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<DATE>2009-11-29</DATE>
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<NAME>Alexis Jakobson</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<STC T="S">15254.5</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99899173</BIBNO>
<VID>150664</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE PRACTICE OF Thankefulne&s;&s;e; OR DAVIDS choy&s;e directions how to pray&s;e GOD.</P>
<P><HI>In an Expo&s;ition and Application vpon</HI> the whole &s;ixtie &s;ixe PSALME.</P>
<P>With a &s;hort Treati&s;e vpon the thirtie one, and thirtie two Ver&s;es of the one hun|dred and &s;euenth PSALME.</P>
<Q><BIBL><HI>1. THESS. 5.18.</HI></BIBL>
In all things giue thankes, for this is the will of God, in Chri&s;t Ie&s;us towards you.</Q>
<P>LONDON Printed by <HI>G. P.</HI> for <HI>Roger Iack&s;on,</HI> and are to be &s;old at his Shop, neere to the Conduit in Fleet-&s;treet. 1622.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2" MS="y">
<HEAD>TO THE NOBLE, VER|TVOVS, AND CHRISTI|AN LADIE, THE RIGHT HO|nourable Counte&s;&s;e of <HI>Lincolne:</HI> Lady-Mother to the Illu&s;trious, and true|ly Religious Earle of <HI>Lincolne.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_MO&s;t worthy Ladie, appa|rent it is, that the Fa|ther of mercie hath in|riched you with that,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Pet.</HI> 1.7.</NOTE> which is more precious then the be&s;t tried gold; with that Faith,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. <HI>Pet.</HI> 1.5.</NOTE> which is attended on with the lu&s;tre of Vertue, the grace of Knowledge, the go|uernment of Temperance, the ornament of a meeke and quiet Spirit, the &s;upport of Patience, the &s;plendour of Humilitie, the gaine of Godline&s;&s;e, the bond of Bro|therly
<PB REF="3">kindne&s;&s;e, and the glorie of Loue. And albeit the mo&s;t righteous Lord hath darkened your comfort in the weake&s;t, yet hath hee most brightly lighted it with a manifold &s;hine in the greatest: Here there &s;hineth remembrance of the Crea|tor in youth; in youth, learning to know Time, and Rea&s;on; di&s;cretion to an&s;wer the enemies in the gate; wi&s;edome to pre|ferre and chu&s;e that, who&s;e price is farre aboue the Rubies; &s;atisfaction to your Honor, and hope of wi&s;hed glorie to your mo&s;t Noble hou&s;e, and generous race. O, the lines are falne to your Honour in mo&s;t plea&s;ant places, &s;o that you are able to &s;ay to the profane wonderers, and to all your Peeres, Maruell not that I am zealous of reading, hearing, and meditation; maruell not that I loue not this world, nor the euils thereof, the lu&s;ts of the fle&s;h, the lu&s;t of the eyes, and the pride of life; maruell not that I &s;tudie to haue my conuer&s;ation
<PB REF="3" MS="y">in heauen; or that I call &s;o often for the exerci&s;es of Prayer, Preaching, and Thanke&s;giuing; for God hath done &s;o great things for my &s;oule, as I can ne|uer be thankefull enough.</P>
<P>O mo&s;t Christian Counte&s;&s;e; two things I haue often thought vpon: the one, how I might &s;atisfie the continuall reque&s;t of di|uers Chri&s;tian friends, by &s;ome fruits of my vnpoli&s;hed labours: the other, how I might te&s;tifie to the world, my mo&s;t re&s;pectiue du|tie to your Honour: now at length for the &s;atisfaction of the one, and te&s;tification of the other, I haue pre&s;umed to tender that, which alwayes hitherto I trembled to of|fer, becau&s;e of my weaknes; fearing the car|ping of &s;ome <HI>Momus,</HI> for bringing no no|uelty amid&s;t &s;o much variety: or &s;ome <HI>Mo|&s;es</HI> &s;hould blame me, for bringing any more amid&s;t &s;o much &s;acietie. Yet con&s;idering, that &s;ince the time of Reformation is come, the Temple of the Lord is in more places
<PB REF="4">then <HI>Ieru&s;alem,</HI> and of &s;uch &s;pacious ca|pacity, as though knowledge abound there|in as the Sea; yet there is place &s;till emptie to receiue it. And now the Builders are not &s;o many, and the fit &s;tuffe is not &s;o much, but that there is a renewed charge, that towards the Lords Worke euerie one bring what hee can, that as hee hath recei|ued the gift, hee &s;hould minister the &s;ame to other, as good Stewards of the manifold graces and gifts of God.</P>
<P>Therefore, &s;ome little of that &s;pirituall ble&s;sing, which his holy Spirit hath com|municate to mee, his vnworthy in&s;tru|ment in meditation, according to the ne|ce&s;sitie laid vpon mee, I haue vttered, and ministred to others in preaching, and here doe pre&s;ent, as to all my fellow-members, and Chri&s;tian friends euery where: but fir&s;t, and chiefly to your mo&s;t Honourable and vertuous &s;elfe, in writing. The &s;ub|iect and ground of my labour, is the &s;ixtie
<PB REF="4">&s;ixe P&s;alme, a P&s;alme of Diuine prai&s;e, made by the &s;weet P&s;almi&s;t of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> vp|on the deliuerance of Gods people out of many &s;ore calamities, and of him&s;elfe out of the bloudie hands of his per&s;ecuting e|nemies. I wi&s;h it to all, becau&s;e all haue more then much need to bee awaked, to this dutie of prai&s;ing God in this time of &s;ecuritie: but I dedicate it onely to your Honour, as to the prime moouer of this my pre&s;ent indeuour.</P>
<P>For, when I had neither a purpo&s;e to any &s;uch Treati&s;e, nor thought of this mo&s;t worthy P&s;alme: then did your Ho|nour, who&s;e affections are euer &s;et on hea|uenly things, name this Song and P&s;alme vnto mee, commend it to my meditati|on, reque&s;t mee to intreat of it, helpe my labours with your prayers, and ioyfully heard what the Lord &s;pake by mee out of it. Therefore, I be&s;eech your Honour, take this my Dedication, as a true token
<PB REF="5">of my mo&s;t gratefull affection to your mo&s;t Noble &s;elfe, another <HI>Marie</HI> in chu&s;ing the better part: as a te&s;timony of my longing to adde &s;omething to the cure of the la|mentable neglect of holy duties: and as a witne&s;&s;e of my de&s;ire to further this &s;eruice, to Gods prai&s;e&punc; and glorie. Euen &s;o bee it, euen &s;o bee it, Amen.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Honours euer to com|mand in the Lord, N. LARKE.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="exposition">
<PB N="1" REF="5" MS="y">
<HEAD>AN EXPOSITION OF the &s;ixtie &s;ixe PSALME, by Doctrine and <HI>Exhortation.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_IN this <HI>holy P&s;alme,</HI> con&s;ider:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Title.</NOTE> Fir&s;t, the <HI>Title:</HI> Secondly, the <HI>P&s;alme</HI> it &s;elfe: the Title com|mits it, <HI>To the chiefe Mu&s;ician,</HI> or the <HI>Ma&s;ter of the harmony,</HI> or <HI>Him that excelleth;</HI> and intitles it, <HI>A Song, A P&s;alme,</HI> as being one of that kind, which the Church in <HI>Dauids</HI> time v|&s;ed to &s;ing with In&s;truments &amp; voyces. It &s;er|ueth <HI>well</HI> to prepare attentio~ and intention to the matter of the P&s;alme. For it may plainly teach vs: Fir&s;t,
<MILESTONE N="1"> That it is worthy of chiefe <HI>skill,</HI> and con&s;ent in &s;inging the &s;ame:
<MILESTONE N="2"> Se|condly, That it is a Song full of <HI>Excellencie,</HI> and to bee v&s;ed &s;o, as our Diuine prai&s;es may be made more plea&s;ing, <HI>&s;weet,</HI> and excellent by it. Thirdly,
<MILESTONE N="3"> That it is to bee &s;ung with a double <HI>Mu&s;icke,</HI> and melodie to <HI>God,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 5.19.</NOTE> euen
<PB N="2" REF="6">with the glorie of the Tongue,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Col.</HI> 3.16.</NOTE> and the grace of the <HI>Heart:</HI> loe, how the Title is a prepa|ratiue to the vnder&s;tanding, affecting, and v&s;ing of this &s;peciall <HI>P&s;alme.</HI></P>
<P>In which there is:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The P&s;alme</NOTE> Fir&s;t, A generall; Se|condly, A particular &s;etting foorth of the prai&s;e of <HI>God:</HI> by diligent peru&s;ing whereof, wee &s;hall learne much worthy and nece&s;&s;arie knowledge: knowledge, how to make <HI>Gods</HI> prai&s;e <HI>glorious:</HI> to comfort our &s;elues in his greatne&s;&s;e: to reioyce in his noble <HI>Workes:</HI> to &s;ucke &s;weetne&s;&s;e out of our <HI>afflictions:</HI> and to relate without either affectation, or o&s;ten|tation, to God <HI>glorie,</HI> and to others edificati|on, the <HI>Lords</HI> admirable <HI>goodne&s;&s;e</HI> vnto eue|rie one of vs, and to awake vs vnto all the&s;e; thus this <HI>P&s;alme</HI> beginneth.</P>
<P><HI>Make a ioyfull noi&s;e vnto God,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> 1.</NOTE> all yee lands.</HI>] In giuing <HI>God</HI> thankes, it is our dutie to haue great reioycing; they that doe it without re|ioycing, yea, euen in him, doe it not &s;o right|ly, as is fitting to his <HI>Maie&s;tie.</HI> Therefore in doing this dutie, reioyce greatly, be not a&s;ha|med to let thy reioycing be &s;eene, and heard; make a ioyfull <HI>noy&s;e,</HI> like the noy&s;e of the Trumpets in the <HI>dayes</HI> of your <HI>triumphs,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Num.</HI> 10.9.10.</NOTE> of your gladne&s;&s;e, of your fe&s;tiuall <HI>&s;olemnities,</HI> and of the times wherein you found &s;peciall
<PB N="3" REF="6" MS="y">acceptation of your <HI>&s;acrifices:</HI> and make this noy&s;e vnto God.</P>
<P>Diuine thanke&s;giuing, is to bee appro|priate onely to <HI>Gods per&s;on.</HI> Deny it to all creatures in heauen, or earth: deny it to fal&s;e gods,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 68.19.</NOTE> and giue it to the true euerliuing <HI>God,</HI> the God of our <HI>&s;aluation,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">90.17.</NOTE> our owne <HI>God,</HI> euen the <HI>God</HI> that &s;aueth vs, and e&s;tabli|&s;heth his <HI>grace</HI> in vs.</P>
<P><HI>All yee lands.</HI>] None of the vniuer&s;all <HI>Church</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> is exempt from pray&s;ing <HI>God:</HI> high, low, <HI>Iew, Gentile, bond, free, male, fe|male,</HI> hold not backe your prai&s;e from <HI>God;</HI> hee holds not backe his <HI>benefits</HI> from you,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">65.19.</NOTE> but ladeth you daily with the &s;ame: you haue,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 4.7.</NOTE> or can haue nothing, but what you receiue from him, and that, not for your merit, but onely for his <HI>mercie,</HI> which indureth for <HI>euer.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sing forth the honour of his Name,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 2.</NOTE> make his prai&s;e glorious.</HI>] True <HI>Thanke&s;giuing</HI> is &s;uch an action, as cheerefully &s;ets forth the <HI>glorie</HI> of <HI>Gods Name:</HI> let not your thankes to <HI>God,</HI> the mo&s;t High ouer all in <HI>heauen,</HI> and <HI>earth,</HI> bee any aba&s;ing of his <HI>Maiestie,</HI> but a&s;cribe that to his great and fearefull <HI>Name,</HI> which is ho|nourable:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 29.2, 8.</NOTE> giue to him the <HI>glorie</HI> due to his <HI>Name,</HI> let euery one that &s;peakes of him, &s;peake of his <HI>glory:</HI> confe&s;&s;e that his Name is
<PB N="4" REF="7">aboue euery name in <HI>heauen,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Phil.</HI> 2.9, 10</NOTE> and <HI>earth:</HI> con|fe&s;&s;e that at his <HI>Name</HI> euery knee &s;hould bow, of things in heauen, and in earth, and things vnder the earth.
