particular thing but enquiteth wherein he may make the best requitall and it appeareth that he did make that enquirie with a true intent to do any thing for though Haman thorow his ambition supposing that the honour should have beene done to himselfe advised the King to do more then was meet to be done to a subject yet the King commanded all to be done to Mordecai Though David was not permitted to build a temple for the Lord yet such was his desire to testifie his gratefull mind to God as he prepared what he could even with all his might for the building thereof Zacchous was so ravished with that favour and honour that Christ did him in comming to his house as in way of gratefulnesse He giveth halfe of his goods to the poore and promiseth to restore fourefold to all whom he had wronged Gratefulnesse so enamoureth the soule of a man as it makes him thinke that he can never doe enough and therefore he is ready to do any thing that he may and can do It will not suffer a man to hold any thing too deare for him on whō his thankfull mind is set especially when such a mind is set on God who every way infinitely surpasseth us who is so absolutely perfect in himselfe as he needeth nothing that we have or can do nor can receive any thing but that which is his owne yet daily ladeth with all manner of blessings us who are lesse then any of his mercies most unworthy of the least Who then would not willingly and gladly have what he might render to the Lord his God Behold here the most ready way that possibly can be prescribed to bring men to endeavour with the uttermost of their power in all things to please the Lord. Worke in them such an apprehension a sense of Gods kindnesse to them as their hearts may be stirred up to thankfulnesse Then nor hope of reward nor fear of revenge can so incite or quicken them up to any duty as their owne gratefull disposition An ingenuous and generous mind as every gratefull mind is will do much more in thankfulnes for a kindnesse done then in expectation of a kindnesse to come Perswade men therefore of the goodnesse and kindnesse that God hath done for them as you desire that they should be willing ready and forward to do any duty to God §. 79. Of a third property of right thanksgiving to render it to God III. TRue gratefulnesse hath especiall relation to the Lord. A man that is well instructed in the right forme and due manner of thanksgiving will especially returne all thanks to God whether it be for such benefits as come immediately from himselfe as all those extraordinary benefits whereof any that tooke due notice might say This is the finger of God or This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes For such as these Moses and the men of Israel Miriam and the women of Israel gave solemne thanks to God or those ordinary benefits to the conferring whereof man addeth no helpe as the shining of the Sun the courses of the moone the former and latter raine the bounds set to the sea the sweet springs and rivers of water passing thorow the earth and many other such as are reckoned up in the 104 Psalme for which praise is there given to God or for such benefits as are conferred upon vs by the ministry of man Thus Melchisedech blessed God for that victory which Abraham had gotten over his enemies David blessed God for that counsell which wise Abigail gave him and for those bountifull gifts which he his Princes and people contributed towards the house of God and the Saints give thanks to God for the liberality of the Christians at Macedonia So cleare is the point of returning thanks to God for all manner of benefits as besides the many simple formes of giving thankes to God set downe thorowout the whole Scripture but especially in the booke of Psalmes when man commeth in any competition with God about this matter he is utterly excluded as where the Psalmist negatively of man but affirmatively of God saith Not unto vs O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory If ye wel observe the precepts of Scripture for performing this duty of thanksgiuing ye shal find this obiect the Lord either plainly expressed or necessarily vnderstood How frequent are these phrases Praise the Lord Giue thankes to God Yea to demonstrate that God is the proper obiect of praise these words Praise ye the Lords are so compounded together as they make but one word in hebrew which is this Halleluiah All manner of benefits do originally come from God If we receive any mediately by the ministry of man or of any other creature they are therein the instruments and hands of God whereby he reacheth out unto vs conferreth upon vs his benefits The benefits which we receive frō a wise King iust magistrates faithfull ministers conscionable lawyers skilfull physitians honest tradesmen industrious husbandmen or which any receive from good husbands or wives provident parents mercifull masters diligent and trustie servants or any other persons are Gods benefits It is therefore most due that we enquire what may be rēdred to the Lord for thē Learne we hereby in all manner of benefits to roule up our eyes to God and as we taste of the sweetnesse of them so to lift vp a thankefull heart to him that giveth them It is a swinish part to eate the mast that falleth from a tree and not to lift up an eye to the tree whence it falleth It is not enough to render any thing to man or to any other creature for the benefits we haue The Prophets quaere is What shall I render to the Lord To render any thing to the creature and nothing to the Creator is to neglect the principall doner yea to thinke more highly of the servant then of the master of man then of God which is no better then idolatry When therefore thou hast a thought of rendring enquire what thou mayst render to God what may be pleasing and acceptable to him for which we had a direction before §. 80. Of the consideration of Gods benefits working gratefulnesse IIII. A Right understanding of Gods benefits workes gratefulnesse On this ground that the Psalmists soule did right well know Gods workes he maketh this inference I will praise thee When the Israelites had such evidence of Gods prouidence over them as they beleeved his words then they sang his prayse To induce men to be thankefull unto God and to blesse his name the Psalmist aduiseth men to take notice of the kindnesses of God towards them Hereby is man convinced of the equity of the duty which is an especiall meanes to work upon the conscience and provoke him to performe that which in his iudgement he seeth to be most iust and meet that
