O Lord how great is thy workes and thy thoughts are very deepe Oh Sins against Gods bonignity Not remembring Presuming Despising Sins against his workes Not to acknowledge be it farre from vs to be guiltie of that complained of Psal 106.7 Not to remember the multitude of his mercies or that in Deut. 29.19 to presume to sinne through sawcie confidence in his mercy or that in Rom. 2.4 To despise the riches of his goodnesse or that in Psal 92.6 To be so bruitish as not to acknowledge his workes and so foolish as not to discerne the same or that in Psa 28.5 Not to regard his workes Not to regard Sins against himselfe or that in Psa 95.9 To prouoke and tempt him though wee haue seene his glorious workes or that in Psal 10.4 5 13. Not to seek Not to thinke To be so proud as not to seek God as not to haue him in our thoughts as to thinke his wayes alway grieuous vnto vs To contemn as euen to contemne him O farre be these from vs and as it is said Iob 21.16 Farre bee the counsell of all such from vs. Himselfe To praise himselfe whom as Psal 65.1 praise waiteth on in Sion himselfe who is as Psa 18.3 most worthy to be praised himselfe who Ps 22.3 inhabiteth the praises of Israel himselfe whose praises Psal 78.4 the godly doe shew to their posteritie himselfe to whom Psalme 147.1 it is good and pleasant and comely to sing praises himselfe who Psalme 145.3 is great and greatly to bee praised himselfe who Deut. 10.21 is our God and our praise and glory Him euen him let vs praise worthily To prayse him worthily is To exalt him which in one word is to exalt him let vs so praise him as we exalt him not our selues but our God for as Mat. 23.12 Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe he shall be abased not Idols but the Lord for as Psa 97.7 Confounded be all they that serue and reioyce in and so exalt Idols No no but the Lord the Lord let vs exalt him alone let vs exhort others to exalt him Exhorting others as Psal 99.5 Exalt yee the Lord our God let vs in our selues exalt him saying Isa 25.1 Doing it our selues O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee and praise thy Name Patternes for thou hast done wonderfull things Let the progeny of the godly exalt him saying Exodus 15.2 The Lord is my strength and song he is become my saluation he is my God and he is my fathers God I will prepare him an habitation and I will exalt him thus praise the Lords owne selfe by exalting him Exalt him Exalt him set all vnder him in the congregation set all vnder him in the congregation cry Downe with Idols downe with Images down with mens deuices downe with Inuocation of Saints downe with worshipping of Angels and intertaine and exalt in the congregation of his people none but his owne ordinances his owne Word his owne Sacraments his owne Name his owne selfe Exalt him In the assembly of Elders set all vnder him in the assembly of Elders Bid them as Reu. 4.11 10. fall downe before him worship him and cast downe their crownes at his feet Bid them s 2.10 11. be wise and bee instructed to serue him with fear to reioyce before him with trembling Bid them as Psal 29.1 2. giue to him glory and strength and giue to him the glory due to his Name In the Family Exalt him set all vnder him in the Family Wiues children seruants in your duties feare the Lord looke vp vnto the Lord do all your seruice of subiection and obedience as vnto the Lord. Husbands fathers masters rule as vnder the Lord exalt him as your Master which is in heauen Exalt him Set him aboue all set him aboue all say as Psa 136.2 3. Thou art God of gods thou art Lord of lords say as Eph. 1.21 22. Thou O Lord art farre aboue all principalitie and power and might and dominion and euery Name that is named not onely in this world but in that also which is to come all things are vnder thy feet say as Gen. 14.19 Thou art the most High God the possessour of Heauen and Earth Thus exalt him Set most by him exalt him also in setting more by him then all saying as Ps 73.25 Whom haue I in heauen but thee and there is none in earth that I desire besides thee Exalt him in setting praises on him more then on all Set most praises on him saying O Lord I more delight in thee then in father or mother or wife or children or friends or goods or pleasures or lands yea as Psa 63.3 Thy louing kindnesse is better to me then life it selfe Thou art my portion my glory and song Exalt him Set apart chiefe place for him in setting apart a chiefe habitation for him to dwell in euen thy soule all trimmed as Isa 66.2 A lowly a poore a contrite spirit trembling at his Word Prefer place and meanes of his sernice Be at cost to serue him Exalt him in preferring a place and meanes for his seruice before all thine owne comforts as Dauid Psal 132. Exalt him in being at cost to serue him as the same royall person 2. Sam. 24.24 Exalt