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pro.</HI> 18.10.</NOTE> Confe&s;&s;e that his Name is a &s;trong Tower to all that tru&s;t in him:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 8.</NOTE> con|fe&s;&s;e that his <HI>Name</HI> is <HI>wonderfull</HI> excellent in all the <HI>world:</HI> confe&s;&s;e that his glorious <HI>Name</HI> is greater then all thanke&s;giuing,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Neh.</HI> 9.5.</NOTE> and prai&s;e: let the de&s;ires of your &s;oule be to the prai&s;e of his holy Name.</P>
<P>Al&s;o <HI>Make his prai&s;e glorious.</HI>] Diuine <HI>thank|fulne&s;&s;e</HI> makes <HI>Gods</HI> prai&s;e <HI>glorious;</HI> glorious to the hearing, and vnder&s;tanding of men, though it can &s;upply no defect of <HI>glory</HI> to <HI>God,</HI> for his <HI>glory</HI> is alwayes <HI>infinite,</HI> and ab&s;o|lute: le&s;&s;en not his <HI>prai&s;e,</HI> prai&s;e him not <HI>ba&s;e|ly,</HI> giue not his <HI>prai&s;e</HI> to any other: &s;o prai&s;e him,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;.</HI> 108.1, 2</NOTE> as becommeth <HI>him:</HI> let your hearts bee prepared, and your tongues awaked, to vtter forth the greate&s;t prai&s;e you can of Gods Highne&s;&s;e.</P>
<P><HI>Say yee:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> 3.</NOTE>] Thanke&s;giuing</HI> is to bee perfor|med with &s;peaking: bee not &s;ilent from this <HI>dutie;</HI> auoyd that &s;ilence, as great di&s;obedi|ence: neither can you excu&s;e it by pleading ignorance: here you are <HI>taught</HI> what to &s;ay. Hee that requireth your <HI>thank&s;giuing,</HI> teach|eth you what you &s;hould <HI>&s;peake</HI> in the &s;ame:
<PB N="5" REF="7" MS="y">hee that commandeth to make his <HI>prai&s;e glo|rious,</HI> &s;heweth, how you &s;hould make it glori|ous: of his goodne&s;&s;e hee findeth you heart, mouth, tongue, words, and all; that to neg|lect this dutie, you &s;hould haue no excu&s;e at all.</P>
<P><HI>Say yee vnto God:</HI>] In <HI>prai&s;ing God,</HI> that mu&s;t onely be &s;aid of him, which may with a good <HI>con&s;cience</HI> be &s;aid euen to him. V&s;e not the <HI>Lord</HI> as you doe men, to &s;ay one thing be|hind his <HI>backe,</HI> and another afore his <HI>face:</HI> for you can neuer bee but in his &s;ight, neuer thinke a thought, but hee vnder&s;tands <HI>it;</HI> ne|uer &s;peake a word, but hee knowes <HI>it:</HI> there|fore &s;ay yee things <HI>glorious</HI> of <HI>him,</HI> and &s;ay ye the &s;ame vnto him. Shew that his <HI>benefits,</HI> his <HI>Name,</HI> his <HI>glory,</HI> and his <HI>prai&s;e</HI> doe &s;o affect you, as you cannot, but like a gratefull man to a mo&s;t beneficiall friend, meet the <HI>Lord</HI> your <HI>God</HI> in your <HI>meditations,</HI> and breaking out in|to zealous <HI>prai&s;es</HI> of his bountie, &s;peake, and &s;ay euen vnto <HI>him&s;elfe,</HI> that which may be&s;t te&s;tifie, how de&s;irous you are to &s;hew your be&s;t <HI>thankefulne&s;se</HI> for all his louing kindne&s;&s;e: hence &s;ay yee vnto <HI>God:</HI></P>
<P><HI>How terrible,</HI> or <HI>reuerend art thou in thy workes!</HI>] To the high &s;etting forth of <HI>Gods prai&s;e,</HI> is required a feeling <HI>confe&s;sion</HI> of his
<PB N="6" REF="8">mo&s;t reuerend dealing in euery <HI>action.</HI> Be|ware you want not the con&s;ideration, that &s;hould bring this <HI>confe&s;sion;</HI> they are neere de&s;truction,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 28.5. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 5.12.</NOTE> and the &s;ound of great woe is to them, that regard not the <HI>worke</HI> of the <HI>Lord,</HI> and con&s;ider not the operation of his <HI>hands.</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 14.9. <HI>P&s;.</HI> 107.43.</NOTE> Doe you otherwi&s;e, bee you wi&s;e to <HI>vnder|&s;tand</HI> the wayes of <HI>God,</HI> be you carefull to ob|&s;erue tho&s;e things in <HI>Gods admini&s;tration,</HI> which may teach you this feeling <HI>confe&s;sion,</HI> that you may &s;ay vnto him with <HI>admiration;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 8.1.</NOTE> How excellent, <HI>O Lord,</HI> is thy <HI>Name</HI> in all the earth?
<NOTE PLACE="marg">92.7.</NOTE> How great and <HI>glorious</HI> are thy <HI>workes?</HI> And how innumerable is the number of them?
<NOTE PLACE="marg">104.24.</NOTE> How <HI>vn&s;earchable</HI> are thy iudge|ments?
