequeath my soul to God c. I but said he Will he tak it man will he tak it so may I question concerning such tenders of Thrones and Kingdoms Will Christ take them will he accept of them when haply they shall be surrendred upon no better terms then a desperate King would deliver up his Crown to any of his Neighbours Vortinger c. even to a Stranger that would come and help him against his prevailing enemies what Christ would do in such a case jude you And therefore Oh kisse the Son lest he be angry Psal 2.12 and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him Happie Parliament happie State happie People happie Person that makes Christ their choice and not their necessity I have done Onely suffer me one word more Take heed I humbly beseech you of setting your selves down at the upper end of Christs House and Table and of suffering Him to be thrust down to serve as an underling at the lower and to have no more then the lusts of some and the humours and fancies of others can spare him But you have not so learned Christ and therefore to all you that stand before God this day and to as many as desire to be a thankful people let me adde a word to close up all Here is a Model let it be your wisdom and honour to mould and form your Thankfulnesse for this days and for all your mercies upon it 1. Give all diligence to possesse your selves of the grace of Thankfulnesse as well as of the affection of Joy and Gladnesse to that end ply the Throne of Grace and plead the accomplishment of that promise A new heart will I give you Ezek. 36.26 and a new spirit will I put into you That is done when all the natural affections have a divine spiritual impresse stampt upon them when as they have born the image of the earthly so now they bear the image of the heavenly 2. Studie I beseech you Spiritual Grounds and Rises from which your Thankfulnesse may take flight heaven ward as First Scripture interest studie rather a good Title then great Possessions namely to enjoy what you have by Sonship as well as Creatureship by co-inheritance with Jesus Christ by promise as well as providence with Gods love as well as by Gods leave Studie the Covenant well and then count thy interest better then the principal I tell thee for thy comfort if thou canst do so if Scripture-interest can bring in more content and satisfaction to thy soul then all earthly possessions if Covenant-title can draw out and endear thy heart to G●d more then all the deliverances and provisions cast in by providence fear not thou art a childe of promise Secondly observe the Returns of Prayer if thou hast been a praying Christian all this time of Englands trouble and art such a one as lookest after thine own prayers knowest them when thou seest them again if the hearing of thy prayer can endear thy heart to God more then the bulk of thy mercy whatever it is of these visible treasures I pronounce the a man or woman that hast more cause to rejoyce then if God had given thee this days surrender the City of Chester solely and entirely to thine own share Thirdly be critical to spie out soul-advantages the Spiritual part of every mercy and wear them as the richest piece of all thy possessions Fourthly eye the Exaltations and liftings up of God in all his works especially such as this day brings in to us and let them lie neerest thy heart they will keep it warm with an heavenly influence 3. Be careful to maintain a faithful Remembrance of the mercies of God in your heads and a setled constant frame of Thankfulnesse upon your hearts for know this The mercies of God cannot perish alone but thou shalt perish with them if thou forget them that is with a carelesse gracelesse forgetfulnesse God will forget thee if thou cast the mercies of God out to the dung-hill God will throw thee after them O be often charging thy soul Psal 103 2. with David Blesse the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits 4. Designe out for God the choisest and most spiritual Returns such as you have beheld First set up God in your thoughts exalt him in your admiring facultie Psal 66.3 Say unto God How terrible art thou in thy works through the greatnesse of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee Secondly engage your selves and others in Prayer to God say Psal 63.2 O thou that hearest Prayer to thee shall all flesh come Be stedfast and unmoveable always abounding in this work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult forasmuch as you see your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord He never said to the seed of Jacob Seek ye me in vain Isa 45.19 Thirdly let your Thankfulnesse work it self into pure flames of Love to God and expresse it by labouring To Know more of God Enjoy more Communion with God Boast and glory more in God Fourthly studie Self-denial let there be but one will between God and thee and let that will be Gods He is a thankful man indeed that in doing and suffering can say Father not my will but thine be done Fifthly pay your Vows If ever England or thou prosper it must be by ke●ping of Covenant Ezek. 17.14 Be often