him in giuing him the best seruice of all Giue him best seruice that is as Rom. 12.1 thy body and thy whole selfe a liuing sacrifice holy Giue him best dish and acceptable vnto him Exalt him in giuing him the best dish euen as Prou. 23.26 with Psal 51.6 thy very heart abounding with sincerity and truth in all the inward parts thereof O that men would thus praise the Lord priuately publikely and worthily O that we had our minds heated inflamed by al this that hath bin said with holy zeale to tye our selues thus to confesse before the Lord his louing kindnes and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men thus to exalt him in the congregation and euery where thus to praise him also in the Assembly of the Elders But who is sufficient for this Angelicall duty How to come to the grace to prayse God thus Of our selues we haue not a thought towards it God is the owner and God is the giuer of it therefore that we may performe it to him we must first craue it at him saying with the Prophet Psal 51.15 O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise And lest wee deceiue our selues Proofes of such as doe prayse God thinking we be of the number of those that praise God rightly when indeed we be not we must note the proofes of such as doe praise him his benignitie and his workes soundly and examine our selues of them First If we haue this speciall grace to praise him then wee find in our selues Affecting of God that we so affect the Lord as we seeke we thirst
be seene and heard make a ioyfull noyse like the noyse of the Trumpets in the dayes of your triumphs Num. 10.9.10 of your gladnesse of your festiuall solemnities and of the times wherein you found speciall acceptation of your sacrifices and make this noyse vnto God Diuine thankesgiuing is to bee appropriate onely to Gods person Deny it to all creatures in heauen or earth deny it to false gods Psa 68.19 and giue it to the true euerliuing God the God of our saluation 90.17 our owne God euen the God that saueth vs and establisheth his grace in vs. All yee lands None of the vniuersall Church of God is exempt from praysing God high low Iew Gentile bond free male female hold not backe your praise from God hee holds not backe his benefits from you 65.19 but ladeth you daily with the same you haue 1. Cor. 4.7 or can haue nothing but what you receiue from him and that not for your merit but onely for his mercie which indureth for euer Sing forth the honour of his Name Verse 2. make his praise glorious True Thankesgiuing is such an action as cheerefully sets forth the glorie of Gods Name let not your thankes to God the most High ouer all in heauen and earth bee any abasing of his Maiestie but ascribe that to his great and fearefull Name which is honourable Psa 29.2 8. giue to him the glorie due to his Name let euery one that speakes of him speake of his glory confesse that his Name is aboue euery name in heauen Phil. 2.9 10 and earth confesse that at his Name euery knee should bow of things in heauen and in earth and things vnder the earth Pro. 18.10 Confesse that his Name is a strong Tower to all that trust in him Psal 8. confesse that his Name is wonderfull excellent in all the world confesse that his glorious Name is greater then all thankesgiuing Neh. 9.5 and praise let the desires of your soule be to the praise of his holy Name Also Make his praise glorious Diuine thankfulnesse makes Gods praise glorious glorious to the hearing and vnderstanding of men though it can supply no defect of glory to God for his glory is alwayes infinite and absolute lessen not his praise praise him not basely giue not his praise to any other so praise him Ps 108.1 2 as becommeth him let your hearts bee prepared and your tongues awaked to vtter forth the greatest praise you can of Gods Highnesse Say yee Vers 3. Thankesgiuing is to bee performed with speaking bee not silent from this dutie auoyd that silence as great disobedience neither can you excuse it by pleading ignorance here you are taught what to say Hee that requireth your thanksgiuing teacheth you what you should speake in the same hee that commandeth to make his praise glorious sheweth how you should make it glorious of his goodnesse hee findeth you heart mouth tongue words and all that to neglect this dutie you should haue no excuse at all Say yee vnto God In praising God that must onely be said of him which may with a good conscience be said euen to him Vse not the Lord as you doe men to say one thing behind his backe and another afore his face for you can neuer bee but in his sight neuer thinke a thought but hee vnderstands it neuer speake a word but hee knowes it therefore say yee things glorious of him and say ye the same vnto him Shew that his benefits his Name his glory and his praise doe so affect you as you cannot but like a gratefull