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Exo.</HI> 15.11.</NOTE> Who is like to thee, <HI>O Lord,</HI> among the gods? So glorious in <HI>holine&s;&s;e,</HI> fearefull in <HI>pray&s;es,</HI> and doing <HI>wonders.</HI> Thou &s;o rule&s;t in the <HI>Armies</HI> of <HI>Heauen</HI> aboue,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan.</HI> 4.32.</NOTE> and &s;o wor|ke&s;t in the <HI>Inhabitants</HI> of the earth below, as to thee wee alwayes <HI>&s;ay, How reuerend and fearefull art thou in thy workes?</HI> the like where|of none can doe.</P>
<P><HI>Through the greatne&s;&s;e of thy power.</HI>] It is a principall point in the prai&s;ing of <HI>God,</HI> to a|&s;cribe the <HI>glory</HI> of victory to his <HI>power</HI> onely; &s;ay not, Our own arme &s;hall <HI>&s;aue vs;</HI> our <HI>Idols</HI> haue &s;aued vs; our <HI>Hor&s;es,</HI> and <HI>Chariots</HI> &s;hall
<PB N="7" REF="8" MS="y">&s;aue vs: but euer &s;ay vnto <HI>God</HI> in euery <HI>victo|ry,</HI> Thou, O <HI>God,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 76.4.</NOTE> art more <HI>glorious</HI> and excel|lent, then the highe&s;t helpes;
<NOTE PLACE="marg">115.1.</NOTE> onely at thy <HI>re|buke</HI> both the <HI>Hor&s;e</HI> and <HI>Chariot</HI> are ca&s;t <HI>a|&s;leepe;</HI> Not vnto vs, O <HI>Lord,</HI> not vnto vs, but to thy <HI>Name</HI> we giue the <HI>glory. Thou, euen thou a|lone, by the greatne&s;&s;e of thy power, hast gotten thy &s;elfe the victory;</HI> and <HI>through this power</HI></P>
<P><HI>Shall thine enemies &s;ubmit them&s;elues vnto thee, though di&s;&s;emblingly.</HI>] When wee &s;ee Gods enemies driuen for feare to di&s;&s;emble <HI>Religion,</HI> and not to dare to with&s;tand the <HI>de|fendours,</HI> and Mini&s;ters of <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> Kingdome, wee &s;hould admire, and acknowledge <HI>Gods</HI> mighty power therin: &s;ay not, This is through <HI>mans policie:</HI> &s;ay not, This is for feare of mans <HI>power:</HI> but <HI>confe&s;se</HI> and &s;ay, Behold the migh|tie <HI>power</HI> of <HI>God:</HI> through the greatne&s;&s;e of thy <HI>power,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ezra.</HI> 6.</NOTE> Heatheni&s;h <HI>Darius</HI> &s;ubmitted him&s;elfe vnto thee, and forwarded the buil|ding of thy <HI>Temple:</HI> through the greatne&s;&s;e of thy <HI>power,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan. q.</HI> 37.</NOTE> great <HI>Nebuchadnezzar</HI> &s;ubmit|ted him&s;elfe vnto thee, and <HI>extolled,</HI> and <HI>pray|&s;ed,</HI> and <HI>honoured</HI> thee, the King of <HI>Heauen:</HI> through the greatne&s;&s;e of thy <HI>power,</HI> hard|hearted <HI>Pharaoh</HI> &s;ubmitted him&s;elfe to thee,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Exo.</HI> 12.31.</NOTE> to let thine <HI>I&s;rael</HI> goe. So &s;till &s;hall thine enemies, and the enemies of thy <HI>Christ,</HI> &s;ub|mit
<PB N="8" REF="9">them&s;elues vnto thy <HI>Maie&s;tie.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Thine enemies.</HI>] All are not true friends to the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> that vnder Chri&s;tian <HI>Kings,</HI> and in the <HI>Churches</HI> pro&s;peritie profe&s;&s;e the <HI>Go&s;pel:</HI> Through the greatne&s;&s;e of thy <HI>power,</HI> O <HI>God,</HI> &s;ome are thy enemies, and therefore not to be tru&s;ted by thy <HI>&s;eruants</HI> (becau&s;e they, in re&s;pect of the betterne&s;&s;e of the times, and &s;ome other hand of thine, dare doe no other:) Some are in &s;ubiection vnto thee, and &s;ubmit them&s;elues among thy people, as <HI>Iudas</HI> a|mong thine <HI>Apo&s;tles;</HI> onely they doe it &s;ore again&s;t their <HI>heart;</HI> they doe it with de&s;ire ra|ther of opportunitie to ca&s;t off thy <HI>yoke,</HI> and to &s;hew their enmitie.</P>
<P><HI>Di&s;&s;emblingly, and lyingly.</HI>] They come neere <HI>Gods</HI> enemies, that &s;erue him in hypo|cri&s;ie, or for &s;eruile feare of his <HI>power,</HI> and not in <HI>truth</HI> and &s;inceritie, for <HI>dutie,</HI> and loue to his <HI>Maie&s;tie.</HI> Looke to your <HI>hearts,</HI> that you haue not guiltie <HI>con&s;ciences</HI> this way, &s;o as you may wofully accu&s;e your &s;elues, &s;aying, Through the greatne&s;&s;e of thy <HI>power,</HI> we &s;ub|mit our &s;elues vnto thee, and to thy <HI>King|dome,</HI> onely in di&s;&s;imulation, and perforce, be|cau&s;e we dare doe none other:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 125.4.</NOTE> but be yee &s;o good,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Tim.</HI> 1.5.</NOTE> and true of heart, as you may find your &s;elues in a child-like <HI>&s;ubmi&s;sion,</HI> with <HI>faith</HI> vn|fained,
<PB N="9" REF="9" MS="y">and pure loue; and &s;o may &s;ay this vn|to <HI>God,</HI> onely of his enemies, <HI>Through the greatne&s;&s;e of thy power, thine enemies fainedly &s;ubmit them&s;elues vnto thee.</HI></P>
<P><HI>All the earth &s;hall wor&s;hip thee.</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> 4.</NOTE>] There is no re&s;pect of per&s;on, in <HI>Gods</HI> Vocation of men to <HI>&s;aluation.</HI> Be not di&s;couraged, becau&s;e thou art a <HI>Gentile,</HI> or <HI>bond,</HI> or <HI>female,</HI> or <HI>weake,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gal.</HI> 3.28. <HI>Acts</HI> 10.34, 35.</NOTE> or a thing of nothing: <HI>God</HI> calls all that are his, the <HI>Gentile,</HI> a&s;&s;oone as the <HI>Iew,</HI> the <HI>bond,</HI> a&s;&s;oone as the <HI>free,</HI> the <HI>female,</HI> a&s;&s;oone as the <HI>male,</HI> the <HI>weake,</HI> a&s;&s;oone as the <HI>&s;trong:</HI> he puts no diffe|rence, hee doth nothing for any ones <HI>per&s;on</HI> &s;ake, but all <HI>for</HI> his owne <HI>mercy</HI> &s;ake. Hee con|cludes not his <HI>Church</HI> within &s;ome one <HI>Town, Citie, Nation,</HI> or <HI>Countrey,</HI> but many come from all <HI>Regions,</HI> to &s;it downe with <HI>Abraham,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Matt.</HI> 8.11.</NOTE> I&s;aac,</HI> and <HI>Iaakob,</HI> in his <HI>kingdome;</HI> and all this through his power: through the greatne&s;&s;e of thy power, <HI>All the earth &s;hall wor&s;hip thee.</HI>] It is Gods prai&s;e onely, that his people doe <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> him. If you be wor&s;hippers of God, prai&s;e not your owne <HI>wel-willing</HI> that way, your owne &s;elfe-affection to <HI>godline&s;&s;e,</HI> your owne apprehen&s;ion of the meanes, the power of the in&s;truments: but prai&s;e the riches of Gods <HI>grace,</HI> and the power of his <HI>Spirit;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 5.6, 8, 10.</NOTE> and &s;ay vnto him, Of our <HI>&s;elues</HI> wee are weake, we
<PB N="10" REF="10">are <HI>&s;inners,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ioel</HI> 2.32.</NOTE> wee are <HI>enemies,</HI> wee are <HI>vngodly.</HI> Now that we are turned to <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> thee, thine is the <HI>prai&s;e:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ioh.</HI> 6.44.</NOTE> thou ha&s;t called vs vnto it, thou ha&s;t <HI>drawne</HI> vs,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 65.4.</NOTE> thou ha&s;t <HI>cau&s;ed</HI> vs to come vnto thee, onely through the greatne&s;&s;e of thy <HI>power</HI> we <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> thee.</P>
<P><HI>And all &s;hall &s;ing vnto thee.</HI>] Singing rightly, is a &s;inging vnto God <HI>him&s;elfe.</HI> Sing not holy <HI>Hymnes,</HI> &s;pirituall <HI>Songs,</HI> diuine <HI>P&s;almes</HI> to your owne mindes carnally merry, or to plea&s;e the vncircumci&s;ed <HI>eares</HI> of pro|fane <HI>friends:</HI> but &s;ing them &s;o, as you doe certainely <HI>&s;ing</HI> them vnto God,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Eph.</HI> 5.19. <HI>Col.</HI> 3.16.</NOTE> making a me|lody in your <HI>heart</HI> vnto him, and &s;inging them to him with <HI>grace</HI> in your <HI>mindes.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sing vnto thee.</HI>] Right &s;inging vnto GOD, is a part of the <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> of God: an effect of the gracious <HI>operation</HI> of GOD: an action be|longing to euery member of the <HI>Church</HI> of GOD. All the earth &s;hall, in <HI>wor&s;hipping</HI> thee, &s;ing vnto thee; through thy <HI>power</HI> they &s;hall &s;ing vnto thee, and all they &s;hall <HI>&s;ing</HI> vnto thee. If you neuer &s;ing vnto the <HI>Lord,</HI> how doe you giue him his whole <HI>wor&s;hip?</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 68.4, 32.</NOTE> Where is his ioyfull <HI>Seruice?</HI> Therefore as you &s;ay vnto him, &s;o <HI>&s;ing</HI> vnto him, &s;ing <HI>daily</HI> vnto him, &s;ing <HI>prai&s;es,</HI> &s;ing prai&s;es, &s;ing skilfull prai|&s;es vnto him.</P>
<P><PB N="11" REF="10" MS="y"><HI>They &s;hall &s;ing to thy Name excellently.</HI>] The chiefe&s;t, and <HI>worthie&s;t</HI> renowme that can bee &s;poken of <HI>people,</HI> is, that they be <HI>religious,</HI> and zealous <HI>wor&s;hippers</HI> of GOD. In a&s;cribing vnto God the <HI>glory</HI> due vnto him, &s;ay this chiefly vnto him, Hee rein is thy prai&s;e <HI>glori|ous,</HI> that through the greatne&s;&s;e of thy <HI>power,</HI> people doe <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> thee, and &s;ing vnto thy <HI>Name</HI> excellently: this being GODS &s;peciall <HI>honour</HI> to effect this, it is our &s;peciall <HI>renowne,</HI> that it is <HI>effected</HI> in vs: if any bee not a true <HI>wor&s;hipper</HI> of GOD, hee hath no renowne,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 49.20.</NOTE> he is without <HI>honour,</HI> hee is mo&s;t <HI>ba&s;e,</HI> hee is euen <HI>abominable.</HI> But they that are made his <HI>wor|&s;hippers,</HI> are <HI>noble</HI> in <HI>name,</HI> in <HI>prai&s;e,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Acts</HI> 17.11. <HI>Deut.</HI> 26.19</NOTE> and in <HI>glo|ry</HI> aboue all other: and this is the <HI>glory</HI> of ve|ry <HI>Kings,</HI> to bring <HI>pre&s;ents</HI> to him, to offer <HI>gifts</HI> to him, to fall downe to <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> him, and to <HI>&s;erue</HI> him. Therefore, thinke your &s;elues greatly <HI>exalted,</HI> that you are become his reli|gious <HI>&s;eruants, reioyce</HI> in this again&s;t all <HI>earth|ly</HI> aba&s;ements, and hope after the increa&s;e of the number of his true <HI>wor&s;hippers,</HI> and &s;ay &s;till vnto the <HI>Lord,</HI> with confident expectati|on of the <HI>re&s;toring</HI> of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> and of the fulfilling of the <HI>Gentiles,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 7<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> All the earth &s;hall wor|&s;hip thee, they &s;hall &s;ing to thee, they &s;hall &s;ing to thy Name excellently.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="12" REF="11"><HI>Come,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 5.</NOTE> and &s;ee the workes of God.</HI>] Vnto the <HI>wor&s;hipping</HI> of GOD rightly,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ier.</HI> 2.31.</NOTE> is required a willing comming to the <HI>meanes</HI> that teach vs his <HI>glory:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luke</HI> 14.2. <HI>Iob</HI> 21.15. <HI>Luke</HI> 14.18</NOTE> &s;ay not as <HI>Papi&s;ts,</HI> It is <HI>here&s;ie</HI> to come: or with the <HI>rebellious</HI> and voluptuous, Wee will not come: or with the <HI>Athei&s;ts,</HI> What profit is it to come?
