A MODEL OF True Spiritual Thankfulneſſe.
Delivered in a SERMON Before the Honourable Houſe of COMMONS, Upon their day of THANKSGIVING, being Thurſday, Feb. 19. 1645, for the great Mercy of God, in the Surrender of the Citie of Chester into the hands of the Parliaments Forces in CHESHIRS, under the Command of Sir WILLIAM BRERETON.
By THO. CASE, Preacher in Milkſtreet London, and one of the Aſſembly of Divines.
The ſtrong people ſhall glorifie thee, the citie of the terrible Nations ſhall fear thee.
Open ye the gates, that the righteous Nation which keepeth the Truth, may enter in.
London, Printed by Ruth Raworth, for Luke Fawne, at the ſigne of the Parrot in Paul's Church-yard. 1646.
ORdered, by the Commons aſſembled in Parliament, That Maſter Rous do give Thanks to Maſter Caſe and Maſter Woodcock for the great pains they took in the Sermons they preached at the intreatie of this Houſe on Thurſday laſt (being a day ſet apart for a day of publike Thankſgiving for the taking of Chester) and to deſire them to print their Sermons. And it is ordered, that none ſhall print their Sermons without licenſe under their hands writing.
I appoint Luke Fawne to print my Sermon.
TO ſerve Your and the Kingdoms Thankfulneſſe for the late mercy of God, in putting Chester into your poſſeſſion; give me leave from the Preſſe to preſent unto your view what might have been burdenſom from the Pulpit; a ſhort List or Catalogue of ſome eminent Providences, wherewith the mercy of the day being clothed, will appear very rich and glorious.
1. And firſt, you may pleaſe to obſerve, that the very lengthning of the Siege, was the advance of the Deſigne, while in the iſſue it appears to have been nothing elſe but an ambuſhment of Providence laid of purpoſe to draw on the enemy to their own deſtruction: Surely their pride and power have not met with a more burdenſome ſtone in all their bold and confident Adventures, then the Siege of Cheſter; upon which God bath broken them with breach upon breach, and bleſt you with victory upon victory worth many Cheſters; and when he had done, caſt that alſo in for an advantage. Thus many times do we look upon diſappointments of our hopes, as frowns of diſpleaſure, which afterwards we finde to be Plots of Mercy. Who would not wait upon that God; who if be withhold a mercy for a while, pays intereſt for the forbearance, of more worth many times then the principal it ſelf.
2. That in three Storms of the greateſt diſadvantage that height of walls, depth of trenches, impregnableneſſe of Forts, and multitudes of enemies (as many in the City as yours in the Siege) could render, the Forces were confeſt by the enemy to have done more execution then they received, either in their aſſault or retreat: wherein one particular providence muſt not be ſilenc'd:**Lieut. Col. Ven•bles. an active Commander who was four times upon the walls; and though through the unexpected diſadvantages of the deſigne, not ſeconded according to expectation, yet was brought off harmleſſe, ſave onely a ſlight wound on his arm, to minde him what arm it was that made his reſcue.
3. That in all the Sallies which the enemy hath made upon the Parliaments Quarters, they had more cauſe at their returns into their ſtrong Hold, to wring their hands then to ting their bells, being always ſent home with more blowes then they give.
4. That our Engines during the Siege have conſtantly done more execution upon the enemy within, then theirs have done upon our men without, though the oddes of all offenſive and defenſive advantages were on their ſide; whereby God would manifeſt the difference, between having walls and bulwarks for Salvation,I•a. 26.1. and having Salvation for walls and bulwarks.
5. It was onely an unexpected Help to our ſide, that a Blinde of Providence cauſed them to leave the Proſpect of a Steeple ſo neer the City-walls undemoliſhed from whence our men did perform daily juſtice upon the Rebels, ſlaying one of their ſterueſt, and divers others. So God oftentimes beats the enemie with their own weapons.
6. The patience and conſtancy of your Souldiery, was eminently remarkable, which was ſuch, as though there were temptations enough to ſtorm it, as extremity of weather, want of pay, clothes, food, unparallel'd hard duty all the time of the ſiege, being forced many times to fetch their water from**•Sam. ••.15. the gate of Bethlem, and that not for wantonneſſe, but for neceſſity; their bread from the enemies Quarters ▪ the ſtores of the languiſhing Countrey being drained, and expected ſupplies from neighbouring Counties failing, to the extreme haraſſing and hazarding of their Forces both abroad and at home: I ſay ſuch notwithſtanding was their conſtancy and patie•ce, that none of all theſe could conquer it; Providence always ſtepping in with timely Supplies and admirable Reſenes in their deepeſt diſcouragements and deſertions. In the mount the Lord hath been ſeen. Gen. 22.14.
7. The nature of your Forces which performed this ſervice, renders it the more obſervable; they being not an united Brigade cull'd and form'd for ſuch a deſigne, but a collective Body out of ſome few adjacent Counties, the more capable of diſcontent, and uncapable of Commands, had not God put a ſingular Spirit of Wiſedom and Activity into the Commanders, and of willingneſſe or awe into the Souldiers: So that here you have that word made good again:Zech. 46. Not by might nor power, but by my Spirit, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts.
8. The enemy were not ſo high all the time of the Siege in their demands, but your terms were as honourable in the Surrender; which received this addition,Magmon eſt teſtimohium pro•o qui judicium ad••ſario comminit. Abulens. that the enemies themſelves confeſſe Conditions were never better kept ſince the wars began. A teſtimony out of the mouth of an adverſary, is double honour.
9. Of what Conſequence the Succeſſe is, let Cheſters expectation from Ireland, and the preparations of the Iriſh Cut-throats for Cheſter the Key of this Kingdom, the Reſt of that poor fainting County; the trembling of all the malignant neighbouring Strong Holds in Wales; and the ſecuring of your Northern Leagur from the approach of an enemy: the opening of the way of Trade between London and theſe parts; the daſhing in pieces of the Enemies Deſignes, who lo, were haſtning now to the Infallible relief of their Gariſons in Cheſhire and Lancaſhire; the reducing of the North, the abſolute Conqueſt of Scotland, and then back again to the ſharing of England: for all this, and more too (Siſera-like) they had not onely deſigned, but diſpatcht in their vain Confidences: The ſtrengthning the hands of our Friends thorow the whole Kingdom, who ſhall hear and rejoyce; the weakning of the Enemy, who ſhall hear, and their heart ſhall melt for fear. Let theſe, I ſay, and many other Improvements (too many for an Epiſtle, but not too many for our Thankfulneſſe to enquire into) let theſe Speak.
10. And all this, whether it have not been the cheapeſt Purchaſe the Parliament hath made, ſince it was conſtrained to redeem this poor ſold Nation with Money and Blood, I appeal to your Selves, and to that exhauſted County, which in the purſuit of this Service hath, to their exceeding Honours, iſſued not much leſſe (if I be not miſinformed,) then 40000 l. the very laſt vital blood that was left in their veins. Pſal. 110. ••.Surely the Lord made them a willing people in this day of his power. There is yet a paſſage or two wherein you ſhall behold Mercy and truth meeting together, Righteuſneſſe and peace kiſſing each other.
11. Ʋpon the ſame day that the enemy began to fortifie the City of Cheſter, and make their Outworks, that very day three yeers, the Parliaments Forces entred the ſame:
12. The King muſtered the Cheſhire Forces, ſummon'd, diſarm'd the Trainbands upon Holt-Heath, Sept. 24 1642. and upon the ſame day three yeers, the Kings Army was routed upon Routon-we may rightly call it Routing-Heath: and another Brigade which was intended for a Reſerve, commanded by the Earl of Lichfield and the Lord Gerard, defeared upon Holt-Heath (as I take it ſo it is called) where the Earl of Lichſield was ſlain; and all this in the Kings view, He then ſtanding in Phoenix-Tower in Cheſtr. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not ſee; but they ſhall ſee; I pray God to Repentance, and not to Shame.
Vide Paſſages and Treaties of the Siege and taking of Cheſter. Honou•able Parriots, theſe ſew paſſages to which you have already further diſcoveries, and may ſinde more, hold forth much of God; His Wiſedom, his Strength, his Juſtice, his Mercy, beaming forth in the Light of this day. And this you may obſerve, as the reſult of all; It is Fidelity God proſpers and Crowns in his Service. Now that God who hath made your Armies faithful to you, make you every day more and more faithful to himſelf; that what was Moſes Honour, and His too who is Moſes and your Lord ▪ the Lord Jeſus, may be the Parliament of England's renown to all Generations, They were faithful to him that appointed them in all his Houſe, in doing all things according to the patern: Which as it was the travel of this Cautionary,Heb. 3.2. not Accuſatory Sermon (now the ſecond time waiting upon your Commands) ſo it ſhall be the daily prayer of.
WHat Encomium the Apoſtle gave the beloved Diſciple, I hope the world wil give me leave to beſtow upon you, without the the leaſt ſuſpition of Flattery; You do faithfully whatſoever you do in the Publike Truſt committed to you:1. Joh. v. 5. and I beſeech you look upon it as Gods honouring of you, more then your honouring of God: a heart to be faithful, and happineſſe to be ſucceſſeful in Gods deſignes, is a double engagement: which I heartily deſire may not lift up your hearts, unleſſe it be in the ways of God, in whoſe Name you have gone out and proſpered. So that you may go and bear a part in his**Barak. Judg. 5.13. Excellencies Song: Then he made him that remaineth to have dominion over the Nobles, among the people the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty. As an acknowledgement of which honour God hath done you, give me leave humbly to ſuggeſt a few Returns of Thankfulneſſe that will no leſſe become you, then crown and perfect your work.
1. Make it, I beſeech you, your prime deſigne to ſurrender up that Citie to God which God hath ſurrendred up to you, by engaging your beſt abilities and intereſts for the bringing in and encouragement of a learned, godly, Orthodox Miniſtery into the City, the Spiritual Militia that muſt ſecure the peace thereof. If Hereſie and Schiſm break in, I ſhall ſet down and cry, Cheſter is loſt the ſecond time; and in which more miſerable, it will not be eaſie to determine.
Agrippins to Nero.2. Studie oneneſſe in your affections, and oneneſſe in your Counſels: Unitie and you are unconquerable. Remember whoſe ſuggeſt it was, Divide & impera.
3. Let your diſtinguiſhing favours run counter-motion to the enemies: let Malignants have no more encouragement then may demonſtrate you more ſtudious of their Reformation then their Ruine: Let them have no more cauſe to call the proud happie,Hagg. 3.15. Verſ. 18. nor to ſay, They that work wickedneſſe are ſet up: but let them return, and diſcern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that ſerveth God and him that ſerveth him not.
