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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11603	Sermons experimentall: on Psalmes CXVI. & CXVII. Very vsefull for a vvounded spirit. By William Sclater D.D. sometimes rector of Limsham, and vicar of Pitmister, in Summerset-shire. Published by his son William Sclater Mr. of Arts, late fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge, now a priest, and preacher of the Gospel in the city of Exeter, in Devon-shire.	Sclater, William, 1575-1626.; Sclater, William, 1609-1661.	1638 (1638)	STC 21844; ESTC S116824	112,358	217

will and unfained desire or strenuous endeavour Rom. 7.18 but meerly from defect of ability Evidences of it you may thus number First Notes of sincerity When it is according to all Gods Commandments Luke 1.6 that there is not a duty nor parcell of duty which wittingly and willingly a man omits see also Psal 119.6 Understand it thus First As farre as knowledge and illumination goes and opportunities are offered for their performance the whole of mans duty Paul Tit. 2. hath referred to three generall heads First Purity Secondly Justice Thirdly Sobriety In one of these all hypocrites have failed in all of these Gods children are found upright Secondly Constancie in Gods service without defection accompanies sincerity Psal 119.33 It is not the hypocrites flashes Matth. 13.21 be they never so eager and fervent that forms our services to sincerity Iehu drives in fury Better the slow pace so we keep going in the right way and sooner we come to our heaven yet pardon we must all pray for interruptions in courses of obedience as Peter David and for our standings at a stay for abatements of our fervour when the temper of the Angel of Ephesus shall as not seldome light on us Rev. 2.3 Thirdly The contentment and chearfulnesse and * See 1 Chron. 28.9 Ephes 6.7 Isa 58.13.14 willingnesse we finde in doing God service specially is remarkable Psal 40.8 I am content to do thy will O Lord saith David glad of occasion to do God service Oh that my heart were made so direct Ps 119. whereas it is a wearinesse to the hypocrite Mal. 1.13 Movites hereunto First Weak services sincerely performed have acceptance with God more then the more glorious that are done in hypocrisie Pro. 15.8 Secondly Defects are winked at Lord how many while in the main the heart is upright see in Asa and I●hoshaphat c. Thirdly The reward certain The Mean remains Before God Meditation of Gods Omnipresence see Ps 139. Heb. 4.12 1. Chr. 28.9 To ignorance or unbeleef or inconsideration of this principle we may impute hypocrisie all evills see Ps 10.11 and 73.11 and 94.7 Thus for confirmation of our judgements in that principle First Let us consider Gods effects in his creatures he hath given us eyes to see ears to hear hearts to understand and can we then suppose himself void of that faculty see Ps 49.9 Secondly We are his workmanship our thoughts and motions of our hearts are for the substance of them his operations the ill application is from us the draught is from God Thirdly His word in our mouthes searcheth to the discerning of the thoughts Heb. 4.12 and this me thinks should make an Athiest say God is in us of a truth see 1 Cor. 14.25 Fourthly Our conscience hath this power 1 Ioh. 3.20 How much more God who is greater then our hearts c. Lord Thou hast dealt graciously with thy servants and magnified thy mercy to us in this kingdome pardon we pray thee our unthankfulnesse stirre up our hearts to more diligence in thy service lest we provoke thee to make us spectacles of thy wrath as thou hast hitherto graciously made us of thy mercy And Lord purge our hearts of the leaven of hypocrisie that in singlenesse of heart we may serve thee To this end cause us alwayes to consider that we are in thy presence to whose eyes all things are naked and uncovered Hear us we beseech thee and answer us for thy Sonne our Saviours sake Jesus Christ Amen VERSE X. I beleeved therfore have I spoken I was greatly afflicted COnnexion this Why all this Answ I beleeved therefore have I spoken the sense see 2 Cor. 4.13 The particulars are 1. His Act. 2. The issue or fruit of that Act. In the Act again we consider 1. What it is to beleeve 2. What it was that David here now beleeved For the first First There is doubting that is when a man hangs in aequilibrio in even poyse betwixt both parts of the Contradiction as suppose the question were Whether Adam fell immediately upon his Creation Secondly There is suspition that is When a man hath some inclination to beleeve the thing to be true meerely out of the possibility of the thing to be as suppose the question were Whether Christ should have been incarnate if man had never fallen Thirdly There is opinion that is when a man hath some probabilities inducing him to beleeve the thing propounded to be true