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 65.5.</NOTE> or with <HI>worldlings,</HI> Wee cannot come:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 55.1.</NOTE> or with <HI>Separati&s;ts,</HI> Wee are too <HI>holy</HI> to come:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mat.</HI> 11.28</NOTE> but with the <HI>hun|gry</HI> and thir&s;tie come; with them that are bur|thened and <HI>heauy laden</HI> come,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>J&s;a.</HI> 2.3.</NOTE> with them that are <HI>zealous,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ioh.</HI> 6.45.</NOTE> prouoke one another to come, with them that are <HI>taught</HI> of GOD come;
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 34.11.</NOTE> and you &s;hall not come in <HI>vaine,</HI> but com|ming to the <HI>meanes,</HI> you &s;hall learne the <HI>feare</HI> of GOD.</P>
<P><HI>Come.</HI>] The Mini&s;tery of the <HI>Word</HI> of God teacheth, and inuiteth vs to make v&s;e, and godly benefit of the <HI>workes</HI> of GOD, that bids vs <HI>come:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>The&s;.</HI> 5. <HI>Heb.</HI> 2. <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 95. 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 2. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 30. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 27.4. <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 4.17.</NOTE> and let vs not be ab&s;ent, not from <HI>this; neglect</HI> not this; <HI>harden</HI> not your <HI>hearts</HI> a|gain&s;t this; but <HI>frequent</HI> this, <HI>heare</HI> this, <HI>beleeue</HI> this, <HI>obey</HI> this, <HI>&s;ubmit</HI> your <HI>&s;elues</HI> to this &amp; <HI>exa|mine</HI> how you <HI>profit</HI> by this; and according to the pre&s;ent <HI>charge</HI> of this, <HI>Come and &s;ee.</HI>] The way to the profitable v&s;e of the <HI>meanes</HI> of <HI>god|line&s;se,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ier.</HI> 42.20. <HI>Acts</HI> 2.13.</NOTE> is to &s;ee, <HI>behold,</HI> and con&s;ider the &s;ame. Come not as <HI>hypocrites</HI> to di&s;&s;emble: come
<PB N="13" REF="11" MS="y">not as <HI>&s;luggards,</HI> to &s;leepe:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ez.</HI> 33.32.</NOTE> come not as <HI>&s;cor|ners,</HI> to deride, nor as <HI>enemies,</HI> to catch, nor as <HI>children</HI> and fooles, to gaze, prattle, or <HI>play;</HI> but come as the <HI>louers</HI> of <HI>goodnes,</HI> to <HI>&s;eek;</HI> as the <HI>wi&s;e,</HI> to <HI>ob&s;erue;</HI> come as the <HI>godly,</HI> to <HI>learne,</HI> as the <HI>prudent,</HI> to con&s;ider, and as the <HI>obedient,</HI> to &s;ee.</P>
<P><HI>The Workes of the Lord.</HI>] The <HI>workes</HI> of GOD are &s;peciall meanes to furni&s;h vs, and fit vs to <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> and prai&s;e GOD. Doe not e|&s;teeme them as dead things; doe not pa&s;&s;e by them as idle <HI>matters,</HI> &amp; of no reckoning; doe not <HI>&s;inne,</HI> as tho&s;e that are complained of, for that they regarded not the <HI>workes</HI> of GOD, nor con&s;idered the <HI>operation</HI> of his <HI>hands;</HI> but come, and <HI>behold</HI> his <HI>workes,</HI> v&s;e them as happy <HI>meanes</HI> to make thee happy, that is, to fit thee to bee an happy and holy <HI>wor&s;hipper</HI> of God.</P>
<P>V&s;e his <HI>workes</HI> of <HI>creation,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 33. 9. 36. 6. 31. 23. 7, 8, 9, 10. 67. 4. 9. 16. 145. 15, 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> 111. 9.</NOTE> to draw you to <HI>feare</HI> him; his <HI>workes</HI> of common <HI>pre&s;eruati|on,</HI> to admire his <HI>prouidence;</HI> his <HI>workes</HI> of &s;pe|ciall <HI>pre&s;eruation,</HI> to <HI>loue</HI> him; of <HI>admini&s;tra|tion,</HI> to tru&s;t and to <HI>reioyce</HI> in him; of <HI>iudge|ment,</HI> to <HI>acknowledge</HI> him, and to &s;tand in awe of him; of <HI>&s;u&s;tentation</HI> to <HI>waite</HI> on him: and his <HI>workes</HI> of <HI>redemption,</HI> to <HI>prai&s;e</HI> his <HI>holy</HI> and fearefull <HI>Name:</HI> in &s;tead of vaine and corrupt
<PB N="14" REF="12">communication,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;.</HI> 105.2, 5</NOTE> talke of his <HI>wonderfull works,</HI> and in &s;tead of remembring vanities, remem|ber his maruellous <HI>workes</HI> which hee hath done, his <HI>wonders,</HI> and the <HI>iudgements</HI> of his <HI>mouth.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Hee is to be reuerenced in his doing toward the &s;onnes of men.</HI>] They that rightly con&s;ider Gods working, doe find that hee is mo&s;t <HI>wor|thy</HI> to bee <HI>reuerenced</HI> in euery <HI>action:</HI> O thou man, that doe&s;t not perceiue this, thou art very <HI>fooli&s;h.</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 92.</NOTE> But yee <HI>holy</HI> ones, whom God hath made <HI>glad</HI> through his <HI>workes,</HI> and who reioyce in the <HI>worke</HI> of his <HI>hands;</HI> happy are you, for you &s;ee how true this is, and you <HI>ad|mire</HI> that hee is &s;o reuerend in his <HI>doing.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Toward the &s;onnes of men.</HI>] The very per|&s;on, toward whom God is &s;o reuerend in his dealing, is full of argument of his <HI>commenda|tion:</HI> for who bee the&s;e? Euen the <HI>&s;onnes</HI> of men. Oh then, <HI>prai&s;e</HI> the <HI>Lord</HI> highly for his <HI>admini&s;tration</HI> to &s;uch per&s;ons: confe&s;&s;e his <HI>bountie</HI> vnto the&s;e, bountie <HI>vn&s;peakable;</HI> con|fe&s;&s;e his <HI>goodne&s;se</HI> vnto the&s;e, goodne&s;&s;e <HI>im|mea&s;urable;</HI> confe&s;&s;e his <HI>mercy</HI> to the&s;e, <HI>mer|cy</HI> mo&s;t laudable; confe&s;&s;e his <HI>loue</HI> to the&s;e, loue mo&s;t <HI>admirable.</HI> For the&s;e haue plunged them&s;elues into all <HI>mi&s;ery:</HI> the&s;e haue prouo|ked his <HI>wrath</HI> by infinite <HI>iniquity:</HI> the&s;e haue
<PB N="15" REF="12" MS="y">nothing in them to de&s;erue any <HI>compa&s;sion:</HI> the&s;e haue all that is in them to bring <HI>condem|nation.</HI> O wee men,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 6.5. <HI>Rom.</HI> 1.21.</NOTE> who&s;e <HI>imaginations</HI> are continually <HI>euill,</HI> who&s;e fooli&s;h <HI>mindes</HI> are full of <HI>darknes,</HI> who&s;e very <HI>hearts</HI> are mo&s;t <HI>de|ceitfull,</HI> who&s;e <HI>mouthes</HI> are full of <HI>bla&s;phemy,</HI> who&s;e <HI>throates</HI> are an open <HI>&s;epulcher,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 3.</NOTE> who&s;e <HI>eyes</HI> are full of <HI>vanity,</HI> who&s;e <HI>eares</HI> are full of <HI>idlene&s;&s;e,</HI> who&s;e <HI>hands</HI> are full of <HI>bloud,</HI> who&s;e <HI>feet</HI> are &s;wift to euery <HI>mi&s;chiefe,</HI> who&s;e <HI>life</HI> is mo&s;t <HI>&s;infull,</HI> and who&s;e <HI>body</HI> is mo&s;t <HI>vile:</HI> Let vs <HI>wonder</HI> that <HI>God</HI> is &s;o reuerend in his <HI>dea|ling</HI> to &s;uch mo&s;t vnworthy <HI>per&s;ons,</HI> and won|dring, let vs to his <HI>glory</HI> &s;ay, What is <HI>man,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 8.</NOTE> that thou art &s;o fauourable a <HI>God</HI> vnto him? What is wretched <HI>man,</HI> that thou art <HI>mindfull</HI> of him? What is the <HI>&s;onne</HI> of mortall <HI>man,</HI> that thou vi&s;ite&s;t him?</P>
<P><HI>Hee turned the &s;ea into dry land.</HI>]
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 6.</NOTE> God &s;hewes him&s;elfe <HI>wonderfull</HI> in his doing, for them that feare him: Their <HI>enemies</HI> were <HI>be|hinde</HI> them, the <HI>Red Sea</HI> is before them: What now &s;hall become of them? Why,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 106.9.</NOTE> <HI>behold</HI> the <HI>&s;aluation</HI> of the <HI>Lord</HI> to his owne <HI>people,</HI> hee forthwith <HI>rebuked</HI> the deepe <HI>Sea</HI> for &s;taying them, and it pre&s;ently gaue <HI>way</HI> vnto them, o|uerwhelming all their <HI>enemies</HI> that followed them. See how reuerend the <HI>Lord</HI> was in his