it should be performed By this take notice of a maine reason of mans ingratitude The benefits of the Lord which occasion matter of thanksgiuing are either not at all obserued but passed ouer without regard or else soone forgotten When the Lord by his Prophet upbraideth to the Israelites their great ingratitude he rendreth this reason thereof Israel doth not know my people doth not consider And when the Psalmist speaketh of their like ingratitude he rendreth this reason They sorgat God their Sauiour which had done great things in Aegypt Where there is no knowledge of a benefit there can be no good esteeme thereof What is not esteemed can not be affected No man will enquire what hee may render for that which he affects not Againe that which is forgotten is as not knowne as not esteemed as not affected They therefore that either take no notice of Gods benefits or soone forget them after they have once knowne them must needs be ungratefull But without all doubt remembrance of kindnesse incites gratefulnesse To preuent this crime of ingratitude a crime most odious to God and man 1. Be diligent in obseruing Gods benefits Psal 85. 8. 2. Oft and seriously meditate thereon that they may not slip out of thy mind and memory Psal 77. 11 12. 3. Speake of them to others as he that said Come heare all yee that feare God and I will declare what he hath done for my soule Psal 66. 16. This is the way to make thee see and say Gods benefits are towards mee and thereupon in testimonie of gratefulnesse heartily to enquire what shall I render to the Lord §. 81. Of a fourth property of gratitude by one kindnesse to be put in mind of many V. GRatefulnesse raiseth the mind from some favours to all This generall particle all is not so strictly to be taken as if no favour or benefit were to be left out for so many are the benefits which God from time to time doth bestow upon vs as it is not possible to fasten our mind upon them all but it is to be taken of the severall kinds of Gods benefits as Generall Particular Publike Private Temporall Spirituall c. and of as many seuerall and distinct brāches of these as we can Thus whē David was setled in his Kingdome and thereupon tooke occasion to praise God in his Psalme of praise he reckoneth up all those kindnesses which God had done to his people from the time of their firstfathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob yea he giveth this expresse charge Talke ye of All his wondrous workes So Iehosophat when he consulted upon the promise of victory which God by his Prophet had given him to praise the Lord the 136. Psalme which containeth a catalogue of all Gods mercies was appointed to be sung That sweet singer of Israel who well knew how to order his formes of praise to God as affirmatively he promiseth to shew foorth All Gods marveilous works so he giveth a negative charge to his soule not to forget all or any of his benefits As more fuell added to fire maketh the flame the greater so more benefits brought to an heart set on fire to praise the Lord enlargeth it the more and enflameth it with an holy zeale This patterne is worthy our imitation and affordeth an excellent rule to stir us up heartily cheerfully and zealously to praise the Lord. The rule is this to be so acquainted with the severall kinds of Gods benefits as on all occasions they may be presented to our minds Without all question the Prophets mind was upon many and sundry sorts of benefits when he said all his benefits are towards me He did not confusedly use this generall particle all as many doe when they professe to thanke God for all his benefits and yet have none at all in their minds His spirit was otherwise disposed then to content it selfe with such a generall indefinite cold loose formall forme of acknowledging Gods benefits If we would accustome our selves to make diaries of Gods blessings on us and when we are before God recompt them in order oft call to mind how frō our mothers womb he hath bone our God how in every estate and degree of our age he hath blessed us and that with all manner of blessings temporall and spiritual privative and positive conferred on our selves and those that belong unto us yea on the nation city parish or family where we live then would not such a generall clause as this all his benefits are towards me be an idle clause but the mind which is large in apprehension where it is well informed would comprise much matter on it even so much as would set the heart on fire with zeale §. 82. Of particular sence of kindnesse whereby the heart is stirred up to thankfulnesse VI. SEnce of Gods kindnesse to ones selfe doth most enlarge the heart to thankfulnesse Words of particular relation betwixt God that is praised and the persons that praise him used in formes of praise give good proofe to this point Such are these O Lord my God my strength my defence the God of my mercy my rocke my fortresse my deliuerer my buckler the horne of my salvation mine high tower c. That which here is generally implied under this clause all his benefits towards me is in sundry particulars exemplified thorowout the whole booke of Psalmes Take a few instances for many Thou hast maintained my right and my cause He tooke me he drew me out of many waters he deliuered me he was my stay c. In particular let the five first verses of the 103. Psalme bee well obserued for this purpose Men are most sensible of kindnesses done to themselves the sweetnesse whereof their owne soules doe taste Now according to the taste and sence of a kindnesse is the heart quickned and stirred up to thankfulnesse Though it be an effect of naturall selfe loue to affect the heart with such good things as a man himselfe is made partaker of yet is it not against spirituall love to make an advantage thereof and to use that affection of the heart to kindle and inflame our zeale unto a more feruent manner of praising God Among other mercies take especiall notice of such as in particular concerne thy selfe as he that said I will declare what God hath done for my soule In this consideration first marke such as are most proper and peculiar to thy self wherof thou maist say He hath not dealt so with others So did he who said He chose Dauid his servant c. Then observe what part thou hast in such as are common with others And here consider what relation there is betwixt thee and those others whether they bee such as are committed to thy charge neerely united to thee of the same family or alliance or parish or incorporation or nation or profession Neere relations will affect
to God O Lord. 2 A note of asseveration truly 3 An The Asseveration is a note of confidence So as II. Saints may confidently professe that relation which God is pleased shall passe betwixt him and them The Ingemination importeth an earnestnesse in that which he professeth and giveth instance that III. Confidence in the interest which Saints have in God maketh them earnest in pressing it The continuance of the mutuall relation betwixt God and him even from his birth is added as a prop to his faith Therefore IIII. Faith is much strengthened by constant evidences of Gods favour The expresse mention of his mother which is for honour sake sheweth that V. It is an honour to children to descend from pious parents §. 