as if the question were Whether we shall know each other in heaven Fourthly There is Science when a man upon certain demonstrative proofs assents as upon certainty to the Trueth of the thing propounded suppose the question to be Whether there be a God whether this God be one Fiftly There is Fides when a man firmly assents to the trueth of the proposition not for argument probable or demonstrative but for the authority of the Testis or witnesse that doth speak it as for example Whether God be One and Three There can be no argument a priori brought to demonstrate it onely because God testifies it to be so Who best knows himself and the divers manners of existance Now firmly to assent to this Article is an Act of Faith What was it that David professeth here to beleeve Answ It was That he should walk before God in the land of the living The quaere is Whence was this Testimony Answ It might be that he had as * Isa 38. Hezekiah his word from God that hee should live to raign over Israel notwithstanding all the oppositions of Saul Nay questionlesse it is true he had from Samuels mouth such assurance that he should raign over Israel 1. Sam. 16.12 Secondly There is a Two-fold Testimony of God First One is Verball Secondly Another is Reall as for example When the Apostles preached Christ to the Gentiles they testified it was he whom God had appointed to be Saviour of the World this was a Verball Testimony Secondly But God confirmed this word by miracles by signes and wonders This was a Reall Testimony Heb. 2.4 But whereto serveth all this Answ It is well if from this you understand the nature of Faith wherein who almost erres not not every perswasion or firm assent to a thing as true is divine Faith Saint Paul saith of himself before his Conversion Act. 26.9 he thought and was perswaded he might do many things against the Name of Iesus according to that of our Saviour * Ioh. 16.2 They that kill you shall think they do God good service And who makes question but these all were lead by a word of God sounding to their apprehension such as carryed away their Conclusion cleare I am perswaded it is true there is many a Papist in this Kingdom thinks truly and is throughly perswaded that all the errors of the Trent Councill are Gods Trueth and they are not all so sottish but they see Texts of Scripture alledged to that end And what can you think of

according to our gracious abilities by way of thankfulnesse we tender unto him so Peter 1 Pet. 2.5 Acceptable to God through Iesus Christ As First The ordering of our conversation aright Psal 50.23 When we so live as God in us may be glorified Mat. 5.16 Secondly When in our Callings particular we seek the advancement of Gods glory as Paul 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Thirdly Speciall occasions oft fall out when it becomes our lot to stand up for the support of Gods glory perhaps with hazard of state or life as in Hesters case Host 4.16 If I perish I perish These God interprets and accepts as thankfull rendrings and retaliations to his bounty Wherein how answerable we have been to the favours God hath bestowed upon us and their measures if I should hold my peace the stones would speak What Nation under the Sunne hath been able to compare with us in all favours that God hath done us as the Lord speaks to * Deut. 3. Israel and considering the measures and continuance of the blessings we have been as peerles in ingraditude turning the grace of God into wantonnesse increasing our rebellions as God hath his blessings upon us I could wish we could see the prefermēts we have had above many our neighbours in the measure of the means of salvation and the continuance of them the issues whereof except in point of knowledge and that but in a few hath been no great increase of our obedience but that in justice and charity and mercy many ignorants have gone before us Do we thus requite the Lord This let us rest assured of generally for our kingdome The Lord who hath made his mercies marvellous towards us will make his plagues as wonderfull that we may be a by-word Deut. 28. And at the last day it will be true of us that Christ speaks of unthankfull cities Mat. 11. The state of heathen shall be more tollerable then ours The Stile here given to Thanksgiving It is a Sacrifice Metaphorically ye must understand and by Allusion so called because all those Sacrifices offered in the old Leviticall Law did type out this same thanksgiving all Ceremonies of the old Testament as Gratian tells us having in them to be considered both superficies and Moralis intelligentia as the thing which should succeed in room or stead thereof in which respect our * Rom 12.1 bodies our * Phil 4.18 goods our thanks are called Sacrifices The fruit of our lips Heb. 13.15 Hos 14.2 Or else secondly Because in esteem with God more then al sacrifices of