4. Be tender (O be tender, I ſay, as of your own lives) of the willing faithful party who in City or Countrey have ſerved you in this Cauſe of Chriſt and the Parliament, to the very laſt drop of livelihood and blood: O to ſtudie now the Reſt, Refreſhing, Recruiting of that languiſhing people more then your own intereſts and advantage, will render you more truely honourable then all your Victories, and bring the bleſſing of periſhing families upon you and your poſterity. To that end, imitate the true gallantry of Nehemiah: read his 5 Chapter, eſpecially from the 14 verſe to the end; and the Lord grant you may get it by heart. Then ſhall they that are delivered from the noiſe of the archers in the places of drawing water, rehearſe the righteous acts of the Lord,Judg. 5.11. even the righteous acts towards the inhabitants of the Villages in Cheſhire; then ſhall the people of the Lord go down to the gates.
5. Studie Self-conqueſts, Sin-victory. He that is ſlowe to anger is better then the mighty, and he that ruleth his ſpirit, then he that taketh a City. Prov. 16.32. Fortior eſt qui ſequam qui fortiſſima vincit moenia.If after ye have conquered the Luſts of men, you are conquered by your own Luſts; if after you have led your enemies captive, Satan can take you captive at his will; you are undone for ever. The Lord make you, every way, more then Conquerors, &c. 2 Tim. 2.26. Rom. 8.37.
6. Laſtly, remember what General Joab did when he had taken Rabbah of the Ammonites, and do ye likewiſe now ye have taken this Cheſhire-R•bbah; ſend for King David; yea, ſend for that King who is Davids ſon and Davids Lord, King JESUS; give him poſſeſſion, and ſet the Crown of glory upon his Head, bowing your beads before him, and caſting down your Crowns, ſaying, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy Name give the praiſe. Ezek. 48.35.O let not the City be called by your Name; but let the Name of the City be from this day, Jehovah-ſhammah, The Lord is there.
Worthy Sirs, what is now my faithful advice to you, ſhall be always the humble requeſt for you at the Throne of Grace, ofPſal. 115.1.
I Deſire to rejoyce with you and for you; in this great mercy of God, in reſtoring you to your Habitations, from which ſome of you have been ſo long divorced; or to your Liberties, in the ſurpriſe whereof you have been no better then priſoners in your own Houſes: Which that it may be a mercy indeed, give me leave, as one that loves you, to commend unto you a few Cautions.
1. Take heed, I beſeech you, now that you are returned to your old Houſes, you do not return to your old ſins; now you are reſtored to your Civil Liberties, you do not backſlide to your former ſinful Liberties: What they were, you beſt know: give me leave to minde you what your Chriſtian friends in the Kingdom have taken notice of and bewailed in you: Pride in your apparel, ſumptuouſneſſe in your houſes, exceſſive delicacie on your Tables; (whoſe ſins theſe were, Ezek. 16.49 will tell you) profanation of Sabbaths, contempt of the faithful Miniſtery of the Word, compliance with Epiſcopal Superſtition formality in Religion, almoſt ſcorn of the godly, and of the power of Godlineſſe, and the like. Gal. 4.16.I ſpeak not theſe things to ſhame you, but as a Miniſter of Chriſt and a friend to admoniſh you; and I hope I ſhall not become your enemy becauſe I tell you the truth. Ile aſſure you, Friends, you have as much cauſe to keep days of Humiliation in Cheſter for your old ſins, as days of Thanksgiving for your new Mercies. A voice was heard upon the high places,Jer. 3.21. weeping and ſupplication of the children of Iſrael; for they have perverted their way, and have forgotten the Lord their God. This was the poſture of Iſrael returning out of Captivity, and I wiſh from my ſoul it may be Yours.
2. Enquire the way to Sion with your faces thitherward; and to that end, purchaſe to you•ſelves an inward, ſpiritual,Jer. 50.5. powerful Miniſtery, whatever it coſt you. Say not you are poor; or if you do, know that this is the next way to recruit your eſtates: the Goſpel never comes empty-handed to a people; it bears its own charges with advantage:Prov. 23.23. O then, buy the truth and ſell it not; buy it at any price, ſell it at no price. Prove God herewith, I beſeech you, and ſee if he do not open the windows of heaven and pour out a bleſſing upon you, and make your later end (with Job) more proſperous then your beginning. Mal. 3.10. Job. 42.12. 2 Tim. 3 5.
3. Labour to be Chriſtians in good earneſt: A form of godlineſſe will not ſerve the turn (it is a moth that will inſenſibly eat out the beauty & ſtrength of a Church or people) Studie the power of it. You have now made an Experiment, whoſe ſervice is better,Deut. 28.47, 48. Gods or your Enemies. If God be God (with you now) ſerve him, and ſerve him like Himſelf; Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect:Matth. 5. ult. if after all this you dally with God, and ſettle upon your lees again, I muſt propheſie to you in the Name of the Lord; The troubles you have ſuffered have been but the beginnings of your ſorrow.
4. From henceforth know your friends from your foes; learn to diſtinguiſh between Complements and Realities: The Bramble ſaid to the trees, Come and put your truſt under my ſhadow. Truſt Brambles no more.
5. Studie Thankfulneſſe for this bleſſed turn of Providence in returning your Captivity. They ſay abroad in the Kingdom, The Lord hath done great things for you:Judg. 9.15. Will not you eccho back again, Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoyce? The Lord teach you to pr•ze your naked walls more then you have done formerly your ſumptuous ſurniſht houſes; to improve your Freedoms to better purpoſe then ever heretofore. How you may be thankful, this enſuing Sermon, preached for the Celebration of your Deliverance, will direct. You bear the greateſt ſhare in the mercy, I wiſh you may bear the greateſt ſhare in the duty.
6. Finally, Brethren, farewel: Be perfect, be of good omfort, be of one minde, live in peace, and the God of Love and Peace ſhall be with you. So prays
Then are they glad becauſe they be quiet: So he bringeth them into the deſired haven.
O that men would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſſe, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
IN the two former Pſalms, the holy Pſalmiſt doth celebrate the mighty Acts of God in the deliverance and preſervation of his Church. In this Pſalm he contemplates the wonders of Providence towards all Mankinde: For after he had in the beginning of2 the Pſalm finiſhed the mention of his mercy and loving kindneſſe to his Red•emed, in the eight firſt Verſes, he deſcends to take notice what God doth.
For the Hungry, Verſ. 9.
For the diſconſolate and afflicted, Verſ. 10, 11, 12 13, 14.
For the ſick and languiſhing, Verſ. 17, 18 19, 20.
F•r Sea-men and ſuch as travel upon the waters; from the 23 to my Text.
He takes notice what he doth in the great turns of Providence, turning plenty into famine wherein his Justice is magnified, V•rſ. 33, 34.
And (back again) famine into plenty, wherein his Mercie is advanced, Verſ 35.36, 37 38.
What he doth in breaking the power of mighty Princes turned Oppreſſors and Tyrants, in making them contemptible, and•ain like, Vagabonds to wander up and down in deſert and hungry places, Verſ. 40.
And in lifting up the heads and reſtoring the habitations of their poor oppreſſed Subjects and People, Verſ. 41.
Upon each of theſe admirable Turns of Providence the Pſalmiſt ſets a Crown of glory, breathing out his enlarged and repeated deſires, that when men have the comfort, God might have the praiſe of all his wonders of Providence. Oh that men would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſſe &c. It is the burden of the Song; Oh that men would praiſe the Lord!
My Text is the fourth repetition of this gracious breathing, poured out over the fourth work and wonder of Providence; namely. The admirable and even ſtupendious deliverances which God vouchſafes Mariners and Sea-men in many a black, dreadful, furious, death-threatnin•ſtorm and tempeſt, expreſt to the life in the 23, 24, 25, 26 27, 28, 29 Verſes.
I ſhall not meddle with the D•liverance it ſelf, though, if I ſhould, it would be neither impertinent nor improper for the work of this day: for certainly a man might eaſily run a parallel between the ſtate of the Mariner in th•ſtorm, and the condition of this poor and yet bleeding Church and State.
In Ireland and England. We that have gone down into the Sea, this Red-ſea of Blood, and have had our buſineſſe now for theſe four or five yeers in3 theſe great waters of Civil war; ſurely we have ſeen the works of the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep:Verſe 24 If ever people ſaw the works, the wonders of the workings of Jehovah, we have.
We have lived (I think I may ſafely ſpeak it) in the greateſt Age of wonders that ever the Church knew.
We uſe to ſay Miracles are ceaſt; but truely, if men have ceaſed to do Miracles, God hath not; and yet he hath done them by men too, in this Deep of Englands, and Scotlands, and Irelands troubles and•fflictions.
For he commandeth and•••ſeth up the ſtormy winde,Verſe 25. which lifteth up the waves thereof. Surely all the ſtorms and tempests that have beaten upon theſe three Kingdoms, have not come by chance and fortune; this af••iction hath not riſen out of the dust: but as it was with Sol•mon, af•er his heart began to depart from God, it is ſa•d,1 Kings 11.14. The Lord ſtirred up an Adverſary unto Solomon, Had•d the Ed•mite, &c. And (Verſ. 23.) God ſtirred him up another Adverſary; Rezin the ſon of Eliadah. Adverſary after Adverſary, and all ſtirred up by God. So hath it been and is yet with us; Storm after Storm, Tempeſt after Tempeſt; one cloud of blood and wrath after another,Eccleſ. 12.2. (The clouds have returned after rain) and all raiſed up by God, in his righteous Judgement upon theſe ſinful backſliding Nations: We have (as it followeth) been mounted up to heaven, and then hurl'd down again into the depths.
Oh the various changes that have been upon us I Somtimes up, and ſomtimes down; ſomtimes raiſed up as high as heaven, by wonderful Deliverances and glorious Victories, anon caſt down even as l•we as hell,As in the Weſt, &c. by ſad breakings of our Armies and loſſe of our Strong-holds.
Surely our ſouls have been melted becauſe of trouble. Our hopes have been melted, and our hearts have been melted. Oh how oft have I ſeen paleneſſe in mens faces, the very ſhadow of death upon mens countenances I how oft have I ſeen men with their hands upon their loyns, while fear hath taken hold upon them, and ſorrow, a•pain upon a woman in travel? Have we not been in the day of ſad tidings from the Weſt, and other places in the Kingdom,Verſ. 27. like drunken men full of the fury4 of the Lord, and rebukes of our God, reeling to and fro in our ſpirits, and ſtaggering in our Councels; at our wits end: Parliament at their wits end, and Citie at their wits end, and Armies at their wits end;〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 All their wiſdom ſwallowed up, as the Hebrew ſignifies; nonpluſt and loſt, not knowing what to do next; unleſſe it were, with the Mariners in my Text (for the moſt part the profaneſt of men) to go and cry to God in our trouble;Verſ 28. betake our ſelves to our faſting and prayers; when God hath ſhewed himſelf eaſie to be intreated,2 King. 20.12. very gracious at the voice of our cry, and hath brought us out of theſe distreſſes and ſtraits wherein were, calming the ſtorms, and stilling the waves, the pride and rage,Verſe 30. the power and policie of our devouring Adverſaries.
Thus hath the Lord done, as often heretofore, ſo now wonderfully of late at Dartmouth and Plymouth, at Hereford, at Belvoyre, and at Chester, the Wonder of mercy which we this day celebrate.