rolling that in thy soul Psal 56.12 I will render praises unto thee Sixthly Give glory to God by believing by all the wonders that God hath done learn to trust him in the n●xt strait if faith have not produced these Deliverances let these Deliverances produce faith If happie they that have not seen and yet believed what shall become of them that have seen and yet believe not Seventhly look to the ordering of your conversation the dispesing of your way aright The thankfulnesse of the life is the very life of Thankfulnesse Eighthly widen your hearts in enlarged desires that others may praise God go a begging from door to door thorow the whole Creation for praises for thy God Ninthly to that end declare among the people his doings Psal 9.11 Psal 66.2 Sing forth the honour of his Name make his praise glorious It were a good becoming Solemnitie on these days of Thanksgiving if Christians in their private meetings together to feast and rejoyce before the Lord would make it a Law that every one in their turn should remember and repeat some special eminent Victory or Deliverance wrought by God either for the Nation in general especially since the coming together of this happie Parliament and the beginning of these unhappie Wars or for themselves in particular Such conference as this would keep out vain and unprofitable discourse preserve the memorial of Gods Loving kindnesses exceedingly honour God and adorn your Christian meetings together surely such praise were comely for the upright Christians take all the ways you can that Gods praise may live when you are dead Tenthly be continually breathing after heaven where the praises as well as the spirits of just men are made perfect 〈◊〉 use Austins Contemplation with a little variation O Lord● says he can no man see thy face and live then let me die that I may thy face Say thou O Lord can no man praise thee and live then let me die that I may live to praise thee for ever And let me speak this one word to the comfort of all you who can spread or as the Hebrew signifies measure your Thankfulnesse upon this Model as Elijah spread himself upon the Shunemites dead son 2 Kings 4.34 mouth to mouth eyes upon eyes and hand upon hand limb upon limb and part upon part yea that do make it a businesse so to do you have begun your heaven on earth die when you will you may change your company but not your work you have begun an everlasting day of Thanksgiving you have the Word of God for it Who so offereth praise Psal 50. ult glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God AMEN FINIS

c. And therefore this is to be found onely in the Saints Psal 33.1 Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright Let the Saints be joyful in glory Psal 149.5 6. let them sing aloud upon their beds let the high praises of God be in their mouthes c. they be the Righteous onely the upright the Saints in whose bosoms this grace dwells and who can manage this Spiritual service and duty of rejoycing and praising the Lord in a right manner Indeed the holy Psalmist doth often expresse the workings of his heart upon the receipt of great deliverances and mercies under the notion of gladnesse all over the Psalms but you are to take it as a Synonymon or t'other expression of thankfulnesse not a meer stirring of natural joy and complacency in and for deliverances and mercies but the Spiritual movings and sparkling of his aff●●ction towards God in witnesse whereof you shall never sinde that notion stand single but like the * 1 Cor. 6.17 Spirit of the holy man himself joyned unto the Lord either as the Author or as the Object of his Gladnesse I will be glad and rejoyce in thee Psal 9.2 And Be glad in the Lord Psal 32.11 ye righteous And Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy work Psal 92.4 c. to shew that his gladnesse was sanctified and spiritualized into the grace of Thankfulnesse And indeed Grace is nothing else but the natural affection baptized as I may so say and regenerated by the holy Ghost and the Blood of Christ faced and pointed upon God as its proper and highest object Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth Coloss 3.2 Set and Set not the affection is not changed in the matter of it but in the object So natural sorrow and grief spiritualized and set upon the right object sc upon an * Mich. 7.9 offended God is the grace of * ● Cor. 7.9 Repentance And Anger sanct fied and faced upon Gods dishonour is Zeal And Love fired with a flame from Christ and carried up in that flame to Christ is no longer the affection but the grace of Love sic in caet And thus natural joy and gladnesse heavenlized and set upon God 2 Joh. 4.19 is the grace of Thankfulnesse And this is the first difference Gladnesse or Joy is but a natural affection Common to good and bad to man and beast but Thankfulnesse is that affection sprinkled with the Blood of Christ proper onely to the Saints because like the Saint himself it is made partaker of the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Secondly they differ in their Rise or Ground Second difference Rise or Ground