bullocks or rams as Psal 50.8 9. which also perhaps makes David chuse it as the speciall evidence expressing his serviceablenesse to God Lo here then the excellencie of thankfulnesse farre above all sacrifices or other services we perform unto God see Psa 50.23 He honoureth me comparatively understand it more then he who brings the fat of rams or ten thousand rivers of oyl Mic. 6. Lord that we could set our selves to it sure it is the service of heaven wherein Angels and * See Isa 6. Apoc. 6. Saints are imployed and they who rightly perform it as Saint Paul speaks Phil. 3.20 Have already their conversation in heaven At this time especially it is necessary when we come to receive the pledges of Gods love and goodnesse in our Redemption whereupon the whole action hath the name of Eucharist and in which respect the Fathers called it a sacrifice and the Table from which they offered it in a spirituall sense an Altar wherefore the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was by them also stiled Sacramentum Altaris These are helps available thereto First See our portion or sharing in the blessing that we may be able to say as Paul every of us Christ loved * Gal. 2.20 me and gave himself for me it is lip-labour that without this is performed in respect of Redemption Thus discern it First Redeemed from vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Secondly Setting our selves apart to serve God in righteousnesse and true holinesse Luke 1.74 Thirdly Zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 wherein we may bring glory to God Fourthly Permitting our Redeemer to dispose of us to his glory whether by life or death out of this ground That we are not our own 1 Cor. 6.20 Second particular wherein David meant to expresse his service to God is Invocation Calling upon him onely in case of necessity That this is an honour and service due to God Scriptures are evident insomuch that Tropically it is put for the whole service of God as 1 Cor. 1.2 and 2 Tim. 2.19 And consider what honour it gives him you will easily acknowledge it First Thereby we acknowledge him to be Giver of all good things see Iam. 1.17 and that but from him we can expect nothing that is good Secondly Of power in that therein we acknowledge him able to do above all that we can ask or think Ephes 3.20 Thirdly Of love to man no lesse then fatherly Matth. 7.11 wherein the Lord so glories that he hath given it a speciall Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.4 Fourthly Of mercie and compassion wherein the Lord so glories as in no one of his Attributes see 2 Cor. 1.3 The Father of mercie● and God of all consolation Fiftly Of Dominion and Lordship absolute and independant for whilest we pray God for all we have need of what do we but acknowledge him to have in himself absolute power to give or not to give farther then by his promise he hath pleased to make himself our debtour Sixtly Of his truth supposing his Pactum his Covenant and promise that he hath passed to us wherefore also ye see it often acknowledged as inducement to grant see Neh. 1. Dan. 9. All this shews abundantly that it is a service due to God To all these might be added also that hereby God is himself acknowledged as the alone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knower of the heart Now whether in propriety and incommunicably is now grown matter of question Conceive thus whether no creature Saint nor Angel may participate with him in it in any degree Thus farre goes consent That nor Saint nor Angel may be prayed unto as Authours or Givers either of * Psal 84.11 grace or glory because the things we need exceed the power of all creatures to give To which also the Papists themselves adde consent of the whole Church that nor Saint nor Angel is to be invocated as Authour of the blessings How then are they interessed in this honour Answ As mediatours of impetration or obtaining the good things we have need of and yet not as principall Intercessors but as such as by Christ and his intercession commend our suits unto God Wherein you must understand they palliate onely that horrible Idolatry they practise in Invocation of Saints for whoso looketh to the forme of their prayers shall finde that they pray to them as Lords of the gifts Secondly That they send them not to