Thus you ſee if I ſhould pitch upon the Deliverance it ſelf, here would be a foundation upon which we might build a Diſcourſe not unſeaſonable, or unſutable to the work of the day.
But it is not the Deliverance it ſelf, but the Return, which hath called out my thoughts, and now humbly calls for your attention.
And this Return is Twofold:
And to hold you in the porch no longer, though many Obſervations might be raiſed from the words, I ſhall onely from the comparing of theſe two together, ſc. What men do when mercies and deliverances come in, They are glad; with what they ſhould do; O that men would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſſe, &c. hold forth to you this Point of
Doctrine:
Every man in the world can be glad of mercies and deliverances: but the duty that God expects, is, that men ſhould praiſe him for his mercies.
Then are they glad: I, but that will not ſerve the turn; it is5 a Return of an high nature which God looks for: Oh that men would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſſe, &c.
Or thus, if you pleaſe.
There is a great difference between Gladneſſe and Thankfulneſſe.
It is one thing to be glad of a mercy or deliverance; it is another thing to be thankful for it.
What that difference is, and wherein it doth conſiſt, is all I intend to do upon the Doctrinal part of this Truth.
They differ in theſe four things ▪ ſc. in reſpect of their
1. In their Nature.Firſt, Gladneſſe and Thankfulneſſe differ in their Nature. Gladneſſe or Joy is but a natural affection. Some of the Stoick Philoſophers have defined or deſcribed it to be〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Chryſippus and other Stoicks.Elatio animi propter aliquid quod optandum eſſe videatur; it is the lifting up, or widening, or enlargement of the heart upon the coming in of any ſutable and deſirable good. And it is found not onely in**Pſal. 105.38. Lam. 1.21. natural men, but even in the bruit creatures; even theſe, you ſee, do expreſſe in their way, a great deal of gladneſſe and contentment when they meet with that which is ſutable to their natures and diſpoſitions.
But now Thankfulneſſe, which is here commended, is a divine grace wrought in the ſoul by the Spirit of God, whereby the heart is drawn out towards God in gracious and holy deſires and endeavours to praiſe and exalt the Lord, who is the Author and Donor of the Mercie, as here it is expreſſed by this chiefeſt and higheſt act of Thankfulneſſe: Oh that men would praiſe the Lord, &c. Let them exalt him, &c.
And therefore this is to be found onely in the Saints:Pſal. 33.1. Rejoyce in the Lord, ye righteous; for praiſe is comely for the upright.
Let the Saints be joyful in glory;Pſal. 149.5, 6. let them ſing aloud upon their beds: let the high praiſes of God be in their mouthes, &c. they be the6 Righteous onely, the upright, the Saints, in whoſe boſoms this grace dwells, and who can manage this Spiritual ſervice and duty of rejoycing and praiſing the Lord in a right manner.
Indeed the holy Pſalmiſt doth often expreſſe the workings of his heart upon the receipt of great deliverances and mercies, under the notion of gladneſſe, all over the Pſalms: but you are to take it as a Synonymon, or t'other expreſſion of thankfulneſſe; not a meer ſtirring of natural joy and complacency in and for deliverances and mercies; but the Spiritual movings and ſparkling of his aff••ction towards God; in witneſſe whereof, you ſhall never ſinde that notion ſtand ſingle, but (like the**1 Cor. 6.17. Spirit of the holy man himſelf) joyned unto the Lord, either as the Author or as the Object of his Gladneſſe.
I will be glad and rejoyce in thee.Pſal. 9.2. And
Be glad in the Lord,Pſal. 32.11. ye righteous. And
Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy work,Pſal. 92.4. &c. to ſhew that his gladneſſe was ſanctified and ſpiritualized into the grace of Thankfulneſſe.
And indeed Grace is nothing elſe but the natural affection baptized (as I may ſo ſay) and regenerated by the holy Ghost and the Blood of Christ, faced and pointed upon God as its proper and higheſt object. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Coloſſ. 3.2.Set, and Set not: the affection is not changed in the matter of it, but in the object.
So natural ſorrow and grief, ſpiritualized and ſet upon the right object, ſc. upon an**Mich. 7.9. offended God, is the grace of**•Cor. 7.9. Repentance. And Anger ſanct fied and faced upon Gods diſhonour, is Zeal. And Love fired with a flame from Chriſt, and carried up in that flame to Christ, is no longer the affection, but the grace of Love; & ſic in caet. And thus natural joy and gladneſſe heavenlized and ſet upon God,2 Joh. 4.19. is the grace of Thankfulneſſe.
And this is the firſt difference: Gladneſſe or Joy is but a natural affection Common to good and bad, to man and beaſt; but Thankfulneſſe is that affection ſprinkled with the Blood of Chriſt, proper onely to the Saints, becauſe (like the Saint himſelf) it is made partaker of the divine Nature. 2 Pet. 1.4.
Secondly, they differ in their Riſe or Ground.
7Second difference, Riſe or Ground.The Riſe or Ground of Gladneſſe (as it is a meer natural affection) is meerly the poſſ ſſion of ſome ſutable deſirable Good which comes in, whether National, or Domeſtick, or Perſonal; together with thoſe natural fruits and improvements which ariſe and grow upon it. As here in the Text, Then are they glad; what is the Riſe? Becauſe they b•quiet••they are now out of thoſe fears and dangers which made their hearts work as tempeſtuouſſy as the Sea it ſelf. Safety and rest are the ground of their joy: glad, the ſtorm is over and they ſafe in the Haven.
And ſo you may proportion it in your thoughts in other deliverances and mercies National or Private.
Gladneſſe riſeth not higher then the bulk and body of the Good it ſelf; as the rich fool in the Goſpel lookt upon his heap of wealth, and glads his ſoul in it, and in the advantages he promiſeth himſelf from it:
Soul, here are goods l•id up for many yeers;Luke 12.19. he ſhall need to take no more care or thought as long as he lives; take thine eaſe, eat, drink and be merrie.
The Grounds of Thankfulneſſe.But now the Grounds and Riſe of Thankfulneſſe they are of a more generous and divine Nature; ſuch as theſe:
1. A Spiritual Title.Firſt, a Spiritual and Divine Right to mercies; a Scripturetitle. What is that? Why the Saints have
Fi ſt, a Right of Sonſhip. The wicked have a Right to what they have, not onely a civil right before men, but a divine right b•fore God; but it is but a Right of Creation; they have a right To the Creatures, but it is but a right Of the Creatures: But now th•S•ints have a right of Sonſhip; If children,Rom. 8.17. then heirs of God, and joynt heirs with Christ. Whatever mercy or deliverance they have, it is part of their childes portion: though they are not joynt-purchaſers, yet they are joynt-heirs with Jeſus Chriſt: they have all by inheritance:Heb. 1.2. as Chriſt is Heir of all things; ſo they in him;
All is you•s, and you are Chriſts; and Christ is Gods. 1 Cor. 3.22, 23.
And thus•eing Children and Heirs, they have a
Seco•d Right, and that is a Right of Promiſe or Covenant; and therefore Believers are call'd The children of promiſe,Rom. 9.8. becauſe they be bothaa2 Pet. 1.4. begotten andbb1 Tim. 4.8. m•int•in'd by promiſe: whatever they have, they have by promiſe: Godlineſſe is profitable for all8 things, having the promiſe of the life that now is, and that which is to come. Others are fed out of the Common basket of Providence; they are fed out of the Ark of the Covenant, which is the great List of the promiſes. Every childe of God, be he never ſo poor, is ſerved in Plate: The words of the Lord are pure words, as Silver tried in a furnace of earth. He ſpeaks of the word of promiſe. Pſal. 12.6.So that if it be but bread and water, yet it is ſerved in to a childe of God in the ſilver and golden veſſels of the Promiſes: And this affects them more then all the bulk and heap of mercies and comforts which they do poſſeſſe, or that worldlings do poſſeſſe.
Thou haſt put more gladneſſe into my heart then in the time that their corn and their wine encreaſed. Pſal. 4.7.How? Why, by the ſhines of his face and favour, as Verſ. 7.
This is the Riſe of a gracious Joy and Thankfulneſſe, That what he hath, he hath not onely by Gods leave, but with Gods love; not by Creatureſhip onely, but by Sonſhip; not by providence onely, but by promiſe. With the men of the world, the Principal is more then the Interest: but every childe of God accounts his Interest more then the Principal. Therefore you ſhall finde the Church glorying in this, That all her deliverances and mercies are Covenant-mercies. If God deſtroy her enemies, ſhe looks upon it as a fruit of the Covenant.
He is the Lord our God; his judgements are in all the world.
She triumphs in the execution of Gods righteous judgements upon the enemies of the Church;Pſal. 105.7. but upon what ground? It follows,
He hath remembred his Covenant for ever, &c. It was a deliverance of Promiſe as well as of Providence; a Covenant-mercie; in that ſhe rejoyceth:Verſ. 8. yea, if it be but bread and water, as I ſaid before, ſhe looks in what it is ſerved.
He hath given meat to them that fear him: Why?
He will be ever mindful of his Covenant. Pſal. 111.5.
Her meat (how courſe ſoever) was ſerved in in the great ſilver Cha•ger of the Covenant. And this was the riſe of Thankfulneſſe in the Churches Grace; q. d. Bleſſed be God that hath fed me with bread of promiſe, that hath commanded his Covenant to bring me in proviſion.
9And ſo for her deliverances and redemption from enemies temporal and eternal. He ſent Redemption to his people,Verſe 9. he hath commanded his Covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his Name. It was a Covenant-victorie and Redemption, and for this ſhe bows her head, and adores the Name of the Lord.
Now carnal people never look after theſe things, they be dry and empty notions to them; give them meat, ſo it be fat and dainty; give them Deliverances and Victories, ſo they be full and gallant; be it by promiſe or providence, come they in by ſonſhip or creatureſhip; be it the Covenant that helps them, or Fortune, it is all one, they know no difference; and therefore riſe no higher in their joy and gladneſſe then the poſſeſſion of their deſirable good things. This is the firſt Riſe.
Second Ground, Return of Prayer.A Second Riſe of Thankfulneſſe is, The Return of Prayer.
The children of God, when they have pray'd, do not forget their prayers, as carnal people do: but when they have prayed, they look after their Prayers. Pſal. 85.8.I will hearken what God the Lord will ſpeak, &c. when he had done praying, he begins hearkning. And ſo again, In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee,Pſal. 5.3. and I will look up. A childe of God looks after his prayers, and he knows them when he ſees them again, and ſays,Oh here comes the anſwer of ſuch a prayer, the return of ſuch a day of Humiliation:and this affects his heart, and this raiſeth up his ſoul in the love and praiſes of God. Pſal. 116.1.I love the Lord, becauſe he hath heard my voice and my ſupplication. Yea, and for this he calls in help to this great work of praiſing God (as the diſciples beckoned to their fellows to come and help them when they had taken ſuch a great draught of fiſhes, that their ſhip began to ſink again: ſo I ſay the Pſalmiſt upon a great draught of mercles, which even ſinks him again with the weight of them, calls in the Saints to his help: Come neer, all ye that fear God,Pſal. 66.16. and I will tell you what he hath done for my ſoul. Why, what was it? He tells you: I cried unto him with my mouth,Verſ. 17. and he was extolled with my tongue. A ſpeedie return of Prayer; q.d. I kept a day of prayer, wherein I ſought him for ſuch ahd ſuch mercies and deſiverances, and anon after he gave me occaſion to keep a day of Thanksgiving for being found of me: and this endears his heart to God more then the mercy it ſelf, whatever it was.