99. Of Saints being Gods servants I. SAints are Gods servants As this Prophet here so stileth himselfe so are the three great Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Israel so also Moses Iob all the true Prophets the Apostles as Paul Peter Iude yea and Christ himselfe stiled Sundry are the respects wherein Saints may truly and properly be termed Gods servants 1 As all creatures are being made sustained ordered and governed by the Lord. 2 As many naturall men being deputed by the Lord to speciall functions and services 3 As many in the Church making profession of God to be their Lord. 4 As true faithfull professors who doe indeed take God for their Lord. In the three former respects as Gods creatures as deputed to select functions by God as professors of the name of God others are servants of God as well as Saints but the fourth respect which is the most honourable profitable and comfortable respect is proper and peculiar to Saints and that two waies 1 By reason of Gods affection to them 2 By reason of their disposition to God 1 God accounts them members of his house and answerably affects them as of his houshold In regard of such an affection he thus saith of Moses My servant Moses is faithfull in all my house Yea as united unto Christ and in him adopted and accepted he saith to Saints as to Christ Behold my servants whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soule delighteth 2 They are affected to the Lord as dutifull faithfull gratefull servants An heathen Monarch observed thus much and thereupon saith O Daniel servant of the living God whom thou servest continually This relation thus taken affordeth matter of gratulation and direction to such as can truly and justly apply it to themselves Gratulation by reason of the dignity of it Direction by reason of the duties that are thereupon expected 1 It is here as a dignity expressed and made the ground of gratulation And that not without cause For though this title servant be in it selfe a meane title yet in relation to God it is an high an honourable title The greatest noble-man in a kingdome thinks himselfe honoured with this title The Kings servant But what are mortall Monarchs to the immortall and incomprehensible King of kings Not onely Patriarchs Kings Prophets and Apostles but Christ the Sonne of God thought himselfe dignified with this title servant in relation to God It is therefore a noble service whereof David here saith to God I am thy servant c. and blessed Mary to the angell Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Moses also and other Saints were such servants Neither is it any marvell that holy men were dignified with this title whereas the Father thus speaketh to his Sonne It is a great thing for thee to be called my servant Such is the Maiesty Omnipotency Immutability Perpetuity Integrity Clemency Mercy Bounty and Excellency every way of this Lord as it nor will nor can repent any one to have any relation to him or dependance upon him which the royall Prophet well understood when he said to this Lord A day in thy courts is better then a thousand I had rather be a doore-keepein the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Psal 84. 10. The particular dignities and prerogatives of the Lords servants are such as these 1 They are all free 1 Cor. 7. 22. 2 All the services which the Lord enjoyneth are faire services Psal 19. 7 c. 1 Ioh. 5. 3. 3 The Lord gives ability to doe the worke which he expects and exacts of us Ioel. 2. 29. Phil. 2. 13. 4 He accepteth and approveth what he enableth his servants to doe Mat. 25. 21. Iob. 1. 8 9. 5 He bountifully rewardeth every good thing His wages are good and great Mat. 10. 42. 19. 29. 25. 21. 6 Gods servants get favours even for others also Iob 42. 8. 7 They are sure of safe protection from all hurtfull things and of sufficient provision of all needfull good things Isa 65. 13 14. 8 The Lord taketh care of his servants seed Psal 69. 36. 2 This relation directeth us unto such duties as here follow 1 To honour our Lord Mal. 1. 6. 2 To obey him Mat. 8. 9. Col. 3. 22. 3 To feare him with an holy trembling Eph. 6. 5. 4 To be faithfull to him Num. 12. 7. 5 To do all that we do on duty Luk. 17. 10. 6 To be no men-pleasers Gal. 1. 10. 7 To serve him onely not to serve Mammon or any other master save the Lord Mat. 6. 24. §. 100. Of Saints confidence in Gods mind to them and theirs to God II. SAints may confidently professe that relation which God is pleased shall passe betwixt him and them This confidence is manifested sometimes in the acknowledgement of that part of the relation which is on mans part and other times that which is on Gods part In this text that on mans part is professed truly I am thy servant So where he saith We are the people of his pasture and the sheepe of his hands People and sheepe are notes of relation on mans part So are clay and worke of Gods hands where the Prophet saith We are the clay and the worke of thy hands On Gods part he saith O Lord thou art our father and thou our potter To like purpose are other like notes of relation on Gods part with confidence professed thus Thou art my father my God and the rocke of my salvation Thou art my King O God Thou O Lord art my glory In these and other like places though the note of asseveration truly is not expressed yet the manner of expressing the notes of relation on the one and the other part import much confidence These and such other relations betwixt God and man give assurance of Gods gracious acceptation and favour If God meant not to deale with us as a Father with children as an Husband with his wife as a King with Subjects as a Master with servants as a Shepheard with sheepe as a Potter with pots for all these and other like notes of relation betwixt God and us are expressed
unto others Praise ye the Lord. Oh that Ministers Magistrates Governours of families and all that have either function or disposition to call upon others to praise the Lord would first take notice of the many just and weighty occasions that themselves have to praise him and answerably bind themselves so to do and be carefull to performe what they are bound to performe having their owne hearts filled with matter of praises and their mouthes wide opened to utter the same so might they with much courage and confidence speake to others and say PRAISE YE THE LORD §. 122. Of Gods present mercies to England FOr a particular application of the generall summe and scope of the Psalme and of the two last mentioned duties of praising God our selves and of provoking others so to doe let us take a view of the speciall occasions which the Lord doth now even at this present time give us to quicken our owne and others spirits to render all possible thanks unto him for his unspeakable blessings on our owne and other nations 1 We here in England doe still enjoy the great blessing of peace together with that farre greater blessing the Gospell of peace and a free use of all Gods holy ordinances requisite for our spirituall edification and eternall salvation At this time this blessing ought to be the more highly esteemed because it is in a manner proper to us For most of the parts of Christendome are now or lately have beene exceedingly annoyed with bloudy warre Of this blessing Scotland Ireland and all the parts of His most excellent Majestie our Soveraigne Lord King CHARLES do partake Of the benefit of this blessing I have els where treated So as here I need no longer to insist upon it 2 The last yeare there was great scarcity of corne every where in this land Corne rose to a greater price then hath beene knowne in our memories And where in former times supply in like cases hath beene made by the plenty of other countries All the nations round about us were pinched with penury so as there was too great cause of fearing a famine But the Lord was pleased to heare the heavens whereupon the heavens heard the earth and the earth heard the corne the grasse and all manner of fruits and they heard England and the cry of the poore therein Thus by the divine providence our land brought forth such a plentifull harvest and the heavens afforded so faire a season for gathering it in as scarcity is turned into plenty dearenesse into cheapenesse Our floores are now full of wheate we eat in plenty and are satisfied The