carefull to seek God in likelihood such as would have made better use of his mercies as Matth. 11.21 These are grounds of this holy Rhetorique which if by your selves you will work upon by meditation Trust me no more if ye finde them not such as will sweeten Gods favours towards you Reasons pressing the performance meditate these First Nothing sooner stops the fountain and current of Gods bounty then doth unthankfulnes this hazards to an utter deprivall as Rom. 1.21 Secondly Or else the blessing shall be scanted in the measure as to the Jews Amos 8.11 Thirdly or else the blessing continued shall turn to a curse and snare unto thee as riches reserved for hurt Eccles 5.13 The word to harden Isa 6.10 knowledge to aggravate sinne and punishment Ioh. 9.41 Secondly according to the measure of bounty and favour contemned or slighted so usually is the measure of wrath in the day of visitation Matth. 11.23 Jews highliest advanced in Gods favours Never did Nation under the sunne drink deeper of his wrath see Deuter. 28. Levit. 26. And my feet from falling Whether means he into penall misery and mischief or into sinne There is Lapsus moralis as 1 Cor. 10.12 Erre I or would David here be understood of sinning so Psal 73.2 My feet were almost gone my steps had wel-nigh slipt And if I be not deceived the cariage of the Text swayeth to such understanding rising still from the lesse to the greater First It is more bounty to be kept from grief then from death for there is a greater enlargement from misery but it is not more bounty to be kept from the sense of affliction then to be kept from death which is the greatest of temporall evills but it is more bounty in a gracious eye to be kept from sinne then from death Secondly How his eyes from tears If not kept from sinne That had sure cost him many a tear as Peter Matth. 26.75 But understand it De lapsu morali so still riseth the gradation to enlarge Gods bounty yea which I count the greatest blessing in these afflictions he kept me steady in my course of piety and suffered not afflictions to sway my heart from him still in a gracious eye the benefit seems greater to be delivered from sinning then from greatest outward affliction that is the reason Saint Paul Rom. 8.37 triumphs over all afflictions 2 Cor. 11. and 12. He counts them his glory his crown but speaking of the prevailing of corruption in particulars he bemoans himself as the miserablest man alive Rom. 7.24 The reason of this is for that rectitude of judgement is so farre vouchsafed that such men sanctified can discern twixt good and evill twixt evill and evill and in their eye Malum culpae is greater then Malum poenae The evill of sinne then the evill of pain For First That makes evill not this Puniri non est malum comparative scilicet sed fieri poena dignum Secondly In afflictions they know they may retain favour of God not so in sinning Thirdly That opposite to increated this to created goodnesse And besides this hahaving tasted the smart of sinne in the soul as who hath not that is Gods What affliction is comparable to that of an accusing conscience When may we hope to fasten this opinion in our multitude to think sinne greater then povertie then death then bonds c. The source of all sinnes is this in the people that in their sensuallity and Epicurisme they will redeem the least affliction with the greatest sinne Rather then want steal kill what not rather then loose life countrey liberty commit idolatry deny Christ rather then be counted odde or singular runne into any sinne of good-fellowship swear swagger drink and be drunken c. rather then feel a little sicknesse runne to sorcerer rather then a little losse in their goods to a Cunning-man a Witch that is saith Isa 8. from the living to the dead from God to the devill Oh that Christians had learned but what some heathens thought that to be vertuous is more happinesse then to have the wealth of Xerxes the pleasure of the Epicure the Dominions of Alexander the honour of the great Cyrus or Darius That it is more miserable to be vitiously inclined then to endure the poverty of Irus Learn I beseech you learn herein to reform and rectifie your judgements see Ioseph Gen. 39.9 How shall I commit this great wickednesse and sinne against God To this end meditate First The unavailablenesse of all outward benefits to stead us in the day of Gods wrath What then can be like to this Isa 38.3 I have walked before thee in the truth and uprightnesse of my heart Secondly What hazard thou makest of soul for fulfilling the lust of the body thou wilt be enclined to make Moses his choice Heb. 11.25 To suffer afflictions then to enjoy pleasures of sinne Thirdly How do we forget That for all these things the Lord shall bring us to judgement Eccles 11.9 Fourthly Fear him that can cast body and soul into hell Luke 12.5 c. Secondly Try we our selves by this I do not say all grace stands in this for I know a naturall mans judgement may be so farre cleared as to confesse it is greater evill to sinne then to be afflicted and yet it is something as Paul speaks * Phil. 1.10 To dis●ern the things that differ And surely He is not farre from the kingdome of God who hath his judgement thus farre rectified But First In whom judgement so farre works that when the least sinne is offered or a great affliction chuseth rather to be afflicted then to sinne against God he hath in him