10Bleſſed be God that hath not turned away my prayer,Verſ. 20. nor his mercie from me.
This is the ſecond Riſe.
A third Riſe or Ground of Thankfulneſſe, whereby it differs from meer natural Gladneſſe,A third Ground, Spiritual advantages. is
Spiritual Advantages.
If National and Publike Mercies and Deliverances, the Saints eye the Spiritual part of them.
Surely ſalvation is nigh unto them that fear him. Pſal. 85.9.When we were nigh to periſhing, our God was nigh to ſave; to ſave us in ſuch a Battel and in ſuch a danger; to give up ſuch and ſuch a ſtrong-hold out of which the enemies did vex and plague us, becauſe he had a people among us that feared his Name. I, but now there was a Spiritual part in this Deliverance, and that follows:
That glory may dwell in our Land: What is the glory of a people, but the Ordinances of God? The glory is departed from Iſrael, cried that dying Saint when the Ark of God was taken:1 Sam 4.12. why ſo now, the Church looks upon the ſocuritie and improvement of the Ordinances of God, as the fruit of this deliverance, and that is the ground of her triumph.
And ſo if they be perſonal mercies and deliverances, the people of. God enquire what portion will fall to the ſouls ſhare, what improvement for grace they can finde in their mercies. The living, the living ſhall praiſe thee, as I do this day; ſo ſings Hezekiah.
Have mercie upon me,Iſa. 38.19. O Lord, conſider my trouble which I ſuffer,Pſal. 9.13, &c.
That I may ſhew forth all thy praiſe in the gates of the daughter of Sion; ſo prays David: both, ſingle out the Spiritual part of the Deliverance: in the mouth of it, they finde food for the grace of Thankfulneſſe to feed on: That I may ſhew forth thy praiſes; and that they make the ground or riſe of their rejoycing. Yea, the Prophet David is ſo intent upon the matter, that whereas with carnal hearts the lean kine eat up the fat, the earthly part of a mercy devours the heavenly and ſpiritual; with this man after Gods own heart (and if ever he was ſo, it was in this) the ſpiritual part devours and ſwallows up the earthly, where he doth encourage his ſoul:Pſal. 42.1. Hope thou in God; for I11 ſhall yet praiſe him, &c. He was waiting for a Deliverance from the perſecutions of bloody Saul, and he hath forgot and lost both it and himſelf in the heavenly-ſoul-part of the mercy: he ſaw it would be fuel for the grace of love and thank fulneſſe, and that ſo takes up all his thoughts, that he can ſpeak nothing elſe but praiſe, praiſe: not, I ſhall yet be delivered: but, I ſhall yet praiſe him, &c. Oh happie Loſſe indeed I to loſe Earth in Heaven I to loſe the Creature in God I loſe the mercy of God in the God of mercy I Surely he that ſo loſeth a mercy, findes it with infinite advantage.
I might inſtance in more particular graces; but I muſt leave much to your own enlargement.
But there is yet an higher Riſe then all theſe of the Saints
Thankfulneſſe for Mercies and Deliverances; and that
Fourthly, is, that God is exalted. The fourth Riſe, Gods exaltation. Exod. 15.
Thus if you will peruſe that ſong of Moſes, Exod. 15, from the firſt Verſe and ſo forward, you ſhall finde that which moſt affects him and the children of Iſrael, in the drowning of Pharroh and the Egyptians in the Red-ſea, was not ſo much their being freed from the fear of the Egyptians purſuit, as that thereby God was exalted: I will ſing unto the Lord;Verſ. 1. for He hath triumphed gloriouſly.
The Lord is my ſtrength and my ſong, my fathers God;Verſ. 2. and I will praiſe him. Pharaoh's chariots and his hoſt hath He caſt into the Sea: not ſo much that it was done, as that God did it.
Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power:Verſ. 6. thy right hand, O Lord, hath daſhed the enemies in pieces.
And in the greatneſſe of thine excellency thou haſt overthrown them that roſe up againſt thee. Verſ. 7.
The blaſt of thy noſtrils, &c. Verſ. 8.
Thou didſt blowe with thy winde, &c. Verſ. 10.
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods! And The Lord ſhall reign for ever and ever. Verſ. 18.
Thus they lift up God, becauſe he hath lifted up himſelf. And ſo the Saints in the Revelation, when they repeat this Song (for it is ſaid,Rev. 15.3. They ſang the ſong of Moſes the Servant of the Lord) they harp upon this ſtring, Great and marvellous are thy works,Verſ. 4. Lord God Almighty: who ſhall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifio thy Name?
12In a word, you have three Pſalms almoſt together; Pſalm 93, 97, and 99: what the Victories and Deliverances were, I cannot tell you; but this is the triumph in all, The Lord reigneth.
This is the laſt and the higheſt Riſe of pure Thankfulneſſe and Praiſe, That God ſets himſelf up above his enemies: That the Lord gets glory and greatneſſe to his own Name:
Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thine own ſtrength; ſo will we ſing and praiſe thy power. Pſal. 21.13.
I come now to the third difference between Gladneſſe and Thankfulneſſe, which is this;
They differ in their Duration. Third Difference, Duration.
Gladneſſe for the moſt part is but a preſent impetus of ſpirit, a ſudden impreſſion upon the firſt arrival of un-expected, or long -•xpected deſires, overſpreads the heart; but ſtays no longer then the ſenſe of the good rejoyced in is freſh upon the ſpirit.
As on the contrary,Nullum violentum eſt perpetuum. you ſee there be ſome ſudden guſts and irruptions of grief which like a land-flood lays all under water, but are quickly gone.
Mercies and Deliverances to a carnal heart are like flowers that upon their firſt cutting ſmell very ſweet, and they are put then in the boſom: or like Tulips, which upon the firſt gathering are very betutiful and delightful to the eye, and ſerve a day or two to diſcourſe on; but anon after, they grow ſtale, and out they go to the dung-hill.
The holy Ghoſt hath compared this kinde of Gladneſſe to the crackling of thorns: As the crackling of thorns under a pot,Eccleſ. 7.6. ſo is the laughter of a fool. I think I do carnal people no wrong in expounding this Text over their joy; for in Scripture-ſenſe, all natural men are fools, and their gladneſſe and joy ſhews them to be ſo; there is no ſolidneſſe nor duration in it; it is like the crackling of thorns, is makes a great noiſe, but is quickly out.
But now Thankfulneſſe or Spiritual rejoycing is longer lived by far; and therefore you ſhall finde God charging the memories of his people with the keeping of all the paſſages31 of his love and providence;Deut. 8.2. Thou ſhalt remember all the way wherein the Lord thy God led thee theſe fourty yeers in the wilderneſſe, a great work certainly, we ſee it is no eaſie matter to remember all the way wherein the Lord hath led us theſe four yeers; what is it to remember the mercies of fourtie yeers! yet as great as it is, as God doth charge it upon his people, ſo David chargeth himſelf with it:
Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits.
One ingredient into Thankfulneſſe, is a good memory,Pſal. 103.2. which like the Ark muſt preſerve the rod, and the pot of manna, and the Law; the Fatherly Corrections, the Miraculous Proviſions, and the glorious Ordinances where with God bleſſeth his people.
And it ſeems David ſtudied his charge ſo well, that in anſwer thereunto he undertakes with God: I will ſing praiſe unto my God while I have my being.Pſal. 104.33. his Thankfulneſſe is as long lived as himſelf, it knew no other termination then life it ſelf: yea, life muſt not bound his praiſe; I will praiſe thee for ever;Pſal. 52.9. that is his engagement to God; and if that be too narrow, he will put an ever at the top of that ever;Pſal. 145.1. I will bleſſe thy Name for ever and ever; nothing ſhort of eternity ſhall terminate his Thankfulneſſe: the Reaſon is, becauſe (as you have ſeen) Thankfulneſſe takes its Riſe from durable and unchangeable grounds; the Covenant of God, and his glory, which like himſelf are eternal, and immutable: He hath commanded his Covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his Name, and therefore it ſelf is unchangeable and eternal.
This ſhall ſuffice for the third; I come to the fourth Difference.
They differ in their Operations or Returns.
Truely as the Riſe,Fourth Difference, Operations. ſo the Operations of meer carnal joy and gladneſſe are lowe, earthly, ſenſual; like culinary fire or ſmoke, which ſeems to aſpire and aſcend up to heaven, or, the element of fire; but gets not above the firſt region of the air: or like a lazie thick fogg, which if it move upward a little, it falls preſently down again with its own weight to the earth, from whence it aroſe: So it is with natural joy and gladneſſe: For,
Firſt, either it is bounded and terminated within it ſelf,Carnal joy ſets up 1. Self. whileſt upon the coming in of ſome deſired or deſirable good,14 it doth hugg it ſelf,Hab. 1.16. and bleſſe it ſelf: It ſacrificeth to its own net, and burns incenſe to its own dragg; i.e. aſcribes to its own power, and policy, and wiſedom, what is done, like the Babylonian Tyrant; By the multitude of my Charets am I come up to the height of the mountains, and the ſides of his Carmel, &c. and I have digged and drunk water, and with the ſoles of my feet have I dried up all the Rivers of the beſieged places. Here is nothing to be heard but I, and mine; and ſo all the Returns are dedicated to ſelf: put on fine apparel, dreſſe as brave as the Sun, eat the fat, drink wine in bowls, dance to the inſtruments of Muſick, ſet open the Cellar-doors, drink ſo many hogs-heads empty, and their own full; this is an Oxford-day of Thanksgiving, and I would ſuch days were onely kept there; I would this were onely the Thanksgiving of Cavaliers.
But ſecondly,2. Inſtruments if a carnal heart go out of it ſelf, it is not upward; it is but forward to the Creature: it looks no higher then the ſecond cauſes; it eyes the Inſtruments, and cries up Commanders and Souldiers, and puts the bays and garland upon their heads; Saul hath ſlain his thouſands, and David his ten thouſands. God hath little or no ſhare in the triumph.
Or thirdly,3. Reſts in duties. if carnal Joy keep a day or Thanksgiving as the very Philiſtines did ſo much, when that ſtrong Gariſon, Samſon, was ſurrendred up into their hands, and offered a great Sacrifice to Dagon their god,Judg. 16.23. &c. I ſay, If Carnal joy go into the Temple, hear Sermons, ſing Pſalms, lift up the voice in Thanksgiving, in all theſe it gets no higher then the dutie. The dutie looks upon God, the heart doth not: or if God be propounded, God is not exalted: When ye fasted, &c. did ye at all fast unto me,Zech. 7.5. even unto me? And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did ye not eat to your ſelves, and drink to your ſelves? In fasting and feasting, that is, in days of Humiliation and in days of Thanksgiving, they reſted the in duty: ſelf was uppermoſt in both: God was the object of the duty indeed, but ſelf was the end: Ye did eat and drink to your ſelves.