<PB N="16" REF="13">doing toward the&s;e <HI>&s;onnes</HI> of <HI>men;</HI> ioyne your &s;elues to this <HI>God,</HI> and hee will doe <HI>wonders</HI> for you; <HI>beleeue</HI> in him, and hee will make all things <HI>po&s;sible</HI> vnto you; expect with pati|ence his <HI>deliuerance,</HI> if no <HI>meanes</HI> bee with you; if all <HI>meanes</HI> bee again&s;t you, yet can hee find <HI>meanes</HI> to helpe, and <HI>&s;aue</HI> you; he turned the <HI>&s;ea</HI> into dry <HI>land:</HI></P>
<P><HI>They went thorow the flood on foot.</HI>] To whom <HI>God</HI> makes him&s;elfe knowne in a &s;peci|all <HI>fauour,</HI> and manner, to them hee will <HI>mag|nifie</HI> his <HI>power:</HI> that they might &s;ee his great <HI>&s;aluation,</HI> hee led them dry <HI>&s;hod</HI>-thorow the great <HI>depths</HI> of the cruell <HI>&s;ea:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Jo&s;h.</HI> 3.10.</NOTE> and after, that they might <HI>know</HI> that hee the liuing <HI>Lord</HI> was among them, and that hee would not <HI>faile</HI> to doe all that hee <HI>promi&s;ed</HI> them, hee cut off the <HI>waters</HI> of the Riuer <HI>Iordan,</HI> and made them &s;tand on an <HI>heape,</HI> euen when it was at the broade&s;t, vntill all his <HI>&s;eruants</HI> were cleane gone. If hee doe not thus to you, but lets <HI>&s;eas</HI> and flouds of <HI>iniquitie</HI> keepe you from <HI>entring</HI> into his <HI>holy Canaan,</HI> then <HI>lament;</HI> for it argues that he yet hath no <HI>&s;auour</HI> vnto you: if you would haue him thus <HI>magnifie</HI> his <HI>pow|er</HI> &s;ome <HI>way</HI> towards you, then <HI>call</HI> your <HI>&s;elues</HI> by the <HI>name</HI> of <HI>Iaakob,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 44.5.</NOTE> and &s;ub&s;cribe with your <HI>hand</HI> vnto the <HI>Lord:</HI> if you bee his <HI>peo|ple,</HI>
<PB N="17" REF="13" MS="y">then expect one great <HI>deliuerance</HI> after an|other: and if you <HI>know</HI> who <HI>feare</HI> him, doe not <HI>mocke</HI> nor <HI>de&s;pi&s;e</HI> them; but &s;ay,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deu.</HI> 33.29</NOTE> They are <HI>happy;</HI> &s;ay, Who is like vnto them, &s;o <HI>&s;a|ued</HI> by the <HI>Lord,</HI> the <HI>&s;hield</HI> of their <HI>helpe?</HI></P>
<P><HI>There did we reioyce in him.</HI>] Gods <HI>admira|ble</HI> and comfortable <HI>dealing</HI> begets pre&s;ent <HI>reioycing</HI> in him, in them that <HI>loue</HI> and feare him. They were no &s;ooner pa&s;&s;ed thorow the <HI>Red Sea,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Exod.</HI> 15.</NOTE> but then and there <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the children of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> &s;ang <HI>ioyfully,</HI> a &s;ong of <HI>thanke&s;giuing</HI> vnto the <HI>Lord:</HI> there al&s;o <HI>Miri|am</HI> the Prophete&s;&s;e, with all the <HI>women</HI> an&s;we|red the <HI>men,</HI> with well-tuned <HI>in&s;truments, holy</HI> dances, and &s;weet <HI>voyces</HI> in the &s;ame <HI>thanke&s;|giuing:</HI> There did they <HI>reioyce</HI> in nothing of their owne, in nothing of any <HI>creature</HI> in <HI>hea|uen</HI> or <HI>earth,</HI> in nothing <HI>el&s;e</HI> but in <HI>God</HI> alone, in his <HI>triumph</HI> alone, in his <HI>&s;trength</HI> alone, in his <HI>&s;aluation</HI> alone, in his <HI>Name</HI> alone, in his right <HI>hand</HI> alone, in his <HI>power</HI> alone, and in his <HI>greatnes</HI> alone. But doe wee not <HI>honour</HI> him in the very <HI>place</HI> where hee hath <HI>honoured</HI> vs? Not <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him in the very time, wherein hee hath done <HI>great</HI> things for vs? Not <HI>reioyce</HI> a|mid&s;t all our comforts, <HI>benefits,</HI> and <HI>deliue|rances?</HI> Are wee not now mo&s;t <HI>glad,</HI> that hee giues vs ble&s;&s;ed proofs, that he is become our
<PB N="18" REF="14"><HI>owne God,</HI> &s;trength, <HI>deliuerer,</HI> and <HI>&s;aluation?</HI> Oh let vs <HI>tremble</HI> at this <HI>vnthankfulne&s;&s;e,</HI> and &s;o <HI>a|mend</HI> this negligence, as we may &s;ay <HI>iustly,</HI> as they haue &s;aid, <HI>There, there did wee reioyce in him:</HI> and &s;till may wee reioyce in him.</P>
<P>For,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 7.</NOTE> <HI>He ruleth by his power for euer.</HI>] Yee righteous, <HI>feare</HI> not the frownes of for|tune, fal&s;ly &s;o called, the <HI>hatred</HI> of the world, <HI>&s;ickne&s;&s;e, famine, &s;word,</HI> or <HI>pe&s;tilence,</HI> the <HI>&s;onnes</HI> of mortall men, helli&s;h <HI>principalities,</HI> or <HI>pow|ers,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan.</HI> 4.</NOTE> nor any <HI>creature:</HI> for your <HI>God</HI> ruleth ac|cording to his will in the armies of <HI>heauen,</HI> and in the <HI>inhabitants</HI> of the <HI>earth,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 135.</NOTE> doing what&s;oeuer plea&s;eth him euery where. Yee wicked, <HI>feare,</HI> and tremble; be full of <HI>&s;orrow,</HI> and heauine&s;&s;e;
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 145.20</NOTE> howle and <HI>lament;</HI> for God <HI>ruleth,</HI> who pre&s;erueth all them that <HI>loue</HI> him: but all &s;uch as you are, he <HI>destroyeth:</HI> All yee vngodly,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 8.28.</NOTE> <HI>repent</HI> &s;peedily, for God <HI>ruleth,</HI> who makes all things <HI>worke</HI> together for the be&s;t to them that <HI>loue</HI> him:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 11.</NOTE> but vpon you he &s;hall raine <HI>&s;nares, fire,</HI> and <HI>brimstone,</HI> and an horri|ble <HI>tempe&s;t,</HI> this &s;hall bee the <HI>portion</HI> of your <HI>cup,</HI> becau&s;e not chance, nor <HI>fortune,</HI> nor <HI>Pla|nets,</HI> nor <HI>windes,</HI> nor <HI>Popes,</HI> nor <HI>hell,</HI> nor <HI>crea|tures rule,</HI> but <HI>God</HI> alone <HI>ruleth.</HI></P>
<P><HI>He ruleth by his power.</HI>] Ye Potentates, and &s;onnes of the <HI>mighty,</HI> lift not vp your <HI>hornes</HI> on
<PB N="19" REF="14" MS="y"><HI>high,</HI> oppo&s;e not your <HI>greatnes</HI> again&s;t any <HI>ordinance</HI> of <HI>God;</HI> for hee ruleth by his <HI>power,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan.</HI> 4.35, 37.</NOTE> none can &s;tay his <HI>hand,</HI> nor may &s;ay to him, What doe&s;t thou? Them that walke in their <HI>pride,</HI> hee is able to <HI>aba&s;e.</HI> Yee <HI>&s;inners,</HI> prouoke not him to <HI>anger,</HI> for hee ruleth by his <HI>power;</HI> if yee &s;till forget him, and will not con&s;ider, hee will <HI>teare</HI> you in <HI>pieces,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 50.22.</NOTE> and none can <HI>de|liuer</HI> you. Yee that <HI>feare</HI> him, bee not di&s;cou|raged, becau&s;e your <HI>enemies</HI> are too <HI>&s;trong</HI> for you: doubt not of <HI>reliefe,</HI> becau&s;e your <HI>mi&s;ery</HI> &s;eemes helple&s;&s;e: <HI>de&s;paire</HI> not of reco|uery, becau&s;e you &s;ee no <HI>remedy:</HI> for your <HI>God</HI> not onely <HI>ruleth,</HI> but he ruleth by his <HI>pow|er,</HI> euen by his mighty <HI>power,</HI> whereby hee is <HI>able</HI> to <HI>&s;ubdue</HI> all things to <HI>him&s;elfe:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Phil.</HI> 3.21. <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 3.20.</NOTE> euen by his infinite <HI>power,</HI> whereby hee is <HI>able</HI> to doe exceeding abundantly for you, beyond all that you can <HI>aske,</HI> or thinke.</P>
<P><HI>For euer.</HI>] Thinke not, O ye <HI>wicked,</HI> that there is any time, wherein you &s;hall haue the rule in your <HI>hands,</HI> or &s;hall e&s;cape his <HI>iudgements;</HI> for hee <HI>ruleth</HI> for euer,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan.</HI> 4.34.</NOTE> his <HI>dominion</HI> is an euerla|&s;ting <HI>dominion,</HI> and of his <HI>kingdome</HI> there is no end. <HI>Reioyce,</HI> O yee <HI>righteous,</HI> for the <HI>proui|dence,</HI> the <HI>goodnes,</HI> the <HI>protection,</HI> the <HI>pre&s;ence,</HI> the <HI>power,</HI> the <HI>iu&s;tice,</HI> the <HI>mercy</HI> of the <HI>Lord</HI> your <HI>God</HI> &s;hall neuer bee <HI>dimini&s;hed,</HI> &s;hall ne|uer