something supernaturall Secondly He that can more heartily thank God for this that he hath delivered from the power of sinne then from bodily calamities he hath in him something supernaturall Thirdly He whom this meditation calms in his pressure Well though God suffer me thus to be afflicted yet he hath delivered from the power of darknesse he hath kept me from sinning against him and in that meditation findes contentment that man hath in him something supernaturall And tell me thou that art so much discontented at the course of Gods providence in dispensing outward blessings To whether of the two thinkest thou is he most bountifull To thee whom he hath made rich in faith though poor in this world or to those Epicures and worldlings whose bellies he fils with his hid treasure yet suffers to live in dominion of the * 2 Tim. 2.26 Devill Lazarus or the Glutton Say not therefore Gods wayes are not equall even now thou mayest discern betwixt the righteous the unrighteous if thou knowest how to value blessing with blessing and to give the spirituall preheminence above the temporall My feet from falling Yet warily understand Not as if David had not at all sinned under his afflictions for see vers 11. his extravagancie in his passionate censures and story testifies

But because it is uncertain This rule walk by First Though simply if we compare state with state it is best to be with Christ for that is the end of our life there is perfection and consummation of holinesse there is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Yet secondly for thee whose service God hath use of on earth it is better to live on earth the yeers of Methuselah doing God service then to be whirried as Elias with chariots of Angels presently into heaven In heaven thou hast thine owne glory on earth thou promotest Gods glory and in the end findest a glorious reward proportioned to thy measures of doing service to God here upon earth What then may we say of them whom God hath taken away in the prime of their life as that peerlesse Iosiah amongst the posterity of David Answ What but what Saint Paul speaks of the Martyrs The world was not worthy of them that people unworthy of such a pearl a Prince so peerlesse as was Iosiah for now the Lord remembred the sinnes of Manasseh and the time of vengeance drew neer upon that rebellious and gainsaying people Secondly Or that God saw their weaknesse and some likelihood of their corruption therefore took them away by death as Henoch by transmutation Ne malitia mutaret intellectum Thirdly Or they had served their generation according to Gods will as is said of David Act. 13.36 therefore fell asleep or as our Saviour Had finished the work which God had assigned them to do and were therefore taken away unto glory Ioh. 17. they had finished their course and kept the faith and were now to receive their crown of their righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.7 8. And yet it is true while God gives ability and opportunity to do him service upon earth while he calls us to do him service upon earth while he hath use of our service of men upon earth it is his great blessing to reserve us to walk before him in the land of the living to be preferred in our choice before the hastening of our salvation and glory in the kingdome of heaven Blessed be thy glorious Name most glorious God Father Sonne and holy Ghost for all thy mercies for thy marvellous loving kindnesse shewen to me in a strange city in rescuing me from the gates of death and from the jaws of the grave in love delivering my soul from the pit of corruption preserving my life to walk before thee in the land of the living Lord God What shall I render unto thee for all thy benefits thou hast done unto me for this unspeakable mercy thou hast vouchsafed unto me It is little too little for so great a favour to praise thy power thy goodnesse thy grace thy mercy thy truth and my heart is too narrow to comprehend the heighth and depth of thy love to me in Christ Iesus even in this one favour vouchsafed unto me Lord enlarge my hea●t and ●ffectio●s fill it with love of thy Majestie zeal of thy glory Take up body and soul what ever I am or have to thine own use Behold Lord truly I am thy servant disi●ing to do thee service upon earth Lord accept my endeavours pardo● mine imperfections give more strength to perform Lord I am willing to do it yea my heart is ready Be pleased Lord to accept these calves of my lips this poor weak morning sacrifice of praise and thankesgiving which goeth not out of fained lips Lord thou knowest it accept it therefore for thy promise sake for thy mercy sake for the merits sake of sonne Iesus the Mediatour of all Grace and mercy to the sonnes of men To him with thee O Father of mercies O holy Spirit Comforter of the Church and chosen children be all honour and glory