And when the dutie is done, all is done: the Faſting of carnal people is but the holding downn the head like a bulruſh for a day, and their Thankſgivings are but the holdi•g up the head like a reed for a day.
15Nothing outlives the day or the dutie. Publike Duties are are the end of the carnal mans rejoycing: they are but the Medium of the holy mans rejoycing, that ſerves to advance him for further and higher Returns.
Springs, we ſay, will riſe as high as they fall; and ſo doth the Saints Thankfulneſſe: as it is a grace which comes down from heaven; ſo it is a grace that aſcendeth up back again to heaven,True Thankfulneſſe works it ſelf out, and carrieth up the ſoul with it thither: and that
1. In exalting God.1. In high admirations and exaltations of God. I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up: thou haſt lifted me up, and therefore I will lift thee up;Pſal. 30.1. and he calls in others to help him in this great work; O magnifie the Lord with me,Pſal. 34.3. and let us exalt his Name together. And this is the duty the Pſalmiſt here commends to the ſons of men; O that men would praiſe the Lord: Let them exalt him alſo in the Congregation of the people, and praiſe him in the Aſſemblie of the Elders.
He would have God more exalted, and man leſſe.
Secondly, it works heaven-ward and God-ward in holie prayer: David got ſafe to the Crown thorow all his wars,2. In Prayer. and troubles, and perſecutions, reſolves by way of Render,Pſal. 116.13. I will call upon the Name of the Lord: and, to binde the Sacrifice with Cords to the horns of the Altar, he doubles the engagement upon his own ſoul, Verſ. 17. I will offer to thee the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, and call upon the Name of the Lord. One would have thought he might now have given over praying; God had put an end to his troubles, and he might put an end to his prayers: nay, but that is the note of an Hypocrite, to ceaſe praying when troubles ceaſe. What is the hope of the hypocrite? &c. Will he always call upon God? No,Job 27.10. there be two times when the Hypocrite will not call upon God: Firſt, when troubles are too heavie: Secondly, when troubles are removed; deſpair will not ſuffer him to pray then, and lazineſſe will not let him pray now. With the truely-thankful it is other wiſe: as prayer begets deliverance; ſo deliverance begets prayer; and ſo he ſhews that it is not neceſſitie makes him pray onely, but love. Love to prayer, and love to the God of prayer.
That is a third thing wherein his Thankfulneſſe operates,3. In love. ſc. 16Love; it carries out the heart in exceeding love to God. I will love thee,Pſal. 18.1. Title. O Lord my ſtrength, &c. ſo ſings David, in the day that the Lord had delivered him from the hands of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. And this Love the Saints expreſſe in theſe three ways eſpecially:
1. In labouring to know more of God: after God had done ſo many miracles and wonders for Iſrael, Moſes preſents God with this Petition:
I beſeech thee ſhew me thy glory. Exod. 33.18.
He had ſeen much of the wonders of God; now his love is fired with deſires of ſeeing the God of theſe wonders. He would fain be acquainted with that God which did all thoſe wonders.
2. In labouring to enjoy more of God, to have him for their God. Thou art great, and doeſt wondrous things: I, but that will not ſerve the turn:Pſal. 86.10. Teach me thy way, O Lord, unite my heart to thee to fear thy Name:Verſ. 11. he would know the way to God, that he might enjoy more communion with God. Ʋnite my heart, &c. not the things of God, but God himſelf, will content a thankful heart; as Luther profeſt to God when the Princes and States of Germanie ſent him a whole Table full of Plate; Lord, ſaith he, thou ſhalt not turn me off with theſe things. A gracious heart could take little comfort in Victories and Deliverances, and other comforts, unleſſe the God of thoſe Victories and Comforts were his too.
And therefore thirdly, this love doth expreſſe it ſelf in glorying in God: So the Church in that Pſalm of Thanksgiving, Pſal. 48,Pſal. 48.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13. when ſhe had told all the world the great Victories God had given by Land and Sea; how he had routed mighty Kings and Princes, and made them glad to betake themſelves to their heels; they came, and ſo went home again: after ſhe had led the Spectator round about the Line of Communication, and invited him to behold the beautie and ſtrength of her Towers and Fortifications; ſhe concludes the Pſalm with this triumph, as that which infinitely tranſcended all the reſt: This God is our God for ever and ever;Verſe 14.
The God that hath done all theſe wonders, is my God. She glories not ſo much in the Victories God had given her, as in interest in the God of thoſe Victories.
17Well, that is the third thing wherein Thankfulneſſe acts, Love to God. The
Fourthly, Self-denial.Fourth is, Self-denial for Gods ſake: And after all this is come upon us, ſince our God hath puniſht us leſſe then our iniquities deſerve, and hath given us ſuch deliverance as this;Exra 9.13.14. ſhould we again break thy Commandments? ſo argued thankful Ezra. I tell you, Sirs, there is more Thankfulneſſe in one act of Self-denial, then in twenty days of Thanksgiving.
Fifthly, in Payment of VowsFifthly, true Thankfulneſſe works God-ward, in payment of vows: What ſhall I render, ſaith David? I will pay my vows. And again, verſ. 18, I will pay my vows; to ſhew he would be much, and watchful,Pſal. 116.14. and exact in that Return of Thankfulneſſe: And doubtleſſe it is as proper a return as any; for all the mercies of God to his people, whether National or Perſonal, whether Victories or Supplies, they are all the making good of his Covenant to them, as I have ſhewed**Vide pag. 8. before: He will ever be mindful of his Covenant; and therefore the ſutableſt Return that we can make, is the making good our Covenant to God; the payment of our Vows to him: Thy vows are upon me,Pſal. 56.12. I will render praiſes eo thee.
Sixthly, in Believing.Sixthly, in believing: Let God deliver a thankful heart, and it will truſt him another time: And Iſrael ſaw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians,Exod. 14.31. and the people believed the Lord, and his ſervant Moſes: that was a thankful Return indeed: a people or perſon cannot more honour God, then by believing on him. Abrabam was ſtrong in faith,Rom. 4.20. giving glory to God. God did this great work upon the Egyptians, on purpoſe that they might believe him ever after. The Pſalmiſt obſerve it; Thou breakest the heads of the Dragons in the Waters;Pſal. 74.14. Thou brakeſt the head of the Leviathan in pieces. Who was that Leviathan? who were theſe Dragons? Surely none other but Pharaoh and his Armie, as huge as the Leviathan, as fierce as Dragons: Oh they had ſtings in their heads; I, but God brake their heads, and quencht their ſtings in the waters: To what end? Thou gaveſt him to be meat to the people inhabiting in the wilderneſſe. What, did the Iſraelites powder up the carcaſes of theſe Leviathans and Dragons, the Egyptians, to ſerve them for Victuals while they kept Lent in the Wilderneſſe? No, he18 gave them to be meat; not food for their bodies, but food for their faith; that as long as they ſhould travel in the wilderneſſe, where they ſhould meet with innumerable multitudes of nonpluſſing oppoſitions and dangers, they might remember the Dragons and the Leviathan (as David after did the Lion and the Bear) and their faith might be ſtrengthned when it had fed well on the remembrance of that wonder of ſalvation. And ſo it was for the preſent; Iſrael ſaw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians; and they believed the Lord and his ſervant Moſes: a bleſſed frame of heart and fruit of Thankfulneſſe, would it have held: but there was their folly and unthankfulneſſe; they would not feed upon this experience, and it became their ſin and their ruine in the wilderneſſe. How long will this people provoke me?Numb. 14.11. how long will it be ere they believe me for all the ſignes which I have ſhewed them in the wilderneſſe?
In this Wilderneſſe they ſhall wander,Verſe 33. and there they ſhall die.
But to proceed.
Seventhly, in ordering the converſation. Pſal. 50. ult. A Seventh operation of Thankfulneſſe is, A well-ordering of the Converſation: He that offereth me praiſe, glorifieth me: but to him that ordereth his converſation aright, &c. It is a kinde of honour done to God, to keep a day of Thanksgiving, to hear two Sermons, to ſing Pſalms, to pray and praiſe, &c. but the main work is the ordering of the Converſation, or, as the Hebrew ſignifies, diſpoſing of ones way aright. Thankful lips do well, but thankful lives do better. A day of thanksgiving is ſomwhat, but a life of thanksgiving is all.
Eighthly, in deſires that others would praiſe God.Eighthy a thankful heart is fill'd with enlarged deſires that others, that all would be thankful. The holy Pſalmiſt here cries out to all that receive mercies, that they would return praiſe•, &c. He obſerveth how much men take in from God, and how little men lay out for God, and is troubled at it. He cries out as a man in pain and grief of ſpirit, Oh that men would praiſe the Lord! He would not willingly have God be a loſer by any of the wonders he doth for the children of men: and ſurely this an high expreſſion of Thankfulneſſe, when the heart travels with holy deſires that all the world might come in and be tributary to the glory of God: it is the deſigne of the19 148 Pſalm thorowout, the thankful Pſalmiſt engageth heaven and earth, Angels and men, the whole Creation to come in and help him keep a day of Thankſgiving. A gracious heart doth not think it enough to praiſe God alone; though it would be praiſing God, were there none in heaven or earth to bear it company.
To that end,
Ninthly,Ninthly, in talking of Gods works. ſal P. 145. 10, 11, 12. a thankful heart delights to be talking of the wonderful works of God. Thy Saints ſhall bleſſe thee, they ſhall ſpeak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power, to make known to the ſons of men thy mighty acts. And the Pſalmiſt doth not intend to binde this burden upon others, that he might might withdraw his own ſhoulders; no, he looks upon it as a priviledge as well as a dutie, and therefore engageth himſelf: I will ſpeak of the glorious honour of thy majeſtie,Verſe 5. and of thy wondrous works. A gracious heart delights to be ſpreading and publiſhing of the wonderful works of God, repeating and reckoning up all his loving kindneſſes: I will mention the loving kindneſſes of the Lord, and the praiſes of the Lord,Iſa. 63.7. according to all that the Lord hath beſtowed on me, and the great goodneſſe rewards the houſe of Iſrael which he hath beſtowed on them, according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindneſſes: ſo ſings the Church, Iſa. 63.7. And this the Saints do, to the end that they may not onely provoke one another to ſet forth his praiſes, but that they may render their God glorious to all the world, and propagate and perpetuate the memory of his wonderful works to all generations: One generation ſhall praiſe thy works to another, and ſhall declare thy mightie acts: that is, one generation ſhall make over the report and memorial of the glorious cts of God unto another; that ſo he may have the glory of what he doth in one age, in all the ſucceeding ages and generations of the Church to the end of the world:Pſal. 78.5. This was the testimonie which the Lord eſtabliſhed in Jacob, and the Law which he appointed in Iſrael; That they ſhould make known to their children the ſtrength and the wonderful works which God hath done; to what end? That the generation to come might know them,Verſe 6. even the children which ſhould be born, who ſhould ariſe and declare them to their children, &c. according to this Law your may finde them acting, Verſ. 2, 3, 4.