man to a most beneficiall friend meet the Lord your God in your meditations and breaking out into zealous praises of his bountie speake and say euen vnto himselfe that which may best testifie how desirous you are to shew your best thankefulnesse for all his louing kindnesse hence say yee vnto God How terrible or reuerend art thou in thy workes To the high setting forth of Gods praise is required a feeling confession of his most reuerend dealing in euery action Beware you want not the consideration that should bring this confession they are neere destruction Psa 28.5 Isa 5.12 and the sound of great woe is to them that regard not the worke of the Lord and consider not the operation of his hands Hos 14.9 Ps 107.43 Doe you otherwise bee you wise to vnderstand the wayes of God be you carefull to obserue those things in Gods administration which may teach you this feeling confession that you may say vnto him with admiration Psa 8.1 How excellent O Lord is thy Name in all the earth 92.7 How great and glorious are thy workes And how innumerable is the number of them 104.24 How vnsearchable are thy iudgements Exo. 15.11 Who is like to thee O Lord among the gods So glorious in holinesse fearefull in prayses and doing wonders Thou so rulest in the Armies of Heauen aboue Dan. 4.32 and so workest in the Inhabitants of the earth below as to thee wee alwayes say How reuerend and fearefull art thou in thy workes the like whereof none can doe Through the greatnesse of thy power It is a principall point in the praising of God to ascribe the glory of victory to his power onely say not Our own arme shall saue vs our Idols haue saued vs our Horses and Chariots shall saue vs but euer say vnto God in euery victory Thou O God Psa 76.4 art more glorious and excellent then the highest helpes 115.1 onely at thy rebuke both the Horse and Chariot are cast asleepe Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but to thy Name we giue the glory Thou euen thou alone by the greatnesse of thy power hast gotten thy selfe the victory and through this power Shall thine enemies submit themselues vnto thee though dissemblingly When wee see Gods enemies driuen for feare to dissemble Religion and not to dare to withstand the defendours and Ministers of Christs Kingdome wee should admire and acknowledge Gods mighty power therin say not This is through mans policie say not This is for feare of mans power but confesse and say Behold the mightie power of God through the greatnesse of thy power Ezra 6. Heathenish Darius submitted himselfe vnto thee and forwarded the building of thy Temple through the greatnesse of thy power Dan. q. 37. great Nebuchadnezzar submitted himselfe vnto thee and extolled and praysed and honoured thee the King of Heauen through the greatnesse of thy power hard-hearted Pharaoh submitted himselfe to thee Exo. 12.31 to let thine Israel goe So still shall thine enemies and the enemies of thy Christ submit themselues vnto thy Maiestie Thine enemies All are not true friends to the Gospel that vnder Christian Kings and in the Churches prosperitie professe the Gospel Through the greatnesse of thy power O God some are thy enemies and therefore not to be trusted by
patience thou shalt receiue the promise remember that many are the troubles of the righteous Psal 34.19 remember that yet a little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry Onely see thou bee not the cause of thine owne affliction as wicked sinners are as companions of the wicked are Pro. 13.20 1. Cor. 11.30 Ps 107.17 and as carelesse Christians are for then thou art a foole then thy best comfort in thine affliction is to repent of thy transgression Ier. 17.16 and to craue pardon Againe see that thou desire not affliction for though God please to send it he will cause it to worke to thy best Rom. 8.28 yet if thou wilfully desire it hee may leaue thee to thy selfe and so thou wilt peruert it to thy worst it shewes faith and obedience wisely to beare it but shewes arrogancy and vaine confidence to desire it Also maruell not that God exerciseth his children oft times with sore affliction when they would faine be in liberty and freedome for it is his will and who should haue their will the Father or the Child Parents ought to shew and mainetaine their owne right will against the childs wicked or wanton will yea though the child doe pet at it and bee sicke at it c. Otherwise as lamentable experience shewes the childs wills fulfilling is the parents shame smart paine and vndoing Now our heauenly Father whose will is most holy and who knoweth that his childrens willed liberty and wished freedome would bee many times abused to his dishonour therefore chuseth rather to his glory and their good to crosse their indiscreet and childish will in denying them ease and freedome to do his owne will