misery of famine giveth sufficient proofe of the great benefit of plenty 3 There was also the last yeare great feare of much sicknesse and that of the infectious pestilentious sicknesse which some few yeares before had moneth after moneth weeke after weeke day after day destroyed such multitudes as the feare of the returne thereof was the more terrible Physitians gave up their opinion that the aire was infected The famous Vniversity of Cambridge was so smitten therewith as for the space of halfe a yeare and more Colledges were dissolved Students dispersed Readings and Acts intermitted that populous place made desolate and the poore that remained much pinched with poverty Other great market townes round about in the country were also the last yeare much infected with the plague and many people were thereby destroyed or brought into great exigences But now hath the Lord healed our land Sicknesse is removed and health restored to our borders If the miserable desolation that the plague maketh in many places taking away Magistrates from their subjects Ministers from their people husbands and wives one from another parents from children children from parents deare friends helpfull neighbours one from another and then especially depriving persons of the comfort of their best friends when they stand in most need of them If I say the miserable condition occasioned by the plague be well weighed we shall find our deliverance and freedome from the same to be a great blessing To amplifie this blessing the more Gods more then ordinary providence not onely in abating the violence of that extraordinary sicknesse which in the yeare 1625 so fiercely but also in his speedy suppressing and utter removing it is frequently and seriously to be considered A distinct narration thereof is before set downe The more terrible the three evill arrowes of warre famine and plague are the more remarkable are the blessings of peace plenty and health 4 We in our dayes have such a blessing conferred upon us as hath not fallen out in England fourescore and thirteene yeares before which is the Birth of a Prince heire to the crowne Blessed in this respect be the nine and twentieth day of May 1630. On that day was Prince CHARLES borne From the twelfth of October 1537. whereon Prince Edward who was Edward 6. King of England was borne to the said 29 of May 1630 England was not honoured with such a blessing This is an incomparable blessing to this present age and to future ages also as we stedfastly hope and from our hearts with the most humble devotion and the most earnest affection that we can we daily pray §. 123. Of the present liberty of the reformed Churches in France CHristian charity requireth that we be affected with the blessings conferred on others especially such as are of the same faith and profession that we are Let us therefore cast our eyes on other Churches and their present condition which if we duely observe we shall find Gods gracious providence to be more then ordinarily extended towards them in these our daies We will begin with the reformed Churches in France When Henry 4 stiled the great deceased by that favour he had shewed and peace he had given to those of the reformed religion in his kingdome they were made so safe and secure in mans opinion as it was supposed that no power was able to wrest their liberty from them They had above two hundred walled and fenced townes for their refuge and safety Many of the greatest nobility in France were their partizans and seemed most affectionate to the religion They had troupes and armies of men well disciplined in armes with many brave Commanders and old-beaten soldiers They were well provided with all store of amunition Nothing requisite for defence and safety was wanting in mans imagination It is to be feared that they were too confident in the arme of flesh which that they might the more thorowly discerne the Lord withdrew his protection and left them to defend themselves against the power of their owne Soveraigne which at first they too much sleighted Soone after that their now Soveraigne had raised and brought his forces against them many of their chiefest Commanders revoulted their souldiers were slaine their treasures exhausted their cities and townes of defence were violently wrested from them or treacherously given up many bloudy
possessions Many people are eased of their heavy burdens and grievances There hath also hereupon followed a great abatement of the greatnesse of the house of Austria and such a diminution of the power thereof as that they who have beene the chiefe pillars of the Church of Rome are by these late victories got against them disabled as we hope from helping forward the Popes designe of reducing the Christian world to an absolute obedience unto his chaire yea and from further promoting their owne ambitions desires of the Monarchy of Europe By the fore-named successe there is also procured much addition and great strength to the Protestant parties by digesting all Germany into their body and a great means effected for facilitating the unions betwixt those that to the great scandall of the Profession and dishonour of those worthy lights of the Church Luther and Calvin have beene distinguished by these factious titles Lutherans and Calvinists Great security is hereby further brought to the reformed Churches in France who could never be reduced to the termes wherein they now are so long as the Protestant Princes in Germany retained freedome and power in their owne dominions A way is also hereby opened to the very gates of Rome whereby the threatnings against the seven-headed beast may in the Lords appointed time be accomplished Finally there is great hope given of establishing much peace and security to all the true Churches of God and many other blessings are expected which the Lord grant to his people §. 128. Of praising God for the fore-said mercies TO make a briefe recapitulation and to gather up the Summe of all for the better application of the maine point intended The Lord having secured our Peace and removed from us his judgements of Plague and Famine The Lord having restored to the reformed Churches in France a gracious liberty for exercising their Religion The Lord having with more then ordinary successe prospered the affaires of our nearest Neighbours the States generall of the united Provinces in the Netherlands The Lord having succoured his oppressed Churches in Germany and given to their Deliverer victories beyond expectation unto admiration The Lord having given very many cleare evidences of his fatherly care over his Churches every where and of his gracious providence towards them even now in these our daies Should not our soules be affected with all and every of these mercies Should they not be incensed with an ardent zeale of setting forth the honour of his name We and others of the same profession of the same religion enjoy the comfort and benefit of the fore-mentioned mercies and of many other mercies flowing from the divine Providence and shall not the Lord who so ordereth his Providence for our good have the praise and glory thereof Who can give suâ—â—icient thanks Nay whose soule can be satisfied in rendring praises to so good and gracious a God for so many and so great blessings so seasonably and so freely conferred on his Churches Should not all Ministers of the Gospell