20Verſe 2.I will open my mouth, I will utter darkſayings of old,
Verſe 3.Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
Verſe 4.We will not hide them from their children, ſhewing to the generation to come the praiſes of the Lord, and his ſtrength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
They had received the memorial of the wonders of God from their fathers, and they will hand it down to their children, that the wonders of God might be as eternal as the God of thoſe wonders. And to that end,
Tenthly, in longing to praiſe God in heaven.Tenthly and laſtly, gracious ſpirits, in laid and enamel'd with Thankfulneſſe, becauſe they can live but a while to praiſe God on earth, and their generations too ſhall not continue after them for ever, to do this work, therefore they breathe after heaven, where in the preſence of God their praiſes ſhall be perfected and perpetuated here, they are weak, weary, full of natural and ſinful mixtures and defilements; there, they ſhall be vigorous, active, pure, perfect, as unchangeable, as interminable as eternitie it ſelf.
They rest not day and night,Revel. 8.4. ſaying, Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almightie, which was, and is, and is to come.
Thankfulneſſe is a pure flame of a reſtleſſe motion, ever mounting upward till it come to its element, the Quire of Saints and Angels in heaven, where it ſhall ſing everlaſting Hallelujahs to him that ſitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb; where it ſhall keep a day of Thankſgiving that ſhall never know an evening.
And thus have I done with the fourth and laſt difference between Gladneſſe and Thankfulneſſe, ſc. their operations, and ſo with the whole Doctrinal part of my Diſcourſe.
I ſhould now come to improve it to Ʋſe and Application; two ways eſpecially:
But truely the very opening of the Doctrine unto you, hath done both theſe already to your hands, or at leaſt furniſht you with materials upon which you may do both your ſelves.
Take this Model or Platform of true Thankfulneſſe, lay it before you, operate upon it in your ſerious and impartial21 thoughts; and if you would know whether you are a thankful people or no, you may eaſily reſolve into an Ʋſe of Examination, while every branch under all theſe four heads of differences will ſerve you as Note of Trial, whereby you may make ſome Judgement upon the queſtion Whether you do more then others of the world, in this great work of Thankfulneſſe. And if you would know how you might be thankful, ſet this Model in your eye, and it will ſerve you as Directory, wherein every branch (again) will be a Rule whereby you may form and proportion your Thankfulneſſe according to the Word, and the example of thoſe Saints who have excell'd in this grace and duty of Thankfulneſſe.
Truely, Honourable and Beloved, you had need to do it, and to do it with your beſt and pureſt intentions: for I profeſſe to you, the moſt, not moſt of men onely, but of Christians, do wofully miſtake both this duty and themſelves too.
The world, yea, the greatest part of the Goſpel-world, is extremely out in this great buſineſſe of Thankfulneſſe. It is ſad and fearful to obſerve, with what skins, and ſhadows, and (almoſt) mockeries God is turn'd off, in ſtead of this pure, holy, ſpiritual, active grace and duty of Thankfulneſſe: God looks for praiſe, and we turn him off with a natural, lazie, ſelfiſh Gladneſſe. Some haply go not ſo far, but like the elder Brother in the Goſpel ſtand murmuring & quarrelling without, whilſt in our Fathers houſe there is feasting and muſick. Many malignant ſpirits there be who fret, and repine, and gnaſh their teeth at the glorious Succeſſes wherewith God hath been pleaſed to crown the outgoings of his ſervants and people in theſe later days.
But truely that ſads not my ſpirit ſo much, as to ſee a people whom God hath ſtrived to endear unto himſelf by ſo many miracles of preſervation, Deliverances and Victories, to mock God out of his praiſe, and themſelves (at length) out of their mercies. Surely we may weep over our Deliverances, and turn our days of Thanksgiving into days of mourning and lamentation, to conſider how we dally with God, and put him off with a few empty, formal Complements, in ſtead of that real, and ſpiritual, and vital dutie which he expects and deſerves at our hands.
22And therefore I ſaid, when I heard I was deſigned to the ſervice of this day I will not ſtand to analyſe this mercie, nor take in pieces this work of God, the ſurrender of that ſtrong impregnable Hold of Chester, though very great, and worthy to be ſought out by all them that take pleaſure in the works of the Lord; but I will tell the Parliament, and tell the Kingdom, what it is to be thankful, that they may ſee how much they are miſtaken, and what wrath hangs over our heads for the carnality, rottenneſſe, hypocriſie of our rejoycings over all the wonders which God hath done for England.
And therefore, Noble Senators, and all you that ſtand before God this day, or to whom the words of this day may come, ſit down I beſeech you, ſeriouſly examine your ſelves by, and compare your ſelves with this Model of Thankfulneſſe held forth to you this day, and ſee whether indeed you do come up to the Law of that Service, which all the wonders that God hath done for you, doth call for at your hands; and what courſe you are to take for the preventing and averting of that wrath which I am afraid is gone forth againſt us for this thing.
I cannot ſtand to convince you by each particular in this Model.
Give me leave to ſingle out but one branch, and to deal faithfully with you in that particular; it is a main one, and ſuch as will include many other.
It is the fifth branch of the fourth head of Difference between Gladneſſe and Thankfulneſſe: namely.
Paying of Vows, or keeping of Covenant with God.
Noble Patriots, and all you that come hither to keep a day of Thankſgiving to God this day; come on, ſet up tribunals, and place Conſcience thereon as an impartial Judge, to keep a little day of Judgement in your boſoms this day: We must all appear before the Judgemedt-ſeat of Christ one day;2 Cor. 5.10. and how ſoon, the Lord onely knows: Come, ſtart not back; better judge our ſelves then be judged of the Lord: If we cannot ſtand before our own Conſciences, how ſhall we be able to ſtand before that Judge who is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things;1 Joh. 3.20. the great-heart-maker, and the great-heart-ſearcher.
23Come on then, I ſay, and ſee whether in this one branch of Thankfulneſſe we can approve our ſelves to God to be a thankful people.
I will not ravel into your boſoms to enquire with what diſpoſitions of ſpirit, upon what grounds and interests; to what ends and references you entred into the Solemn League and Covenant; though I wiſh with all my heart that you would; perhaps you would finde a pad in the ſtraw; in your entrance into this Covenant, poſſibly you may diſcover raſhneſſe in oppoſition to judgement; hypocriſie, in oppoſition to truth and ſincerity; it may be, baſe, lowe, carnal ends and aims, in oppoſition to Righteouſneſſe, which are the Qualifications of a religious Covenanter;Jer. 4.2. perhaps ſuch workings of heart as ſometimes brought the Sichemites into Covenant with the ſons of Jacob;Gen. 34.23. Shall not their cattel, and their ſubſtance, and every beaſt of theirs be ours? &c. perhaps the gaining of ſuch an office, ſecuring the eſtate, the keeping of ſuch a Living, was in the eye, &c. Oh let the Kingdoms enquire into this, and let every man look into his own heart: for if it were ſo, know of a certin, that this was firſt ſource and fountain of all that ſin and miſchief which hath broken in upon us ſince the day of our Covenanting with God and with one another. But this I leave: the thing that I would cloſe upon with your Conſciences, is this: How have you kept your Covenant with God?
Men and Brethren, have ye paid your vows unto the Lord, the Vows which ye uttered in this place in the day wherein you lifted up your hands to the most high God?
If you ſhall ſay, Yea, we have paid our Vows, and (with Saul) We have obeyed the voice of the Lord; let me demand, with Samuel, What means then the lowing of the oxen, and the bleating of the ſheep in mine ears? What means that brutiſh, and beastly noiſe of Hereſie, and Schiſm, and Profaneneſſe in mine ears?
Did ye not indeed Covenant with Godthe preſervation of Religion in the Church of Scotland, &c. and the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland, in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government, according to the Word of God, and the example of the beſt Reformed Churches? 24Oh what is the reaſon then that to this day, the Houſe of God lieth waſte? in ſome places there being no Miniſtery for want of Ordination; in others, indeed in all places, there being no Diſcipline or Government for want of a Rule according to the Word: no Diſcipline, I ſay, unleſſe it be amongſt thoſe whoſe impatient zeal ſuffers them not to wait for your civil Sanction. Will ye ſay The time is not come;Hagg. 1.2. the time for building the Lords Houſe is not come? I cannot give you the Prophets anſwer; I muſt confeſſe you have not ſpent your time in building your own houſes, and ceiling them; nay, ſome of your houſes have been pull'd down to the ground, and the ceiling deſtroyed with axes and hammers, in the Pſalmiſts language: But this I pray with all my ſoul, that you have not ſaid ſo, long; The time is not come, the time is not come, we are not yet in a fitting posture, (Oh, my ſoul trembles to ſpeak it) till God ſay The time is past, The time is past: Becauſe I would have purged, and thou waſt not purged;Ezek. 241.3. thou ſhalt not be purged; thou ſhalt not be purged from thy ſilthineſſe any more, till I have cauſed my fury to rest upon thee. Oh, if the Lord ſhould ſpeak ſuch a word againſt us, England is undone for ever. I am much afraid, if you time it out ſſe any more, till I have cauſed my fury to rest upon thee. Oh, if the Lord ſhould ſpeak ſuch a word againſt us, England is undone for ever. I am much afraid, if you time it out a little longer, you will have no materials to build the Lords houſe withal, unleſſe you will build it with the ſhrubs and thorns of the wilderneſſe.
But further, how comes it to paſſe, I beſeech you, ſince you are under the Covenant of God, to reform according to the Word, and example of the best Reformed Churches, that ſome are ſo ſtartled at the very mention of ſuch a Clauſe, According to the Word of God, and example of the best Reformed Churches, as if they ſaw a monſter, ſome hideous apparition which had in it the face of Treaſon and Blaſphemie?
But I muſt proceed. Have you not Covenanted to extirpate Superſtition, Hereſie, Schiſm, Profaneneſſe, and whatſoever ſhall be found contrary to ſound Doctrine and the power of Godlineſſe & c. ? How comes it to paſſe then that theſe abound more then ever they did, and that under your Noſes? while there is ſuch a numerous encreaſe of Errours and Hereſies, as I bluſh to repeat what ſome have affirmed; namely, that there be no Iſſe then One hundred and eighty ſeveral Hereſies propagated25 and ſpread in this neighbouring Citie, which hitherto hath been ſo famous for ſoundneſſe of Doctrine and the power of godlineſſe: and many of them alſo of ſuch a nature, as that I may ſay, in Galvin's language, The Errours and Innovations under which we ſo much groaned of later yeers, were but tolerabiles ineptiae, tolerable triſles, childrens play, compared with theſe damnable Doctrines, Doctrines of devils as the Apoſtle calls them: Polygamy, Arbitrary Divorce, Mortality of the Soul, No Ministery, no Churches, No Ordinances, No Scripture; yea, the very Divinity of Christ and the holy Ghost queſtioned by ſome, denied by others: And the very foundation of all theſe laid in ſuch a Schiſm of boundleſſe liberty of Conſcience, viz. Believe what you will, and preach what you believe, and ſuch lawleſſe Separation of Churches; and all theſe not onely whiſpered in corners, but preacht on the houſe top, yea, publiſhed in Print before your faces with ſo much virulency and impudence, that I verily believe no Age ſince the Apoſtles times could ever parallel.