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<PB N="20" REF="16"><HI>cea&s;e,</HI> &s;hall neuer <HI>faile</HI> you; for hee ru|leth by his <HI>power</HI> for euer:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;.</HI> 146.10.</NOTE> Thy <HI>God,</HI> O <HI>Sion, raigneth,</HI> and he &s;hall <HI>raigne</HI> for euer.</P>
<P><HI>His eyes behold the nations.</HI>] O yee mad <HI>peo|ple,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 29.15.</NOTE> that &s;eeke out deepe <HI>deuices</HI> to hide your <HI>coun&s;els</HI> from the <HI>Lord,</HI> and to keepe your <HI>workes</HI> &s;ecret in darke, asking, Who &s;eeth vs? Who can <HI>know</HI> vs? woe bee vnto you: for his <HI>eyes behold</HI> the <HI>Nations;
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pro.</HI> 15.11.</NOTE> hell,</HI> and <HI>de&s;truction</HI> are before <HI>him;</HI> how much more the <HI>hearts</HI> of the <HI>children</HI> of men? hee hath &s;eene all your <HI>imaginations,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 10.14.</NOTE> he beholdeth all your <HI>mi&s;chiefe</HI> and &s;pite to requite it with his owne <HI>hand.</HI> Ye faithfull <HI>ones,</HI> be the &s;ame in all places, and in all <HI>countries,</HI> di&s;&s;emble no where, &s;inne no where; for your <HI>God</HI> will find it out, his <HI>eyes</HI> behold all <HI>Nations,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 33.13.</NOTE> hee beholdeth all the <HI>&s;onnes</HI> of men, his <HI>eyes</HI> are vpon all the <HI>wayes</HI> of <HI>man,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iob</HI> 34.21.</NOTE> and hee &s;eeth his <HI>goings;</HI> his <HI>eyes</HI> are in euery <HI>place</HI> beholding both the <HI>euill</HI> and the <HI>good.</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Prou.</HI> 15.3.</NOTE> You that are in <HI>affliction,</HI> doe not &s;ay,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 40.27.</NOTE> My <HI>way</HI> is hid from <HI>God:</HI> but be <HI>glad,</HI> and reioyce in his <HI>mercy,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 31.7.</NOTE> in the mid&s;t of thy <HI>mi|&s;ery,</HI> with full <HI>a&s;&s;urance</HI> that hee con&s;iders thy <HI>trouble,</HI> and knowes thy <HI>&s;oule</HI> in aduer&s;ities; for his eyes behold the <HI>Nations,</HI> and his eye-<HI>lids</HI> do try the <HI>children</HI> of men:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 40.28.</NOTE> there is no &s;earch|ing of his <HI>vnderstanding: Behold,</HI> his <HI>eye</HI> is
<PB N="21" REF="16" MS="y">vpon them that <HI>feare</HI> him, and that <HI>hope</HI> in his <HI>mercy,</HI> to deliuer their <HI>&s;oule</HI> from <HI>death,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 33.19.</NOTE> and to keepe them <HI>aliue</HI> in <HI>famine.</HI> All <HI>people</HI> tru&s;t in the <HI>liuing Lord</HI> of <HI>heauen</HI> and <HI>earth,</HI> haue him alone to bee your <HI>God,</HI> for hee is the ve|rie <HI>God:</HI> The Heathen gods haue <HI>eyes,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 115.5.</NOTE> and &s;ee not;
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 1.31.</NOTE> but our <HI>God</HI> &s;eeth euery <HI>thing</HI> that hee hath made, and his <HI>eyes</HI> behold all <HI>Na|tions.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Let not the rebellious exalt them&s;elues: they which are rebellious, let them not bee lifted vp too much in them&s;elues.</HI>] Pray for this vnto the <HI>Lord,</HI> &s;o oft as you heare of <HI>Nations</HI> rebelling again&s;t any <HI>Chri&s;tian Countrey;</HI> for hee alone is <HI>able</HI> to tame, and <HI>&s;poyle</HI> the &s;tout-<HI>hearted,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 76.</NOTE> and can cau&s;e the men of <HI>might</HI> to haue no <HI>&s;trength</HI> in their <HI>hands. Pray</HI> for this vnto him, &s;o oft as you &s;ee any proud <HI>per&s;ons</HI> exalt them&s;elues again&s;t the free pa&s;&s;age of the <HI>Go&s;pel;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 16.20</NOTE> for hee alone is able to brui&s;e <HI>Satan</HI> him&s;elfe, and to tread him <HI>downe</HI> vnder our <HI>feete.</HI> Pray for this vnto him, when the <HI>enemy</HI> waxeth &s;til prouder; for though he <HI>&s;uffer</HI> them &s;ometime to <HI>afflict</HI> vs,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deu.</HI> 32.27</NOTE> yet hee cannot abide that they &s;hould behaue <HI>them&s;elues</HI> proudly, and &s;trangely again&s;t vs. <HI>Pray</HI> for this vnto him, euen when thy <HI>&s;onnes</HI> and <HI>daughters</HI> are arrogant and <HI>in&s;olent:</HI> for he will either <HI>breake</HI>
<PB N="22" REF="17">them, becau&s;e they are <HI>rebellious,</HI> or if they <HI>belong</HI> to him, hee will <HI>heale</HI> their rebelli|ons.</P>
<P><HI>O ble&s;&s;e our God,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 48.</NOTE> yee people, and make the voyce of his prai&s;e to be heard.</HI>] Gods <HI>holy</HI> ones are &s;o <HI>affected</HI> with de&s;ire to <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him, as they prouoke all other al&s;o to <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him. Haue you no de&s;ire to prai&s;e <HI>God?</HI> Oh, how can you aske any <HI>mercy</HI> at his <HI>hands?</HI> Is your de&s;ire to <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him &s;o weake, as it <HI>moues</HI> you not to draw <HI>others</HI> to this <HI>duty?</HI> Oh, how little reckoning make you of <HI>God,</HI> and of his <HI>glory?</HI> and how carele&s;&s;e are you of others <HI>&s;aluation?</HI> Doe you prouoke <HI>others</HI> to di&s;honour and <HI>bla&s;pheme</HI> him? Oh, you doe an <HI>abominable</HI> thing; &s;uch a wickedne&s;&s;e, as <HI>neuer</HI> did wic|ked <HI>Idolaters</HI> to their <HI>fal&s;e</HI> gods. <HI>Beware</HI> of no <HI>affection:</HI> beware of too little <HI>affection,</HI> and la|bour to this high <HI>affection</HI> vnto the <HI>prai&s;e</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> which will moue you to <HI>exhort</HI> others to it,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 34.3.</NOTE> &s;aying, O <HI>magnifie</HI> the <HI>Lord</HI> with mee, and let vs <HI>exalt</HI> his <HI>Name</HI> together.</P>
<P><HI>Our God.</HI>] This is the <HI>glory</HI> of Gods peo|ple, that the <HI>Lord</HI> hath made them &s;o neere vnto him as they may very boldly <HI>profe&s;&s;e,</HI> and call him, <HI>Our God.</HI> Oh yee <HI>hypocrites,</HI> this <HI>glory</HI> doth not <HI>belong</HI> to you: if you call him,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Matt.</HI> 7.21.</NOTE> Our <HI>God,</HI> hee denyeth it, &s;aying, Away
<PB N="23" REF="17" MS="y">from me, yee <HI>workers</HI> of <HI>iniquitie,</HI> I know you not. Oh, you <HI>enemies</HI> to the true <HI>doctrine</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> this <HI>glory</HI> doth not belong to you; if you call him, Our <HI>God,</HI> he denyeth it, &s;aying, Not I, but your <HI>belly</HI> is your <HI>god,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Phil:</HI> 3.19.</NOTE> and your end <HI>damnation.</HI> Oh you <HI>worldlings,</HI> this <HI>glory</HI> belongs not to you, <HI>ignorant, blind,</HI> and vn|beleeuing <HI>&s;oules:</HI> if you call him, Our <HI>God,</HI> he denyeth it, &s;aying, Not I,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. <HI>Cor.</HI> 4.4.</NOTE> but the <HI>Deuill</HI> is your <HI>god.</HI> But, oh yee <HI>&s;eruants</HI> of the <HI>Lord,</HI> to you, euen to you doth this <HI>glory</HI> belong, if you call him, Our <HI>God,</HI> he denyeth it not, but an&s;wereth, I am the <HI>Lord</HI> your <HI>God,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 81.10.</NOTE> and you are my <HI>people.</HI> All that de&s;ire this <HI>glory,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 2.23.</NOTE> bee his true <HI>&s;eruants,</HI> be in <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> bee in fellow|&s;hip with his <HI>Church,</HI> then may you &s;ay al&s;o, The <HI>Lord</HI> is Our <HI>God,</HI> euen our owne God:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 144.</NOTE> then are you <HI>ble&s;&s;ed,</HI> Oh ble&s;&s;ed are the <HI>peo|ple,</HI> who&s;e God is the Lord.