make their Churches to ring againe with sounding forth Gods praises Should not publishers of bookes make mention of these mighty works of the Lord to the further publishing of his name Should not the wits of all divine Poets bee set on worke to indite due formes of praises for the better magnifying of his name who hath done so glorious things for us Should not every Christian soule in the best manner that it can adde something to the magnifying of Gods name as every one brought something to the building of the Tabernacle Did we not while the Lord was time after time shooting out against us and others his three deadly arrowes of plague famine and sword humble our soules before him and call upon him instantly continually to spare his people to remove his wrath to take away his judgements Should we not now the Lord having gratiously heard our prayers for our selves and others be hearty and zealous instant and constant in rendring all possible praise and thankes unto him It hath beene before declared how true gratefulnesse hath especiall relation to God and ascribeth the glory of all deliverances to him and that Praise is the best gift that can be given him and that thereupon Saints are never satisfied in setting forth Gods praises They content not themselves with an inward affection of praising God in their owne soules or secretly betwixt God and themselves but they must needs breake forth into praises of God and manifest their inward gratitude by outward gratulation and that publikely boldly among much people in the middest of great assemblies exhorting and inciting others to praise God with thee and themselves conscionably practising what they incite others unto Now we have so great and just grounds at this time to praise God let us take the occasions of stirring up our owne and others spirits to do it heartily and zealously that God finding his blessings conferred on a gratefull people may never repent any kindnesse done but may go on to adde victory to victory successe to successe blessing to blessing till he have finished the good worke done for his Churches and accomplished the promises which he hath made for destroying the kingdome of Antichrist calling the Iewes bringing in the fulnesse of the Gentiles and consummating all things by his last and most glorious comming Wherefore Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and giue praise Awake vp my glory I my selfe will awake early My tongue shall speake of thy righteousnesse and of thy praise all the day long Behold blesse ye the Lord all yee seruants of the Lord. Giue vnto the Lord glory and strength giue vnto the Lord the glory due to his name O giue thankes vnto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for euer Let the redeemed of the Lord say so whom hee hath redeemed from the hand of the enemie Let them that were exiled say so whom he hath brought to the place of their habitation Let them that were oppressed say so whom hee hath eased of their heauie burdens Let them that are freed from the infectious plague and from pinching famine say so So let them say who are restored to a free exercise of their religion Praise yee the Lord who quietly sit on your thrones of iudgement to execute righteous iustice and Chance See Fortune 31. Children to bee dedicated to God betimes 220. Children so soone as capable attend to instruction 221. Childrens honour to have pious parents 222. Church See House of God Confidence whence it ariseth 217 Confidence which Saints have of their interest in God makes them bold to presse it 217. Confidence manifested by earnestnesse 218. Counsell how one may himself 97. Courts of Gods house 253. D DAnger See Distresse Death
man no more with the inhabitants of the world Thus also is Christs death set out He was cut off out of the land of the living Isa 53. 8. that being dead in earth after that life which he had there lived he might for ever live in heaven In this sense the time while we live in this world is called the day and the light of the living Ioh. 9. 4. Psal 56. 13. Fitly is this world so called in relation to all kind of lives naturall spirituall eternall 1 Naturall life which is subject to mortality corruption and all manner of infirmities is here onely in this world lived After this life corruptible must put on incorruption and mortall must put on immortality 1 Cor. 15. 53. This life was meant when Hezekiahs departure out of this world was thus threatned thou shalt not live Isa 38. 1. 2 Spirituall life which is the life of grace is also lived in this world For the Apostle speaking of it thus saith The life which J now live in the flesh I live by faith c. 3 In this world we first lay hold on eternall life They that doe not here get a right unto it shall not hereafter attaine to the possession thereof How unmeet how shamefull how odious a thing is it that dead men should be here on the face of the earth which is the land of the living That there are such is too true She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth Sardis had a name that she lived but was dead The dead bury their dead All naturall men are dead in sinnes Much more they that unto their naturall corruption adde prophanenesse uncleannesse all manner of riotousnesse These are as dead and putrified carions that infect the aire round about them To prevent noysome savours which might arise from dead corps we use to bury them under the ground Though Sarah was a deare wife to Abraham yet when she was dead he took order to bury her corps oâ—â— of his sight Note the care that was taken to bury Gog with his multitude because the stinking savour was so great as it caused them that passed by to stop their noses Assuredly if the spirituall sense of our soules were as quicke in spirituall matters as the senses of our body are in earthly things we should feele a more noisome and loathsome savour to arise from such as in relation to spirituall life are dead then from such as are dead in relation to naturall life God that is most sensible of this spirituall stanche is oft moved to sweep the land of the living with the broome of his judgements and to remove noysome dead persons especially when by their multitude they â—ause the stanche to be too too intolerable I will sweepe Babel with the besome of destruction saith the Lord of hosts Thus the Lord swept away the stinking carions of the old world and of Sodom and Gomorrah the rebellious carkasses of the Israelites in the wildernesse the foule corps of the nations yea and the unsavoury bodies of all Israel and Iudah Of Ierusalem in another metaphor thus saith the Lord I will wipe it as a man wipeth a dish wiping it and turning it up side downe There is just cause to feare that the stanche of the sinnes of this City and other places in this Land was so ranke in the nostrels of the Almighty as thereby he was provoked to sweepe away so many as he did with the broome of the pestilence If it be said that many righteous ones were swept away who have presented even their bodies as well as their soules a sacrifice living holy acceptable and of a sweet smelling savour unto God and many wicked ones left I answer that God may take away in a common judgement many righteous ones the more to aggravate the judgement and yet therein shew mercy to those righteous ones by translating them to eternall blisse and reserve wicked ones to bring them by that