for this and all other thy mercies towards all Churches of thy Saints for ever and ever Amen That might here be annexed by all good means to cherish life that we may perform the service God expects from us Scripture points us to four causes or means of shortening life First Immoderate sorrow especially for things of this life Prov. 12.25 Heavinesse makes the heart sloope Prov. 15.13 By sorrow of heart the spirit is broken see 2 Cor. 7.10 Secondly Intemperance whether in diet or other luxurie which what tends it unto but the shortening of the dayes Plures gula quam gladias and it is that the Lord foretells to men given to the flesh Prov. 5.11 The flesh and bod● are consumed see Prov. 6.26 and 7.23 Thirdly To this adde those other grosse crimes for which God hath threatened untimely death the blood-thirsty and deceitfull live not out half their dayes either the sword of the Magistrate seizeth on them or else Gods immediate hand taketh them away as we see in Absalon Adonijah c. Fourthly immoderate pining of the body with immoderate fasting watching labour though never so religiously imployed see Col. 2.23 If we follow the second reading which perhaps is here implied it implies the promise or vow of David in thankfulnesse unto God for his marvellous deliverance vouchsafed unto him Wherein are three things considerable First The act Secondly The manner Thirdly The mean First The act is to walk or to serve God Secondly The manner in sincerity Thirdly The meane implyed in the Trope Before him But so see we the generall fruit of all Gods gracious deliverances vouchsafed us the duty we owe him in liew thereof that is to do him service in that rank or station whatsoever it is God hath placed us in so Zacharie speaking of the end of that great deliverance from spirituall enemie it is to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Luke 1.74 75. and Psal 50.15 23. hence Davids acknowledgement and protestation Psal 116.16 17 18. To fill up the meaning that must be weighed That the Lord expects in respect of speciall favours speciall service increase of our measures according to the measures of our abilities Ye must understand that there is upon all a generall obligation and duty of service that they owe unto God arising from benefits they enjoy in common with others as Creation Providence Redemption Word c. which bond yet by speciall favours grows more strait especially when they grow towards personall and we become after a sort proprietaries in them for example Israel had a bond of service as heathen from Creation and Providence but much more for the specialty of Gods favour in their deliverance from Aegypt wherefore that is prefixed as a reason of obedience to the Decalogue Exod. 20.2 in shewing his word unto Iacob his statutes and ordinances unto Israel so is the bond yet more increased Psal 147.20 Levi had yet more then Israel God had singled them out of all the Tribes of Israel to minister before him Num. 16.9 therefore he looked to be sanctified by them especially Levit. 10.3 wherefore see this a circumstance of aggravation upon Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.25 that he rendred not unto

from the great thraldome under the tyranny of Rome there be yet living who may remember it but scarce take notice of it in nature of a benefit What should I tell of the restoring of the purity of the Gospel in the dayes of Queen ELIZABETH The admirable victories of eighty eight The deliverance from Gunpowder-Treason Our long peace in the reign of King JAMES Our preservation from the pestilence c. They are year'd and day'd and therefore forgotten amongst us Take heed lest some worse thing happen not unto us In the dayes of King EDWARD God caused the light of his glorious Gospel to shine unto our fathers as under Iosiah to Israel it seems they knew not the price of that blessing therefore the Lord took him away from the evill to come and delivers us over to be a prey to our enemies What bloody cruelty what fierie triall afterward issued we are not I think so Lethargicall as to forget if ever the same prove our lot thank our selves for that we have so soon forgotten the great favours bestowed upon our Nation c. The third Branch of Thankfulnesse is publication of the favour of God with praise of the bounty therein shewed towards us This is that David calls praising the Lord that is not onely commemorating but setting out the excellencie of his favours bestowed upon us And this indeed is a speciall part of Thankfulnesse Therefore observe how Rhetoricall the Saints of God are in all circumstances of Amplification Sometimes admiring the riches of Gods favour as Ps 31.19 Oh how great is thy goodnesse see also Psal 8. Sometimes confessing they passe knowledge see Ephes 3.19 and 1 Cor. 2.9 Sometimes in a heap of Epithetes setting forth their excellencie as Eph. 