Fathers and Brethren,Acts 18.17. how will you call this Keeping of Covenant with God? Had we a Parliament of Apostate Julians,Auguſt. Epiſt 166. of whom it is reported, that at what time he opened the Temples of the Heatheniſh gods, he ſet open the Christian Churches; call'd home all the Chriſtians whom he had baniſht, both Orthodox and Heretick, and gave them, as we call it, Liberty of conſcience; but as Auſtin more truely phraſeth it, Libertatem perditionis, Liberty to deſtroy themſelves;Eo modo putans Chriſtianum nemen poſſe perire de terris, &c. for that was his policie and end, namely, by liberty of all Religions to deſtroy the true, and the profeſſors thereof too: or had we a Parliament of careleſſe Gallio's, we ſhould not wonder: but for a Parliament of Christians, Protestants, Profeſſors, the choiſeſt, the most active that could be cull'd out of a Chriſtian State, the like not under heaven; that theſe things ſhould be done, and you hold your peace, and be able to keep your places, and not to put on righteouſneſſe as a brestplate,Iſa. 59.17. and the garments of vengeance for your clothing, as it is ſaid of God; this makes the Churches abroad to wonder what England's Parliament is a doing; and all at home that love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt more then their own interests and notions, to be fill'd with unſpeakable trembling26 and aſtoſhniſhment, to wit, what God means to do with this poor bleeding Church and State. But further:
Have we not lifted up our hands to the moſt high God, to amend our lives, and each one to go before another in the example of a real Reformation? Ah God, where is it to be found? Is not the drunkard a drunkard ſtill; and the ſwearer a ſwearer ſtill; and the adulterer an adulterer ſtill? &c. and Oh that I could but ſay with the Apoſtle, Such were ſome of you. Yea, what an improvement of wickedneſſe is there in the Kingdom? as if the Covenant had blaſted mens conſciences, not their corruptions.
But, that which is yet worſe then all this, is, that this holy Covenant is become amongſt many, a brand of infamy, a Cain's mark almoſt: Would ye ſtigmatize a man (in ſome places) to purpoſe? call him a Covenanter: He, he will take the Covenant. Ah Lord! it is able to make ones hair ſtand upright, to ſee what dirt and mire is caſt into the face of this holy Covenant: Surely never was Covenant ſo abuſed, ſcorned, and trampled under foot as this is: and happie were we, if it were by the wicked and profane malignant party onely. Ah how many have dealt with the Covenant, as the Scribes and Phariſees of old did, and the Antinomians of this age do with the Law of God, make it void, through their diſtinctions and gloſſes which they have put upon it? How many deal with it as the Papiſts do with the Scriptures, make it a noſe of Wax and•Leaden rule; a two-faced picture, an Any thing to ſerve their own turns? Do we thus requite God, Oh fooliſh people and unwiſe!
Well, Sirs, we pray for the King's converſion, and talk of his coming home; but there is a place of Scripture ſounds dreadfully in mine ears: For now ſhall they ſay, We have no king. When ſhould Iſrael ſay ſo? Hoſ. 10.3.Surely when Zed•kiah was carried Captive into Babylon; of which you may read, 2 King. 24 15, 16, 17. and Chap. 25 7. They ſlow the ſons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters of braſſe, and carried him to Babylon. Then did Iſrael cry We have no King: Alas, alas, they have put out the eyes of his Majeſtie, and carried him away captive: our King is in Babylon, among27 Idolaters and Murderers: We have no King, and it is juſt with God it ſhould be ſo, becauſe we feared not the Lord; we firſt caſt off God, before our King did caſt off us: we would not have God to be our King, and therefore he would not ſuffer our King to be our god: We have no King, becauſe we feared not the Lord. And wherein did this fearleſneſſ of God appear? It fellows, Verſ. 4. They have ſpoken words ſwearing falſly in making a Covenant. What Covenant was that? Verſ. 4.Some refer it to the Prophecies of the falſe Prophets, who though they propheſied lyes to the people, a viſion of their own head, yet they were ſo ſacrilegiouſly impudent as to father their lyes upon God, by ſetting his ſeal to their Prophecies, the form of oath which God himſelf did uſe, As I live, ſaith the Lord.
Others refer theſe words to the Covenant which God threatens to diſannul, The Covenant they made with death and hell. Iſa. 28.18.
But I conceive with others, the words do relate either to the Covenant which Zedekiah and the people made with the King of Babylon to ſerve him, and become his Vaſſals, of which you may read, Ezek. 17.12, 13, 14. The King of Babylon is come to Jeruſalem, and hath taken the King thereof,Ezek. 17.12, 13, 13. &c. and made a Covenant with him, and hath taken an Oath of him, that the Kingdom might be baſe, i. e. be in ſubjection to the King of Babylon. This Covenant Zedekiah, and the Princes, and the people had ſolemnly confirmed both by Oath, and by lifting up or ſtriking hand, verſ. 18.
Or elſe the words may relate to that other Covenant which Zedekiah, the Princes, the Prieſts, and the People of Judah had made with God, while this Captivity was yet threatned,Jer. 34.2, 3, 14, 15, 19. concerning the letting of their ſervants go free at the end of Seven yeers, according to the Law:Exod. 21.2. And ye were now turned, and had done right in my ſight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a Covenant before me in the houſe which is called by my Name. I ſay, To either or both of theſe Covenants, may the words refer; for in both theſe they ſware falſly, not in regard of the matter of the Covenant•for it was lawful and good: but in reſpect of their managing of it: Thoy have ſpoken words ſwearing falſly: there was nothing but words to be found in their covenanting; they were28 not real and ſubſtantial with God in this ſolemn Service; they brake their Covenant asſoon as they had made it; that was their ſwearing falſly: ſo you may finde it laid to their charge in the former places:Jer. 34.16. Ye were now turned, and had done right in my ſight, &c. but ye turned and polluted my Name, and cauſed every man his ſervant and every man his handmaid to return, and brought them into ſubjection. Ye were turned, but ye turned: here is one turn too much: In the first turn, they made a Covenant with God;Verſe 18. in the ſecond, they brake it: I will give the men that have tranſgreſſed my Covenant, which have not performed the words of the Covenant which they had made before me.
And no better dealt they in the Covenant they made with the King of Babylon,Ezek. 17.15, 16. to become his ſervants: He rebelled againſt him, &c. He brake the Covenant; He deſpiſed the Oath, and he brake the Covenant. And ſo again, verſ. 18.
And the breach of both theſe Covenants is aggravated from the Author of this Service;Deut 6.13. it is a part of Divine Worſhip: Thou ſhalt fear the Lord thy God, and ſerve him, and ſhalt ſwear by his Name; and by the object or witneſſe of the Covenant: as God is the Author, ſo he is witneſſe; thou ſhalt ſwear by his Name: God is call'd in, as a righteous Judge to take vengeance on the party that ſhall prevaricate,Verſ. 19. in both which reſpects God calls it his Oath: Surely mine Oath which he hath deſpiſed, and my Covenant which he hath broken. Jer. 34.18.
As alſo, it is aggravated in both places, from the ſolemnity of the making of the Covenant; as in that place in Jeremiah: They have not performed the words of the Covenant which they had made before me, when they out the calf in twain, and paſſed between the parts thereof. And ſo again, verſ. 19. The people of the land which paſſed between the parts of the calf: which kinde of Ceremony or Sanction, was taken from Gods own command to Abraham when he made a Covenant with him,Diodorus Tarſenſis. Stabani & caeſa formaban•foedera porca. Gen. 15. from whence alſo even the Caldeans and Romanes borrowed it, as they had other parts and parcels of Religion; by which Ceremony they did as it were ſilently imprecate this Judgement upon themſelves, that they might be ſo divided as thoſe beaſts were, if they did violate their Covenant: from29 this ſolemnity, as from the other in Ez•kiel, &c. giving the hand,Ezek. 17.18. or as with us, lifting up the hand to the most high God, doth God aggravate their Covenant-violation; when lo, he had given his hand! God ſpeaks with indignation, as of an eminent and remarkable treachery and perſidiouſneſſe: When lo! he had given his hand.
And for this indeed now they begin to judge themſelves: We have no King becauſe we feared not the Lord; that is, becauſe we have not feared the Oath of the Lord, but have dealt falſly and treacherouſly in the Covenant: it is juſt with God we ſhould have no King, that our King ſhould break Covenant with us, that have broken Covenant with our God: yea, they judge themſelves not onely for what is past, but unworthy to ſinde mercy for the time to come: not onely We have no King, but, What then ſhall a King do to us? q. d. We deſerve never to ſee the face of our King any more, but to be left to per•ſh in our Confuſions and Diviſions, while every man doth what is good in his own eye: or if our King ſhould come back out of Captivity, What ſhould he do to us? Can we expect a King ſhould do us any good, while our God is angry with us for our Covenant-wickedneſſe? No; if he ſhould come out of Babylon again, God might make him a curſe in ſtead of a bleſſing, a plague and a ſnare to our deſtruction.
Men and Brethren, this I take to be the ſenſe of the place; and I need ſay no more. Surely every one of you here before God, have with trembling hearts prevented me in the Application: onely let me adde this: If God were ſo angry, and threatens ſo furiouſly the breach of a Covenant made with an Heatheniſh Tyrant, an Infidel (with whom the other Babylon, Myſtical Babylon, teacheth no faith is to be k•pt) becauſe it was made before God, and by the Name of God; ſhall he proſper? ſhall he eſcape that doth ſuch things?Jer. 17.19. or ſhall he break the Covenant and be delivered? As I live, mine Oath that he hath deſpiſed, and my Covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompence upon his own head, &c. Oh how ſhall ſhe eſcape? yea, of how much ſorer puniſhment ſhall we be thought worthy, if we be found guilty of ſo high a perjury in breaking and deſpiſing a Covenant made not onely before God, in the Name30 of God, but with God himſelf. In ſo ſolemn and ſacred a manner, with Fasting, and Prayer, and Sermons, and lifting up our hands to the moſt high God.
Oh that as we have ſinned with this people, and beyond, inſinitely beyond the line and meaſure of their tranſgreſſi•ns; ſo we would judge our ſelves with them, in the bitterneſſe of our ſpirits; We have no King, becauſe we feared not the Lord; ſpeaking words, ſwearing falſly in making a Covenant; and what then ſhould a King do to us?