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 8.32.</NOTE> Then are you <HI>protected.</HI> If God bee on our <HI>&s;ide,</HI> who can bee again&s;t vs? Then are you <HI>&s;afe:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 48.14.</NOTE> Our God will be our <HI>guide</HI> euen vnto <HI>death.</HI> Reioyce that the Lord is become your God, prepare an <HI>habitation</HI> for him in your <HI>hearts,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Exod.</HI> 15.2.</NOTE> exalt him with your tongues, and call to others, &s;aying, Ble&s;&s;e our God, <HI>ble&s;&s;e</HI> our God, O ye people.</P>
<P><HI>And make the voyce of his prai&s;e to bee
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<PB N="24" REF="19">heard.</HI>] This is the token that people are come vnto God, when they make <HI>others</HI> heare them <HI>prai&s;e</HI> God: they that make <HI>others</HI> heare them prai&s;e Images, and &s;uper&s;titious <HI>Popi&s;h</HI> Ceremonies, &s;hew no token that they are come vnto God: they that make others heare them prai&s;e the &s;infull plea&s;ures of wicked lu&s;t, &s;hew no token that they are come vnto God: they that make others heare them, by <HI>&s;wearing,</HI> and <HI>lying,</HI> and other &s;innes, <HI>bla&s;pheme</HI> God, &s;hew no <HI>token</HI> of com|ming vnto him: they that are <HI>afraid,</HI> and a|&s;hamed to let others heare them <HI>profe&s;&s;e,</HI> prai&s;e, and <HI>glorifie</HI> God, &s;hew no <HI>token</HI> that they are come vnto him. But they that with <HI>zeale,</HI> mode&s;tie, <HI>reuerence,</HI> and &s;inceritie doe make others heare, and perceiue that they doe <HI>acknowledge,</HI> honour, and <HI>prai&s;e</HI> God, doe &s;hew a &s;ufficient <HI>token</HI> that they are indeed come vnto him. Therefore, when the exerci|&s;es of prai&s;ing God are performing, congre|gate together readily thereto, lurke no where in Kitchin, or Hall, or Butterie, or Chamber, or Yard, or Street, or any where ab&s;ent, which is enough to make you &s;u&s;pected of irreligi|ous hearts. But come forth all, &amp; come affec|ted, and come prepared to pray together, to heare together, and to &s;ing together, that we
<PB N="25" REF="19" MS="y">may together ble&s;&s;e our God, and make the voice of his glorious prai&s;e heard, euen his prai&s;e, <HI>[Which holdeth our &s;oule in life.]</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> 9.</NOTE> Euen his prai&s;e, <HI>which hath re&s;tored our &s;oulevnto life:</HI> The re&s;toring of our &s;oules vnto life, &amp; the hold|ing of them in <HI>life,</HI> are &s;peciall <HI>rea&s;ons</HI> to lead vs to <HI>prai&s;e God.</HI> Oh man, or woman, who&s;e &s;oule by <HI>&s;ickne&s;&s;e,</HI> or by the malice of <HI>enemies,</HI> or by other <HI>euils</HI> hath been compa&s;&s;ed about with the &s;orrowes of <HI>hell,</HI> and beene in the &s;nares of <HI>death,</HI> and <HI>God</HI> of his maruellous <HI>goodne&s;&s;e</HI> hath redeemed it, and re&s;tored vnto <HI>life,</HI> and doth &s;till <HI>pre&s;erue,</HI> and keepe thee <HI>healthfull,</HI> and <HI>aliue:</HI> Doe&s;t thou <HI>di&s;obey</HI> this good <HI>God?</HI> doe&s;t thou <HI>di&s;honour</HI> him with thy <HI>life?</HI> doe&s;t thou <HI>&s;inne</HI> again&s;t him with the <HI>health</HI> and libertie that hee giues thee? doe&s;t thou not <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him for his <HI>wonderfull</HI> kindne&s;&s;e? O <HI>fooli&s;h</HI> body, and vnwi&s;e,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deut.</HI> 32.6.</NOTE> doe you thus requite the <HI>Lord?</HI></P>
<P>O ye righteous, be it farre from you to be &s;o <HI>vngracious:</HI> doe not you &s;o requite the <HI>Lord;</HI> but remember all his <HI>benefits,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 107.</NOTE> thinke vpon all his <HI>goodne&s;se,</HI> and con&s;ider in parti|cular, how when your <HI>&s;oules</HI> were in wofull <HI>mi&s;erie,</HI> when your <HI>liues</HI> were in great <HI>ieopar|die,</HI> your troubles were <HI>&s;ore,</HI> and many, hee heard your <HI>cry,</HI> hee &s;ent you <HI>helpe</HI> from his
<PB N="26" REF="20"><HI>holy</HI> place, and hee redeemed you from all your <HI>mi&s;eries;</HI> and it is he only which holdeth our &s;oule in life, and</P>
<P><HI>Suffereth not our feet to be moued.</HI>] They that doe &s;erue <HI>God</HI> faithfully, are in the grea|te&s;t <HI>&s;afetie.</HI> Yee bloudie and <HI>deceitfull</HI> men, why doe you imagine <HI>mi&s;chiefe</HI> again&s;t <HI>Gods</HI> faithfull <HI>&s;eruants?</HI> They &s;hall bee as Mount <HI>Sion,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 125.1.</NOTE> which cannot bee <HI>remoned.</HI> Yee gates of <HI>hell,</HI> why doe you offer violence to <HI>Gods Saints?</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ioh.</HI> 10.29.</NOTE> They are in his hands, who is greater then all, and none can plucke them out. Ye men on <HI>earth</HI> that de&s;ire to be &s;afe, why doe yee not <HI>turne</HI> from your <HI>&s;innes,</HI> and come to our <HI>God</HI> to <HI>&s;erue</HI> him? Then you &s;hall bee <HI>&s;afe,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 15.5.</NOTE> and &s;hall <HI>neuer</HI> bee <HI>mooued.</HI> Yee <HI>righteous,</HI> why are you afraid in any condition, or for any mans threatning? <HI>Feare</HI> not,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 55.22.</NOTE> <HI>faint</HI> not, ca&s;t your <HI>burthen</HI> vpon the <HI>Lord,</HI> hee will <HI>&s;u&s;taine</HI> you, and will neuer <HI>&s;uffer</HI> you to bee <HI>moued.</HI> Are we <HI>&s;afe?</HI> Is our <HI>King &s;afe?</HI> Is the Kings <HI>&s;onne</HI> &s;afe? Is our Land <HI>&s;afe?</HI> Are our <HI>Preachers,</HI> and <HI>people &s;afe?</HI> Are our <HI>wiues,</HI> and children <HI>&s;afe?</HI> Are our <HI>goods</HI> and cattel <HI>&s;afe?</HI> Giue <HI>God</HI> alone the <HI>glory,</HI> &s;ing prai&s;e to his <HI>Name:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 36.6.44.4, 6, 7.</NOTE> for hee onely <HI>&s;aueth</HI> vs, he pre&s;erueth man, and bea&s;t: Not our owne arme, nor our &s;word, but hee him&s;elfe hath
<PB N="27" REF="20" MS="y"><HI>&s;aued</HI> vs from all our <HI>enemies,</HI> putting them to <HI>&s;hame</HI> that <HI>hated</HI> vs:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 18.34.56.13.</NOTE> hee inlargeth our <HI>&s;teps</HI> vn|der vs, hee holdeth our <HI>feet</HI> that they <HI>&s;lip</HI> not, hee keepes them from <HI>falling,</HI> he &s;ets them,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">40.3.</NOTE> as on a <HI>Rocke,</HI> and &s;uffers them not to bee <HI>moued;</HI> and if at any time,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">30.6, 7.</NOTE> to <HI>checke</HI> vs for our <HI>&s;ecuri|tie,</HI> and vaine confidence, wee be <HI>moued,</HI> and troubled, it is onely his gracious triall of vs, that wee might then looke to him, and &s;ay to him, In this al&s;o wee acknowledge thine hand.</P>
<P><HI>For thou, O God, ha&s;t prooued vs:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 10.</NOTE> thou ha&s;t tryed vs, as Siluer is tryed.</HI>] Gods children can picke matter of <HI>thanke&s;giuing,</HI> and of con|&s;olation out of their <HI>affliction.</HI> O thou that quarrelle&s;t at the <HI>godlies</HI> Religion, becau&s;e of their <HI>tribulation,</HI> and <HI>&s;coffe&s;t</HI> at their <HI>Profe&s;sion,</HI> becau&s;e of their <HI>affliction:</HI> their <HI>cro&s;&s;e</HI> is bet|ter then thy <HI>crowne;</HI> their <HI>mi&s;crie,</HI> then thy <HI>pro&s;peritie;</HI> their <HI>&s;orrowes,</HI> then thy <HI>plea&s;ures.</HI> For thou picke&s;t out of thine <HI>abundance,</HI> mat|ter of irreligion, of <HI>pride,</HI> of <HI>vnthankfulne&s;&s;e,</HI> of <HI>crueltie,</HI> of <HI>condemnation:</HI> but they out of their &s;ore <HI>affliction,</HI> matter of <HI>reioycing,</HI> of <HI>thanke&s;giuing,</HI> and of <HI>con&s;olation.</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 73.21, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> O <HI>child</HI> of God, who&s;e mind is grieued, who art pricked in thy <HI>reines,</HI> who&s;e <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> and who&s;e <HI>heart</HI> fai|leth becau&s;e of <HI>rebuke,</HI> and <HI>cha&s;tening;</HI> be no
<PB N="28" REF="21">more &s;o <HI>fooli&s;h,</HI> &s;o ignorant, and &s;o like a <HI>bea&s;t</HI> before the <HI>Lord,</HI> regard and take out this <HI>le&s;|&s;on,</HI> picke thou matter of <HI>comfort,</HI> and of <HI>thanke&s;giuing</HI> out of thine <HI>affliction.</HI></P>
<P>But here mu&s;t be grace, wi&s;edome, experi|ence, and ob&s;eruation: Fir&s;t, grace; for if we be by <HI>faith</HI> in Chri&s;t entred into that <HI>grace,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 5.2, 3</NOTE> wherein wee &s;tand vnder <HI>hope</HI> of Gods <HI>glory,</HI> then &s;hall wee euen glory in <HI>tribulations.</HI> Se|condly, <HI>wi&s;edome;</HI> for if we be truely <HI>wi&s;e,</HI> we &s;hall vnder&s;tand the ea&s;ie and wealthy <HI>place</HI> of the vngodly to be &s;o <HI>&s;lippery,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 73.18.</NOTE> and their end &s;uch <HI>infelicitie,</HI> and &s;o vnhappy, as wee &s;hall prai&s;e God that wee <HI>drinke</HI> not of their full <HI>cup</HI> of pro&s;peritie,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Heb.</HI> 11.25, 26.</NOTE> and preferre the <HI>affliction</HI> of Gods <HI>people,</HI> before their &s;infull and <HI>&s;hort</HI> plea&s;ures; e&s;teeming the reproach of <HI>Christ</HI> greater <HI>riches,</HI> then the <HI>trea&s;ures</HI> in <HI>Egypt.</HI> Thirdly, <HI>experience;</HI> for if wee find the <HI>tryall</HI> how <HI>God</HI> comforteth vs in all our tribulation;
<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. <HI>Cor.</HI> 1.4.</NOTE> yea, &s;o farre as hee makes vs <HI>able</HI> to <HI>comfort</HI> them which are in any <HI>trouble,</HI> by the <HI>comfort</HI> wherewith wee our &s;elues are comforted of <HI>him,</HI> we &s;hall get much <HI>ioy,</HI> and <HI>hope,</HI> and <HI>ble&s;se</HI> the <HI>Lord</HI> with great <HI>gladne&s;&s;e.</HI> Fourthly, <HI>ob|&s;eruation;</HI> for if we ob&s;erue, fir&s;t, Who <HI>afflic|teth</HI> vs, namely, our faithfull <HI>Creatour,</HI> our hea|uenly <HI>Father,</HI> our owne <HI>God,</HI> who may <HI>iustly</HI>
<PB N="29" REF="21" MS="y">&s;ay,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mic.</HI> 6.3.</NOTE> What vnkindne&s;&s;e haue I <HI>euer done</HI> vnto you? Wherein haue I been any way <HI>grieuous</HI> vnto you?