The Rise or Ground of Gladnesse as it is a meer natural affection is meerly the poss ssion of some sutable desirable Good which comes in whether National or Domestick or Personal together with those natural fruits and improvements which arise and grow upon it As here in the Text Then are they glad what is the Rise Because they b● quiet●● they are now out of those fears and dangers which made their hearts work as tempestuoussy as the Sea it self Safety and rest are the ground of their joy glad the storm is over and they safe in the Haven And so you may proportion it in your thoughts in other deliverances and mercies National or Private Gladnesse riseth not higher then the bulk and body of the Good it self as the rich fool in the Gospel lookt upon his heap of wealth and glads his soul in it and in the advantages he promiseth himself from it Soul here are goods l●id up for many yeers Luke 12.19 he shall need to take no more care or thought as long as he lives take thine ease eat drink and be merrie The Grounds of Thankfulnesse But now the Grounds and Rise of Thankfulnesse they are of a more generous and divine Nature such as these 1. A Spiritual Title First a Spiritual and Divine Right to mercies a Scripture-title What is that Why the Saints have Fi st a Right of Sonship The wicked have a Right to what they have not onely a civil right before men but a divine right b●fore God but it is but a Right of Creation they have a right To the Creatures but it is but a right Of the Creatures But now th● S●ints have a right of Sonship If children Rom. 8.17 then heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ. Whatever mercy or deliverance they have it is part of their childes portion though they are not joynt-purchasers yet they are joynt-heirs with Jesus Christ they have all by inheritance Heb. 1.2 as Christ is Heir of all things so they in him All is you●s and you are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3.22 23. And thus ●eing Children and Heirs they have a Seco●d Right and that is a Right of Promise or Covenant and therefore Believers are call'd The children of promise Rom. 9.8 because they be both a 2 Pet. 1.4 begotten and b 1 Tim. 4.8 m●int●in'd by promise whatever they have they have by promise Godlinesse is profitable for all things having the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come Others are fed out of the Common basket of Providence they are fed out of the Ark of the Covenant which is the great List of the promises Every childe of God be he never so poor is served in Plate The words of the Lord are pure words as Silver tried in a furnace of earth He speaks of the word of promise Psal 12.6 So that if it be but bread and water yet it is served in to a childe of God in the silver and golden vessels of the Promises And this affects them more then all the bulk and heap of mercies and comforts which they do possesse or that worldlings do possesse Thou hast put more gladnesse into my heart then in the time that their corn and their wine encreased Psal 4.7 How Why by the shines of his face and favour as Vers 7. This is the Rise of a gracious Joy and Thankfulnesse That what he hath he hath not onely by Gods leave but with Gods love not by Creatureship onely but by Sonship not by providence onely but by promise With the men of the world the Principal is more then the Interest but every childe of God accounts his Interest more then the Principal Therefore you shall finde the Church glorying in this That all her deliverances and mercies are Covenant-mercies If God destroy her enemies she looks upon it as a fruit of the Covenant He is the Lord our God his judgements are in all the world She triumphs in the execution of Gods righteous judgements upon the enemies of the Church Psal 105.7 but upon what ground It follows He hath remembred his Covenant for ever c. It was a

deliverance of Promise as well as of Providence a Covenant-mercie in that she rejoyceth Vers 8. yea if it be but bread and water as I said before she looks in what it is served He hath given meat to them that fear him Why He will be ever mindful of his Covenant Psal 111.5 Her meat how course soever was served in in the great silver Cha●ger of the Covenant And this was the rise of Thankfulnesse in the Churches Grace q. d. Blessed be God that hath fed me with bread of promise that hath commanded his Covenant to bring me in provision And so for her deliverances and redemption from enemies temporal and eternal He sent Redemption to his people Verse 9. he hath commanded his Covenant for ever holy and reverend is his Name It was a Covenant-victorie and Redemption and for this she bows her head and adores the Name of the Lord. Now carnal people never look after these things they be dry and empty notions to them give them meat so it be fat and dainty give them Deliverances and Victories so they be full and gallant be it by promise or providence come they in by sonship or creatureship be it the Covenant that helps them or Fortune it is all one they know no difference and therefore rise no higher in their joy and