judgement executed on others to repentance or els to make them the more inexcusable The day of thorow cleansing the Lords floore is not till the day of judgement The harvest is the end of the world Then shall the Sonne of man send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into a fornace of fire Yet least the stanch of sin even in this Land of the living should be too great as in former ages so now science void of offence toward God and toward men 2 The things which God by vertue of the Gospell requireth of us he hath promised to worke in us The summe of his promise is this I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my judgements and doe them Now Saints resting in assurance of faith on God for accomplishing of this and other like promises are emboldened to promise that to God which God hath promised to enable them to do 3 All the promises of obedience which Saints make to God they make with reference to the assistance of Gods Spirit whereof they assure themselves As when they promise any temporall civill matter they do it either expresly or implicitly with relation to Gods will and leave as they ought Iam. 4. 15. so in holy duties to the worke of Gods Spirit in them Thus in the absolute promises which Saints make they arrogate nothing to themselves above their ability and yet manifest an unfained heart and unalterable resolution to God wards So as where they say I will walke I will hope I will do this and that it is as if they had said this is my desire this is my purpose this is the intention of my heart By these meanes as true intention earnest desire prudent jealousie and holy zeale are manifested so is a dull spirit much quickned and the weake waiward revoulting flesh bridled and curbed yea and bound to her good behaviour §. 65. Of mans answering Gods mercy with dutie VII MAnifestation of Gods good pleasure to man must make man carefull to please God Where God saith I wil be their God which is an evident manifestation of Gods good will to them this is thereupon inferred They shal be my people which as it noteth a dignity for it is a prerogative to be Gods people so also a duty for it is added They shall returne unto me with their whole heart Yea in another place where God is brought in to say to them It is my people they are brought in to answer The Lord is my God More plainely Hezekiah having thus expressed Gods good will to him The Lord was ready to save me maketh this â—â—ference Therefore will we sing And the Psalmist yet more directly to the point in hand saith to the Lord I will praise thy name for
if indeed he were profited by that which we offer unto him Be liberall and bountifull to the Lord whosoever ye be that have any thing to give to the Lord. And who is it that hath not something yea that hath not much to give if hee be no niggard of what he hath The poorest that be have as many calves as Salomon had to offer to the Lord calves of their lips Hos 14. 2. These are sacrifices which may bee offered up to God Heb. 13. 15. The poorest that be have a body which they may present as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God Rom. 12. 1. The poorest that be may every day morning and evening and at other times also direct their prayer to God as incense Psal 141. 2. Yea they may mixe therewith the sweetest incense of the intercession of Christ and offer all up upon the golden altar which is before the throne Rev. 8. 3. The poorest that be may bring to God a broken heart and a contrite spirit which is a sacrifice that God will not despise Psal 51. 17. The poorest that be may do justly love mercy and walk humbly before God which the Lord preferreth before burnt offerings and calves of a yeare old yea before thousands of rammes or ten thousand rivers of oile Mic. 6. 8. These and other like offerings have all of all sorts not the poorest excepted now under the Gospell to bring and give unto the Lord. These sacrifices Saints offer to God These sacrifices they solemnize without intermission day and night especially that of giving themselves to God All good workes are sacrifices fit for God and acceptable to him There are also severall talents given to severall persons though not to all alike for to one are given five to another two to another but one yet to him that hath the least so much is given as by a good improvement thereof hee may bring some increase and advantage to the Lord and that so acceptably as the Lord thereby wil be moved to say Well done thou good and faithfull servant thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things c. Mat. 25. 21. As for rich men they may yet further honour God with their substance Prov. 3. 9. They may do good and distribute for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13. 16. They may so communicate to the necessities not onely of the poorest Saints but also of the Ministers of Gods Word as what they doe in this kind may be an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God Phil. 4. 18. Thus as there were sacrifices of old there are sacrifices still as oblations of old so oblations still Onely the kind of them is altered These sacrifices allowed approved accepted under the Gospell Please the Lord much better then oxen and bullocks that have hornes and hoofes yet to us are they nothing so chargeable as the oblations and sacrifices were to the Iewes Why then do we returne so little to the Lord Are his mercies fewer in number or lesse in worth to us under the Gospell then they were to his people under the Law If the difference betwixt the old and new covenant betwixt Gods dealing with his Church before and since Christ was exhibited were thorowly discerned we should find just cause to say He hath not dealt so with the Iewes as he hath dealt with Christians We want those zealous affections which the pious Iewes had Were our inward disposition answerable to theirs we would not we could not come so short as we do of outward expressions of gratefulnesse Let us by due meditation of Gods surpassing kindnesse to us be stirred up willingly and chearefully to give what we shall understand to be acceptable to him God gives all to God againe let all be returned §. 114. Of vowing praise to God PSAL. CXVI XVIII I will pay my vowes unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people THe immediate inference of this verse upon the former sheweth the principall matter of the Prophets vow For he maketh mention of his vow as of a motive the more to provoke him to offer up a sacrifice of thanksgiving But if he had not vowed such a sacrifice what motive could his vow have beene thereto This approved patterne of the Prophet giveth evidence that Praise to God is a meet matter to be vowed Where mention is made of performing vowes expresse mention useth there to be of this very matter and that where directions are given for vowes thus Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vowes and where performance is promised thus My praise shal be of thee I will pay my vowes Thy vowes are upon me O God I will render praises unto thee I will sing praise to thy name for ever that I may daily performe my vowes The praises which he sang to the Lord tending to this end that hee might performe his vow evidently prove that he had vowed so to doe Where Iacob vowed that the stone which he set for a pillar should be Gods house what intended he thereby but that publike