in exercising them with sore affliction Isa 30.18 O behold his goodnesse and wisedome herein for all this is that he may haue the fittest occasion to be gracious vnto vs this he euen waiteth for and this these holy ones so experienced as they haue left a worthy confession of it saying But at length thou broughtest vs into a wealthy place After God hath tryed his children by affliction Psal 103.9 hee bringeth them out into the wayes of consolation hee afflicteth them hee childeth them hee is angry with them hee bringeth them into the Net hee abaseth them hee commits them to the fire he casts them into the water he doth try them by affliction but not alwayes Oh afflicted Christian be patient though the Rod of the wicked come vpon thee Psal 125.25 it shall not rest vpon thee be content though thou be in trouble thy trouble shall not last euer bee cheerefull though thou be in pouerty in debt in misery thou shalt come out bee of comfort though it be long Pro. 23.18 yet there will bee an end and thy hope shall not bee cut off bee thankefull and waite still on God and let thy Soule keepe silence vnto him For after he hath tryed his Children by affliction he bringeth them into the wayes of consolation hee his owne selfe doth it hee brought Israel out of Egypt Exo. 20.2 Acts 7.10 Ioseph out of Prison Dauid out of all his troubles these out of the Net out of the Fire out of the Water and he his owne selfe brings all his Children out of their affliction O thou good Christian whom God hath brought into any grieuous condition Psal 123.2 euen as the eyes of the Seruant looke to receiue helpe from the hand of his owne Master and as the eyes of the Maiden are lifted vp to the hand of her owne Mistresse So lift vp thine eyes and expect deliuerance from Gods owne selfe hee himselfe hath wounded thee and he himselfe will heale thee he himselfe hath cast thee downe and he himselfe will raise thee vp Thou shalt not neede to cry to any Creatures in Heauen or in Earth Oh who will helpe mee Who will heale mee Who will comfort me Who will deliuer me for hee Himselfe will do it as in afflicting thee hee giues not his Authority to another so in releasing thee he will not giue his glory to another Reioyce in the Net he hath brought thee into reioyce in the affliction he hath laid vpon thy loynes reioyce in the riding of men ouer thine head reioyce in the fire ready to burne thee and in the water ready to drowne thee for he himselfe will bring thee out euen he to whose helpe thou maist most confidently trust Vaine is the helpe of Man Psal 60.11 but hee is a sure Helper he is a sure deliuerer he is a sure comforter his power is a sure power his willingnesse is a sure willingnesse his promise is a sure promise his mercies are sure mercies Isa 55.3 they shall not be ashamed that waite on him they shal not be forsaken that seek him he wil neuer faile them that trust in him but after for his owne glory and their good he hath tryed them some while by affliction he will in due time euen in due time bring thē out into consolation O Christian though yet thou bee chastened euery morning do not say Psa 73.13 I haue washed mine hands in Innocency and clensed mine heart in vaine do not not say The Lord hath forgotten to be merciful do not say 116.11 They that prophecy of future comfort vnto thee are Lyers do not say thy way is hidden from the Lord Isa 40.27 doe not say thy Iudgement is passed ouer of thy God Psal 97.11 but beleeue that light is sowne for the Righteous and gladnesse for the vpright in heart and in due season such shall reape a pleasant crop Psa 30.5 11. beleeue that at length he will turne thy mourning into reioycing and thine heauinesse into gladnesse though weeping indure all the night yet ioyes shal come in the morning 126.5 6. Though thou dost now sow in teares yet hereafter thou shalt reape in comfort he will bring thee out of borrowing into the ability for lending out of present misery into permanent felicity out of a poore sicke desolate and dolefull case into a delightfull and wealthy inclosure And when this is not according to thy expectation in Earth remember the infinit and endlesse Consolation prepared and reserued for thee in Heauen 16.9 11. and let thine heart be glad and thy glory reioyce and thy flesh rest in hope of that fulnesse of ioy and of those pleasures at his right hand for euermore I will goe into thine house with burnt Offerings Vers 13. God deliuering his people out of affliction moues some in particular to greater zeale of the duties of Religion Oh see the contrariety of some in affliction they seeme full of Deuotion but no sooner deliuered they returne againe to their vaine conuersation these are euen such as God saith Ier. 2.30 receiue no correction they are such as haue not vpright hearts with him Psal 78.37 Isa 1.5 Hos 4.14 they are