gladnesse then the possession of their desirable good things This is the first Rise Second Ground Return of Prayer A Second Rise of Thankfulnesse is The Return of Prayer The children of God when they have pray'd do not forget their prayers as carnal people do but when they have prayed they look after their Prayers Psal 85.8 I will hearken what God the Lord will speak c. when he had done praying he begins hearkning And so again In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee Psal 5.3 and I will look up A childe of God looks after his prayers and he knows them when he sees them again and says Oh here comes the answer of such a prayer the return of such a day of Humiliation and this affects his heart and this raiseth up his soul in the love and praises of God Psal 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplication Yea and for this he calls in help to this great work of praising God as the disciples beckoned to their fellows to come and help them when they had taken such a great draught of fishes that their ship began to sink again so I say the Psalmist upon a great draught of mercles which even sinks him again with the weight of them calls in the Saints to his help Come neer all ye that fear God Psal 66.16 and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul Why what was it He tells you I cried unto him with my mouth Vers 17. and he was extolled with my tongue A speedie return of Prayer q.d. I kept a day of prayer wherein I sought him for such ahd such mercies and desiverances and anon after he gave me occasion to keep a day of Thanksgiving for being found of me and this endears his heart to God more then the mercy it self whatever it was Blessed be God that hath not turned away my prayer Vers 20. nor his mercie from me This is the second Rise A third Rise or Ground of Thankfulnesse whereby it differs from meer natural Gladnesse A third Ground Spiritual advantages is Spiritual Advantages If National and Publike Mercies and Deliverances the Saints eye the Spiritual part of them Surely salvation is nigh unto them that fear him Psal 85.9 When we were nigh to perishing our God was nigh to save to save us in such a Battel and in such a danger to give up such and such a strong-hold out of which the enemies did vex and plague us because he had a people among us that feared his Name I but now there was a Spiritual part in this Deliverance and that follows That glory may dwell in our Land What is the glory of a people but the Ordinances of God The glory is departed from Israel cried that dying Saint when the Ark of God was taken 1 Sam 4.12 why so now the Church looks upon the socuritie and improvement of the Ordinances of God as the fruit of this deliverance and that is the ground of her triumph And so if they be personal mercies and deliverances the people of God enquire what portion will fall to the souls share what improvement for grace they can finde in their mercies The living the living shall praise thee as I do this day so sings Hezekiah Have mercie upon me Isa 38.19 O Lord consider my trouble which I suffer Psal 9.13 c. That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Sion so prays David both single out the Spiritual part of the Deliverance in the mouth of it they finde food for the grace of Thankfulnesse to feed on That I may shew forth thy praises and that they make the ground or rise of their rejoycing Yea the Prophet David is so intent upon the matter that whereas with carnal hearts the lean kine eat up the fat the earthly part of a mercy devours the heavenly and spiritual with this man after Gods own heart and if ever he was so it was in this the spiritual part devours and swallows up the earthly where he doth encourage his soul Psal 42.1 Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him c. He was waiting for a Deliverance from the persecutions of bloody Saul and he hath forgot and lost both it and himself in the heavenly-soul-part of the mercy he saw it would be fuel for the grace of love and thank fulnesse and that so takes up all his thoughts that he can speak nothing else but praise praise not I shall yet be delivered but I shall yet praise him c. Oh happie Losse indeed I to lose Earth in Heaven I to lose the Creature in God I lose the mercy of God in the God of mercy I Surely he that so loseth a mercy findes it with infinite advantage I might instance in more particular graces but I must leave much to your own enlargement But there is yet an higher Rise then all these of the Saints Thankfulnesse for Mercies and Deliverances and that Fourthly is that God is exalted The fourth Rise Gods exaltation Exod. 15. Thus if you will peruse that song of Moses Exod. 15 from the first Verse and so forward you shall finde that which most affects him and the children of Israel in the drowning of Pharroh and the Egyptians in the Red-sea was not so much their being freed from the fear of the Egyptians pursuit as that thereby God was exalted I will sing unto the Lord Vers 1. for He hath triumphed gloriously The Lord is my strength and my song my fathers God Vers 2.