and solemne praise should be given to God This was the maine substance of Iepthahs vow that in way of thanks he would give something to the Lord. If his vow had not too farre extended it selfe even to such things as might not bee offered to the Lord it had beene a warrantable and commendable vow 1 A vow rightly made is of something to be done for the Lords sake and to testifie our respect to him If a vow be made against any sinne or against temptations or occasions that lead thereto it is because by sinne God is offended and dishonoured Now to vow against that whereby God is offended and dishonoured is implicitly to please and to honour God If a vow be made for performing any duty that is made somewhat the more directly to the honour and praise of God for all good duties tend thereunto Now because there is nothing wherein and whereby we can more honour God or better testifie our respect to God then by giving praise to him to praise God must needs be a very fit subject for a vow yea the best that can be 2 In making a vow something is aimed at either as received or as expected from the Lord which occasioneth the making thereof When in distresse a vow is made it is in expectation of deliverance from that distresse When to avoid sinne a vow is made it is to gaine assurance of pardon for that sinne before committed and assistance against it for the time to come Though in these and other like cases a vow be made before the kindnesse for which it is made be received yet it is to binde us unto gratitude for the kindnesse which wee desire and expect If after a kindnesse conferred a vow bee made then it is an apparent testimony of
of men but By honour and dishonour by evill report and good report approve your selves to be Gods servants bound with the uttermost of your power to set forth his honour He that said In the middest of the Church will I praise thee said also I receive not honour from men But they which loved the praise of men more then of God though inwardly they believed in Christ yet openly durst not confesse him 4 Contemne the world Love of the world quencheth the heat of the love of God The world is an inticing bait Many are driven backe thereby Demas that old Disciple Demas having set his heart on the world which hee loved too much grew ashamed and affraid to confesse Christ 5 Give not reines to licentiousnesse Turne not the grace of God into wantonnesse Such unworthy walking of the profession of the Gospell cannot but make ashamed to appeare in the middest of such congregations as are fit to have Gods praises sounded forth among them 6 Be not companions with impious and profane persons They will keepe thee out of the middest of the fore-mentioned congregations 7 Associate your selves with them that are pious and zealous That are not ashamed themselves in the most solemne manner that they can to praise God Such companions will put life into you and provoke you to doe as they doe In them especially are these proverbes verified As iron sharpeneth iron so a man sharpeneth tho countenance of his friend As in water face answereth to face so the heart of man to man §. 119. Of delighting in Gods house IIII. OVr delight must be in Gods Church It was usuall with the Prophets familiarly with much delight to direct their speeches to Ierusalem and to Zion as types of Gods Church after this manner Our feet shall stand within thy gates O Ierusalem I will seeke thy good If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth If I preferre not Ierusalem above my chiefe joy Then especially did they cheerefully manifest their mind to her when they had good tidings to tell her thus Awake awake put on thy strength O Zion put on thy beautifull garments O Ierusalem the holy city c. Rejoyce greatly O daughter Zion shout O daughter of Ierusalem behold thy King commeth unto thee c. In her misery they could not refraine teares for thus they say We wept when we remembred Zion Mine eyes do faile with teares my bowels are troubled my liver is powred upon the earth for the destruction of the daughter of my people This compassion in misery is a great evidence of much love and delight whereupon it is said Thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof Yet a greater evidence thereof are the many passionate words which are used in reference to her as love of her desiring and longing after her fainting for her rejoycing and glorying in her All things that may work true delight are in the Church Therfore the Holy Ghost hath set her forth by most amiable titles and ornaments as Queene Kings daughter Virgin Bride adorned for her husband Spouse Wife Fairest of women All glorious within her clothing also of wrought gold Within the Church is adorned with the dignity of her husband In the Temple which was a type of the Church typically were prefigured such things as are of force to draw a mans mind and heart thereunto 1 God did there in a most gracious manner represent himselfe sitting on a mercy-seat So as in the Church is a throne of grace whereunto we may go boldly that we may obtaine mercy and find grace to helpe in time of need 2 Vnder this mercy-seat was an Arke which being a kind of chest prefigured that in the Church are all Gods treasures to be had Christ is this Arke In him are hid all Gods treasures 3 There was an High-Priest who appeared before that mercy-seat to beare the names of the children of Israel for a memoriall before the Lord continually and to make an attonement for all the Congregation of Israel Christ Iesus is that true High-Priest who continually appeareth in the presence of God for us and is the true propitiation for our sinnes 4 There was an altar for all manner of offerings and for sweet incense prefiguring that God who accepteth the sacrifice of his Sonne for our sinnes accepteth our free-will offerings and by the sweet savour of the incense of Christs intercession is well pleased therewith 5 There was a table to prefigure an holy communion betwixt the Lord and his people 6 There were lights bread water to shew that in the Church there are meanes to enlighten us to feed us to cleanse us and to do all things requisite for us 7 Out of the outward court there was passege into the holy place and câ—t of it into the Sanctum Sanctorum the most holy place to shew that first we must be in the Church in the number of those who professe the true Religion so may we come by the grace of effectuall calling to be Priests unto God and having served our time to enter into the true heavenly holy place Not without cause therefore doth the Psalmist stile the Church Psal 26. 8. The place where Gods honour dwelleth He thought it not enough to say The place where God dwelleth but where his honour dwelleth which maketh much to the glory of the Church Doe not these things make the Church worthy to bee sought after to be loved to be delighted in Many many more are the prerogatives thereof which make it most amiable but these may be sufficient to such as are not of a Stoicall disposition very blockes sensible of no delightsome object The affection of our Prophet towards Ierusalem the Church of God is even for imitation worthy of all due observation that our hearts also may be so enamoured with her as not to think or speake of her but with delight For this purpose two points shall briefly be declared 1 How such a delight may be wrought 2 How it may be manifested To worke it I Be well instructed in those priviledges and prerogatives which make the Church worthy to be delighted in Thus will thy delight be more solid and stable 2 Oft meditate thereon so will thy delight be the more inflamed Serious meditation on that which works affection is as bellowes to a fire it enkindles it and makes it flame out 3 With-draw thy heart from other contrary objects which worke a corrupt delight therein As the heart of him that is set on strange women will thereby be alienated from his wife So delight in the world and the vanities thereof will dimme