2.4 Rich in mercie great love and 1 Tim. 1.14 The grace of God was exceeding abundant Sometimes comparing themselves with others of equall merit Psal 147.20 Sometimes considering their own demerits 1 Tim. 1.13 their little thought of the favour see Rom. 5.10 and Rom. 10.20 Opposite unto this Branch of Thankfulnesse are First Extenuating or lessening the favours God hath bestowed upon us and vilifying them as David speaks of Israel They * Psal 106.24 despised the pleasant land and as the instance is plain in the unthankfull Israelites what at first they admired Exo. 16. at last cryed out of as of a bread that dryed up their souls Secondly Accounting his blessings curses and his favours rather Tokens of his wrath and displeasure as Israel in their hunger and thirst Would God we had tarried in Egypt when we sate by the flesh-pots and had meat to the full and was it because there was no graves in Egypt that the Lord hath brought us out into this barren wildernesse And I wish we were not culpable of both these signes of unthankfulnesse Lord Who knows the power of thy wrath Psa 90.11 The price of thy blessing that sweet blessing of peace which David prayed for to Ierusalem Let peace be within thy walls and plenteousnesse within thy palaces and Psal 29.21 The Lord shall give unto his people the blessing of peace To sit every one under our own vine and every one under our own fig-tree Alas How hath it been vilified Nay How hath it been thought a curse to the land by earthly-minded men and warre one of the * Ezek. 14.21 sorest arrows of the Almighty wished for rather then peace Sure I cannot deny but mischiefs many have issued from peace as that of Moab Ier. 48. Our savour remains in us as stinking waters gather filth and putrefaction so occasionally peace Secondly Security and contempt of God as Laish dwelt * Iudg. 18.11 securely Thirdly Luxurie and intemperance the sinne of * Ezek. 16.49 Sodom through abundance of idlenesse But comes this from peace or from our abuse of peace Is it the native fruit of this gracious blessing of God or not rather grown upon us by accident through corruption of our filthy hearts So of the word of God and worship the prime of Gods outward favours insomuch that it bears the stile often of the * Matth. 13.11 kingdome of heaven yet who esteems it according to the worth of it Nay be there not that think it not even the scourge of the times never merry world since this preaching came up and generally how wanton are we grown the best of us that every man must have it suited in matter and manner to his own fancy some are for plainnesse some for nicety and novelty and nothing pleaseth but what is above the ordinary c. Well brethren time was when the word of God was * 1 Sam. 3.1 precious that was when it was rare Secondly Times may be God grant they approach not when we may again see Amos his * Amos 8.11 famine Time being to speak of other discontents at Gods favour and not onely vilifying of his blessings but murmuring at the hand which conferres them The Remedies of it are these First Consider the misery of the want of these blessings which we enjoy to the full till we nauseat again and our stomack recoils at them Secondly Weigh well how farre inferiour our merits are to the least of these favours of God Gen. 32.10 Thirdly See how many are behinde us if not in the substance yet in the measures of the blessings Lord Sirs we look to those above us that excite our envie would we cast our eyes downwards to those below us we should see and say the Lord had exceeded mercy towards us and that his love to us hath passed knowledge and comprehension The fourth Branch of Thankfulnesse is Compensation or Recompense Hath this place or passage twixt God and man Sure we have Gods complaint frequent for Non-retaliation as Deut. 32.6 Do ye thus requite the Lord and 2 Chron. 32.33 Hezekiah rendred not to the Lord according to the kindnesse done unto him There are three sorts of Retaliation First One equall or equivalent to the favours of God This no Papist dares avow possible to be yeelded from man to God Psal 16.2 Our well doing extend th not to God and What is it to him that we are righteous Iob 35. and I am lesse then the least of all thy mercies Gen. 32.10 Secondly Proportioned which in a sort they say is answerable to the favours God hath done us and not Ex pacto onely or by vertue of promise but something out of the native vertue and excellencie of the works done God is made amends for his favours yet it was wont to be said Finiti ad infinitum nulla est proportio all that we do or can do is but * Luke 17.10 duty yea as we do it not so much as duty Isa 64.6 And moreover of his own we give him It is he himself that works all our good works in us Isa 26.12 Thirdly yet there is which God is pleased to interpret and accept as rendrings from us even whatsoever