have shewed * Vide pag. 8. before He will ever be mindful of his Covenant and therefore the sutablest Return that we can make is the making good our Covenant to God the payment of our Vows to him Thy vows are upon me Psal 56.12 I will render praises eo thee Sixthly in Believing Sixthly in believing Let God deliver a thankful heart and it will trust him another time And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians Exod. 14.31 and the people believed the Lord and his servant Moses that was a thankful Return indeed a people or person cannot more honour God then by believing on him Abrabam was strong in faith Rom. 4.20 giving glory to God God did this great work upon the Egyptians on purpose that they might believe him ever after The Psalmist observe it Thou breakest the heads of the Dragons in the Waters Psal 74.14 Thou brakest the head of the Leviathan in pieces Who was that Leviathan who were these Dragons Surely none other but Pharaoh and his Armie as huge as the Leviathan as fierce as Dragons Oh they had stings in their heads I but God brake their heads and quencht their stings in the waters To what end Thou gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting in the wildernesse What did the Israelites powder up the carcases of these Leviathans and Dragons the Egyptians to serve them for Victuals while they kept Lent in the Wildernesse No he gave them to be meat not food for their bodies but food for their faith that as long as they should travel in the wildernesse where they should meet with innumerable multitudes of nonplussing oppositions and dangers they might remember the Dragons and the Leviathan as David after did the Lion and the Bear and their faith might be strengthned when it had fed well on the remembrance of that wonder of salvation And so it was for the present Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and they believed the Lord and his servant Moses a blessed frame of heart and fruit of Thankfulnesse would it have held but there was their folly and unthankfulnesse they would not feed upon this experience and it became their sin and their ruine in the wildernesse How long will this people provoke me Numb 14.11 how long will it be ere they believe me for all the signes which I have shewed them in the wildernesse In this Wildernesse they shall wander Verse 33. and there they shall die But to proceed Seventhly in ordering the conversation Psal 50. ult A Seventh operation of Thankfulnesse is A well-ordering of the Conversation He that offereth me praise glorifieth me but to him that ordereth his conversation aright c. It is a kinde of honour done to God to keep a day of Thanksgiving to hear two Sermons to sing Psalms to pray and praise c. but the main work is the ordering of the Conversation or as the Hebrew signifies disposing of ones way aright Thankful lips do well but thankful lives do better A day of thanksgiving is somwhat but a life of thanksgiving is all Eighthly in desires that others would praise God Eighthy a thankful heart is fill'd with enlarged desires that others that all would be thankful The holy Psalmist here cries out to all that receive mercies that they would return praise● c. He observeth how much men take in from God and how little men lay out for God and is troubled at it He cries out as a man in pain and grief of spirit Oh that men would praise the Lord He would not willingly have God be a loser by any of the wonders he doth for the children of men and surely this an high expression of Thankfulnesse when the heart travels with holy desires that all the world might come in and be tributary to the glory of God it is the designe of the 148 Psalm thorowout the thankful Psalmist engageth heaven and earth Angels and men the whole Creation to come in and help him keep a day of Thanksgiving A gracious heart doth not think it enough to praise God alone though it would be praising God were there none in heaven or earth to bear it company To that end Ninthly Ninthly in talking of Gods works sal P. 145. 10 11 12. a thankful heart delights to be talking of the wonderful works of God Thy Saints shall blesse thee they shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom and talk of thy power to make known to the sons of men thy mighty acts And the Psalmist doth not intend to binde this burden upon others that he might might withdraw his own shoulders no he looks upon it as a priviledge as well as a dutie and therefore engageth himself I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majestie Verse 5. and of thy wondrous works A gracious heart delights to be spreading and publishing of the wonderful works of God repeating and reckoning up all his loving kindnesses I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord and the praises of the Lord Isa 63.7 according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on me and the great goodnesse rewards the house of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses so sings the Church Isa 63.7 And this the Saints do to the end that they may not onely provoke one another to set forth his praises but that they may render their God glorious to all the world and propagate and perpetuate the memory of his wonderful works to all generations One generation shall praise thy works to another and shall declare thy mightie acts that is one generation shall make over the report and memorial of the glorious cts of God unto another that so he may have the glory of what he doth in one age in all the succeeding ages and generations of the Church to the end of the world Psal 78.5 This was the testimonie which the Lord established in Jacob and the Law which he appointed in Israel That they should make known to their children the strength and the wonderful works which God hath done to what end That the generation to come might know them Verse 6. even the children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their children c. according to this Law your may finde them acting Vers 2 3 4. Verse 2. I will open my mouth I will utter darksayings of old Verse 3. Which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us Verse 4. We will not hide them from their children shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done They had received the memorial of the wonders of God from their fathers and they will hand it down to their children that the wonders of God might be