massacres were made among them and the miserable effects of warre so depopulated their countrie and destroyed their persons as they were left destitute without all succour or hope of reliefe And since the last taking in of Rochel the King who was of a contrary religion to them became an absolute Master of them What now in mans eye could be looked for but that utterly they should be deprived of the liberty of their religion and by little and little be enforced to the idolatrous superstition of the Romish Church or at least be bred up in blindnesse and ignorance being left without the light of the Gospell to guide and comfort them in that their miserable condition Yet now in these happy daies of deliverances behold how in their greatest extremity when all humane meanes failed them the Lord of hosts hath beyond all hope afforded them much peace and quietnes and provided for them new Churches built with their Kings good leave yea and at his cost and charges because they had beene demolished by the fury of impious souldiers and by the out-rage of superstitious people Thorow that liberty which now they enjoy their Churches are diligently frequented and all Gods ordinances duly observed and their religion with lesse scorne and derision professed then formerly Their peace and security is now greater then when they had the fore-mentioned meanes to embolden them to stand upon their owne guard This is the Lords doing It is marvellous in our eyes They had no Moses no Ioshua to worke for them As they had no power within to defend them from the might and malice of their enemie so they could expect no aid from abroad to encourage them to stand out against their enemies All the aid that from abroad was afforded unto them proved altogether in vaine God is all in all to them He that said The wolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the leopard shall lie downe with the kid and the calfe and the lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them and the sucking child shall play on the hole of the aspe and the weined child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den hath wrought this concord betwixt them and the adversaries of their religion The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turneth it whether soever he will To his Churches therefore hath the Lord turned the heart of that King for their good What the inward affection of the King to those of the reformed religion is is a secret Whether the peace that those Churches enjoy be occasioned by reason of that supreme power which now he hath obtained over them or by reason of his embroilements at home and undertakings abroad little skilleth for the matter in hand Sure it is that the Lord hath ordered all things that have fallen out in France for the good and peace of his Churches there Should not due notice be taken hereof §. 124. Of Gods late mercies to the Low-Countries FRom reformed Churches in France we will passe to the Low-Countries who are of the same profession In recounting Gods late mercies to them which is the taske that we have undertaken thereby to shew what great cause we now have to set out the praises of the Lord it would be too farre a digression to begin with those extraordinary deliverances which they had when first they recovered their liberty against the cruelty and tyranny of Duke D' Alva Later mercies are these that follow 1 A strong faction of Arminians being raised up and dispersed thorowout all their provinces whereby the truth and purity of religion was much corrupted and the tranquillity and security of their State put into great hazard a Nationall Synod not without the counsell and consent of our royall Defender of the Faith King IAMES was assembled at Dort whereunto most grave learned and judicious Divines out of all the reformed Churches in Christendome came who all with one unanimous consent determined sundry fundamentall points of our Christian Religion against the contrary errors of the Adversaries of Gods free grace A mercy not to be forgotten 2 The enemy having gathered such an army as made him master of the field whereby he so strongly besieged Breda a frontier town of great command every way round about as no succour could be afforded it but it was forced to yeeld at which time also Grave Maurice Prince of Orange their brave Generall died great feare there was of much mischiefe if not of utter ruine to befall that State But by Gods Providence their great enemy Spinola was called into another country and a supply made of the losse of their former Generall by substituting in his roome his owne brother whose prudence and prowesse successe hath crowned so as they are now better secured then they were before 3 Spaine provided an exceeding great treasure for the fore-said States which it never intended to them The whole fleet of gold silver and other rich merchandizes which the Spaniards by the helpe of the West-Indians had beene sundry yeares gathering together the Nether-landers tooke on a sudden whereby their enemies were much disfurnished and they themselves so plentifully furnished as they were the better enabled not onely to defend themselves but also to offend their enemies 4 The States being now well prepared they quickly become masters of the field and with much resolution attempt that which the enemy little feared they should attaine namely to take in the Bosche a very strong frontier towne well fenced well manned and every way well prepared and provided for But they so besiege it as no reliefe can be afforded to it they so assault it as there is no standing out against them They take it and keepe it 5 While they lay at this siege another booty falls into their hands Wesell the magazin of their enemie wherein all warlike provision was in great abundance stoared up sending out some of their garrisons abroad notice thereof comes to the armie of the States in siege at the Bosche They forthwith send some troupes to surprize Wesell on a sudden They come to it unexpected and quickly take it Thus are the States againe furnished with their enemies provision They take a strong towne of great consequence which is as an inlett for them into the Palatinate And by this meanes an enemy that with a great army was entred into their country and burnt and spoiled all before him was forced backe againe 6 This last yeare while the army of the States is quiet at home the enemy having plotted some mischievous designe against them unexpectedly sends an army by water into their territories which like a flocke of foolish birds flew into nets that were not laid for them and were taken What can we thinke but that the finger of God hath beene in the ordering of these successefull matters for the better security of them who professe and maintaine the true religion against the professed