We hope an end ſhall be put ſhortly to theſe bloody deſolating wars; and we cry to the Sword, Oh thou Sword of the Lord,Jer. 47.6. how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thy ſelf into thy ſcabbard, reſt and be ſtill: but the Sword will not obey our voice; and no wonder; for we have not obeyed the voice of the Sword; we have not heard the Sword, and who had appointed it: and therefore meth•nks I hear the Sword replying, How can I be quiet, ſince the Lord hath given me a charge againſt England? Verſ. 7.Yea, methinks I hear God renewing the Commiſſion of the Sword in the words of that threatning: I will bring a ſword upon yo•that ſhall avenge the quarrel of my Covenant. We keep now a day of Thank•giving for the ſurrender of a ſtrong Hold in the Kingdom,Levit. 26.25. and God hath ſent us in the glad tiding of a great Victory in the Weſt, to fill up our joy, and to beſpeak more days of Rejoycing and Thankfulneſſe; but for my part, I fear that for theſe things the Sword hath yet a Commiſſion to come up to London, to paſſe thorow the Kingdom; and that we ſhall hear ere long, as faſt of Loſing Cities, and Caſtles, and the ſtrong Gariſons of the Kingdom, as now of gaining them; and read our Catalogue of Deliverances and Victories backward with ſad hearts: Cheſter loſt, Hereford loſt, Dartmonth loſt, & ſic in caet.
If you would prevent ſo ſad a turn of things, give me leave humbly to commend to you theſe two ſhort Advices.
1. Proclaim, I beſeech you, a ſolemn Faſt, wherein we may profeſſedly humble and afflict our ſouls for our Covenant-violations, whereby God is ſo deeply provoked; and wherein (if it might ſeem good to your wiſdoms) the Covenant might be renewed in a more ſolemn and ſerious manner with our God:31 that as Samuel called the people to Gilgal to renew the Kingdom upon Saul; ſo you that are England's Samuels,1 Sam. 11.14. might call the people together to this Galgal (where the Lord firſt rolled away our reproa•h, by bringing us into the bond of the Covenant) to renew the Kingdom upon our Lord Jeſus, whom God hath appointed to be King in his holy Hill of Sion. Pſal. 2.6.
For think not, Brethren, I beſeech you, that becauſe we have broken our Covenant with God, therefore we are diſobliged from our Covenant: that were an eaſie way to get looſe indeed, if when we are weary of our Vows, it were but to go and ſin againſt them, and then we are diſengaged: But it is with the Covenant as it is with the Law; there is a twofold obligation; the one to duty, the other to a curſe; and if we break the one, the other will hold us fast enough. Did not my words take hold upon your fathers? How? Zech. 1 6.Surely not in the commanding power of them, but in the executionary power; they took hold on them with a vengeance: And therefore our way is to bring our ſelves again under the commanding power, that we may not lie under the condemning curſing power of the Covenant. Indeed the Covenant is then broken, and not fully till then, when a people will not own their Covenant with God: and therefore Oh that the Lord would help us in this our day to conſider the things that belong unto our peace, before they be hid from our eyes.
2. To that end, ſtudie real Thankfulneſſe: To you that ſit at the Stern, guiding the Ship of this Church and State in this troubleſome Sea; let me commend unto you but this piece of Thankfulneſſe: Set up God;Verſ. 23. Exalt him in the congregation of the people, by ſetting up the Miniſtery of the Word: Let this be your wiſedom and honour, that when God hath given up the ſtrong Holds of the Kingdom to you, you would render them up back again to God, by placing able and faithful Miniſters in thoſe eminent places of the Kingdom, that may undeceive the poor mifled people, and to ſeaſon them with Principles of Religion and Loyaltie, to which they have been ſo long ſtrangers. To that end, haſten I beſeech you your Ordinance for Ordination: it were a ſad thing that the ſtrong Holds of the Kingdom ſhould be taken for God, and kept for the Devil; for want32 of Paſtors according•o Gods own heart, and that may feed them with knowledge and underſtanding.
Verſ 32.Secondly, Pra•ſe him in the Aſſembly of the Elders, by ſetting up Church-Government according to your Covenant. What it is, I need not tell you; enough hath been ſaid about this matt•r; and you are wiſe.
I will not, I need not ask you, Whether you intend really and cordially to go about this Work, this greateſt work wherewith God and the Kingdom have entruſted you: I know you do intend it; and if you do, Why not now? when the Lord hath ſo miraculouſly broken the power of the enemie, and (in ſo great a meaſure) ſubdued the Kingdom before you, as if God of purpoſe had created you an opportunity to give demonſtration to the world, that you are in good earneſt. Onely let me ſay thus much to you, in that plainneſſe you give the Miniſters of the Goſpel leave to uſe:
Jeſus Chriſt will not always wait upon States and Kingdoms; he will not always come a begging, as it were, to Parliament-doors. He that bids his Servants ſhake off the duſt of their feet,Matth. 10.14. in caſe of refuſal of their meſſage, knows how to do it himſelf,Pſal. 2.12. ſhould he be angred out of his patience. Time is coming when Kings and Kingdoms would be as glad of Chriſt, as he would be now of them: When in their fears and dangers, when enemies be upon them, and ruine and deſolation at their gates, then, Iſaiah, lift up a prayer; then, ſend the Lamb to the Ruler, with ſupplications, Lord Jeſus, come thou and rule over us: But as the Scotch-man ſaid of the Engliſh-mans Will, "Imprimis, I bequeath my ſoul to God, &c. I but, ſaid he, Will he tak it man, will he tak it? ſo may I queſtion concerning ſuch tenders of Thrones and Kingdoms, Will Chriſt take them, will he accept of them? when haply they ſhall be ſurrendred upon no better terms then a deſperate King would deliver up his Crown to any of his Neighbours,Vortinger, &c. even to a Stranger that would come and help him againſt his prevailing enemies; what Chriſt would do in ſuch a caſe, jude you. And therefore Oh kiſſe the Son leſt he be angry,Pſal. 2.12. and ye periſh from the way: when his wrath is kindled but a little, bleſſed are all they that put their truſt in him. Happie Parliament, happie State, happie People,33 happie Perſon, that makes Chriſt their choice, and not their neceſſity.
I have done: Onely ſuffer me one word more.
Take heed, I humbly beſeech you, of ſetting your ſelves down at the upper end of Christs Houſe and Table, and of ſuffering Him to be thruſt down to ſerve as an underling at the lower and, to have no more then the lusts of ſome, and the humours and fancies of others, can ſpare him. But you have not ſo learned Christ: and therefore, to all you that ſtand before God this day ▪ and to as many as deſire to be a thankful people; let me adde a word to cloſe up all. Here is a Model, let it be your wiſdom and honour to mould and form your Thankfulneſſe for this days, and for all your mercies, upon it.
1. Give all diligence to poſſeſſe your ſelves of the grace of Thankfulneſſe, as well as of the affection of Joy and Gladneſſe: to that end, ply the Throne of Grace, and plead the accompliſhment of that promiſe: A new heart will I give you,Ezek. 36.26. and a new ſpirit will I put into you: That is done, when all the natural affections have a divine, ſpiritual impreſſe ſtampt upon them; when as they have born the image of the earthly, ſo now they bear the image of the heavenly.
2. Studie, I beſeech you, Spiritual Grounds and Riſes from which your Thankfulneſſe may take flight heaven ward; as,
Firſt, Scripture interest; ſtudie rather a good Title, then great Poſſeſſions; namely, to enjoy what you have, by Sonſhip as well as Creatureſhip; by co-inheritance with Jeſus Chriſt; by promiſe as well as providence; with Gods love, as well as by Gods leave. Studie the Covenant well; and then count thy interest better then the principal. I tell thee for thy comfort, if thou canſt do ſo; if Scripture-interest can bring in more content and ſatisfaction to thy ſoul, then all earthly poſſeſſions; if Covenant-title can draw out and endear thy heart to G•d, more then all the deliverances and proviſions caſt in by providence; fear not, thou art a childe of promiſe.
Secondly, obſerve the Returns of Prayer: if thou haſt been a praying Chriſtian all this time of Englands trouble, and art ſuch a one as lookeſt after thine own prayers, knoweſt them when thou ſeeſt them again; if the hearing of thy prayer can34 endear thy heart to God, more then the bulk of thy mercy, whatever it is (of theſe viſible treaſures) I pronounce the a man or woman that haſt more cauſe to rejoyce then if God had given thee this days ſurrender, the City of Chester, ſolely and entirely to thine own ſhare.
Thirdly, be critical to ſpie out ſoul-advantages, the Spiritual part of every mercy; and wear them as the richeſt piece of all thy poſſeſſions.
Fourthly, eye the Exaltations and liftings up of God in all his works, eſpecially ſuch as this day brings in to us, and let them lie neereſt thy heart; they will keep it warm with an heavenly influence.
3. Be careful to maintain a faithful Remembrance of the mercies of God in your heads, and a ſetled conſtant frame of Thankfulneſſe upon your hearts: for know this, The mercies of God cannot periſh alone, but thou ſhalt periſh with them: if thou forget them (that is, with a careleſſe graceleſſe forgetfulneſſe) God will forget thee: if thou caſt the mercies of God out to the dung-hill, God will throw thee after them. O be often charging thy ſoul,Pſal. 103, 2. with David; Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits.
4. Deſigne out for God the choiſeſt and moſt ſpiritual Returns; ſuch as you have beheld.
Firſt, ſet up God in your thoughts, exalt him in your admiring facultie:Pſal. 66.3. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatneſſe of thy power ſhall thine enemies ſubmit themſelves unto thee.
Secondly, engage your ſelves and others in Prayer to God: ſay,Pſal. 63.2. O thou that heareſt Prayer, to thee ſhall all fleſh come: Be ſtedfaſt and unmoveable, always abounding in this work of the Lord,1 Cor. 15. ult. foraſmuch as you ſee your labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord: He never ſaid to the ſeed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain. Iſa. 45.19.
Thirdly, let your Thankfulneſſe work it ſelf into pure flames of Love to God, and expreſſe it by labouring
To
Fourthly, ſtudie Self-denial; let there be but one will between God and thee, and let that will be Gods. He is a thankful man indeed, that in doing and ſuffering can ſay, Father, not my will, but thine be done.
Fifthly, pay your Vows: If ever England, or thou proſper, it muſt be by ke•ping of Covenant, Ezek. 17.14. Be often rolling, that in thy ſoul:Pſal. 56.12. I will render praiſes unto thee.
Sixthly, Give glory to God by believing: by all the wonders that God hath done, learn to truſt him in the n•xt ſtrait; if faith have not produced theſe Deliverances, let theſe Deliverances produce faith: If happie they that have not ſeen, and yet believed; what ſhall become of them that have ſeen, and yet believe not?
Seventhly, look to the ordering of your converſation, the diſpeſing of your way aright: The thankfulneſſe of the life, is the very life of Thankfulneſſe.
Eighthly, widen your hearts in enlarged deſires that others may praiſe God: go a begging from door to door thorow the whole Creation for praiſes for thy God.
Ninthly, to that end, declare among the people his doings:Pſal. 9.11. Pſal. 66.2. Sing forth the honour of his Name, make his praiſe glorious. It were a good becoming Solemnitie on theſe days of Thankſgiving, if Chriſtians in their private meetings together to feast and rejoyce before the