<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. <HI>Cor.</HI> 1.31.</NOTE> I haue beene alway a <HI>Father</HI> of <HI>mercies</HI> vnto you; a <HI>God</HI> of all <HI>comfort</HI> vnto you. I am the <HI>Father</HI> of &s;pirits,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Heb.</HI> 12.9.</NOTE> to whom you ought to be in <HI>&s;ubiection,</HI> much rather then to the <HI>fathers</HI> of your fle&s;h. Secondly,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> 7.8.</NOTE> How he <HI>dealeth</HI> with vs when hee <HI>afflicteth</HI> vs, namely, hee therein <HI>dealeth</HI> with vs, as with <HI>&s;onnes;</HI> not as with <HI>ba&s;tards,</HI> who&s;e-fathers are <HI>a&s;ha|med</HI> to haue them vnder their <HI>nurture;</HI> but, as with <HI>naturall,</HI> and legitimate <HI>children,</HI> whom the <HI>parents</HI> nouri&s;h and cha&s;ten.</P>
<P>Thirdly, Out of what <HI>affection</HI> he af<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">licteth vs, namely, out of his mo&s;t <HI>fatherly</HI> loue.
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Prou.</HI> 3.12.</NOTE> For whom he <HI>loueth,</HI> he <HI>cha&s;teneth,</HI> euen as a <HI>father</HI> doth that <HI>&s;onne</HI> in whom he <HI>delighteth.</HI> Fourth|ly, His ordinary entring of vs into his <HI>num|ber,</HI> and into his <HI>Kingdome,</HI> which is by <HI>afflic|tions:</HI> For euery <HI>&s;onne,</HI> whom he receiueth,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Heb.</HI> 12.7.</NOTE> he <HI>&s;courgeth;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Acts</HI> 14.22</NOTE> and through much <HI>tribulation</HI> wee mu&s;t enter into his <HI>Kingdome.</HI> Fifthly, How he <HI>afflicteth</HI> vs, namely, in <HI>mea&s;ure,</HI> with &s;uch <HI>moderation,</HI> and mingling of <HI>mercy</HI> with <HI>iudge|ment,</HI> as, though we be &s;ore <HI>cha&s;tened,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 118.18</NOTE> yet wee are not <HI>killed:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Lam.</HI> 3.22.</NOTE> though we be &s;harpely correc|ted, yet we are not <HI>con&s;umed:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 10.13.</NOTE> though the <HI>ten|tation</HI> be long, or great, yet we be made able
<PB N="30" REF="22">to <HI>beare</HI> it. Sixthly, What he doth in afflic|ting vs, namely, hee <HI>proueth</HI> vs, hee doth not <HI>prouoke</HI> vs like the <HI>Tempter,</HI> but proueth vs like a <HI>Father,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deut.</HI> 8.2.</NOTE> that he may <HI>know,</HI> or that rather he may make it <HI>knowne</HI> to our <HI>&s;elues,</HI> and to our <HI>friends</HI> that <HI>ioy</HI> at it, and to our <HI>foes</HI> that <HI>gna&s;h</HI> their <HI>teeth</HI> at it, what is in our <HI>hearts,</HI> and what care, and <HI>con&s;tancy</HI> there is in vs to keepe his <HI>commandements.</HI> Seuenthly, To what <HI>end</HI> he <HI>afflicteth</HI> vs, namely, to our profit, and to doe vs <HI>good;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Heb.</HI> 12.10 <HI>Deut.</HI> 8.16. <HI>&amp; ver.</HI> 2.5. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 27.9. <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 5.15. 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 11.32. 2. <HI>Tim.</HI> 2.12</NOTE> as to <HI>purge</HI> vs: to <HI>humble</HI> vs: to take <HI>away</HI> our <HI>&s;inne:</HI> to <HI>nurture</HI> vs: to draw vs to <HI>him&s;elfe:</HI> to <HI>&s;aue</HI> vs from the <HI>condemnation</HI> of this <HI>world:</HI> to make vs partakers of his owne <HI>holine&s;&s;e:</HI> and to fit vs to <HI>raigne</HI> with him in his Kingdome. Eightthly, How he <HI>e&s;teemeth</HI> vs, in afflicting vs, namely, not as hee e&s;tee|meth the <HI>wicked,</HI> whom hee taketh away from the <HI>earth</HI> like <HI>dro&s;se:</HI> but as hee e&s;teemeth his Saints, whom hee keepeth vnder his owne <HI>wings,</HI> and in his owne <HI>hand,</HI> as <HI>precious gold:</HI> not as refu&s;e <HI>&s;iluer,</HI> which he reiecteth; but as fine <HI>&s;iluer,</HI> which hee hath <HI>tryed,</HI> and fined for his owne <HI>v&s;e.</HI> If wee ob&s;erue all <HI>the&s;e,</HI> who &s;eeth not that we may <HI>picke</HI> out matter of <HI>con|&s;olation,</HI> and <HI>thanke&s;giuing</HI> out of our <HI>affliction,</HI> and <HI>reioyce</HI> that wee are <HI>able</HI> to &s;ay, Thou, O <HI>God,</HI> ha&s;t proued vs, thou ha&s;t tryed vs, as <HI>&s;il|uer</HI>
<PB N="31" REF="22" MS="y">is tryed: thou ha&s;t <HI>magni&s;ied</HI> vs,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iob</HI> 7.17, 18</NOTE> in &s;etting thine <HI>heart</HI> vpon vs, to <HI>vi&s;it</HI> vs euery <HI>morning,</HI> and to try vs euery <HI>moment.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Thou broughte&s;t vs into the net:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>ver&s;.</HI> 11.12.</NOTE> thou layd&s;t affliction vpon our loynes: Thou ha&s;t cau&s;ed men to ride ouer our heads: we went throrow fire, and thorow water.</HI>] God doth ofttimes <HI>exerci&s;e</HI> his very <HI>deare</HI> children with very <HI>&s;ore,</HI> and mani|fold <HI>affliction.</HI> Art thou afflicted, O <HI>Chri&s;tian?</HI> Looke vnto <HI>God,</HI> as <HI>Iob</HI> did: as <HI>Dauid</HI> did:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iob</HI> 1.21. <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 118.18. <HI>Dan.</HI> 9.12.</NOTE> as <HI>Daniel</HI> did: as heere the <HI>godly</HI> did: and con|fe&s;&s;ing it to be hee that hath <HI>brought</HI> thee vn|to it, that hath <HI>laid</HI> it vpon thee, that hath <HI>cau|&s;ed</HI> men to doe it, con&s;ider it <HI>wi&s;ely:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Eccl.</HI> 7.14. <HI>Iam.</HI> 4.7. <HI>Heb.</HI> 12.9.</NOTE> &s;ubmit thy &s;elfe to it <HI>quietly:</HI> take it reuerently: <HI>ac|knowledge</HI> it thankfully, and <HI>beare</HI> it con&s;tant|ly; yea,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Heb.</HI> 10.32, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> though thou <HI>know</HI> thine owne <HI>innocen|cy:</HI> for &s;o he <HI>exerci&s;eth</HI> oft times his <HI>deare,</HI> and his <HI>righteous</HI> children.</P>
<P>Art thou his <HI>obedient</HI> child?
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Job.</HI> 1.8. 1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 13.14. <HI>Dan.</HI> 9.23. <HI>Acts</HI> 9.15. <HI>Mat.</HI> 3.17.</NOTE> thinke it not <HI>&s;trange,</HI> be not di&s;comforted that thou art <HI>af|flicted: Iob</HI> righteous: <HI>Dauid</HI> a man after his owne <HI>heart: Daniel,</HI> beloued: <HI>Paul,</HI> a cho&s;en ve&s;&s;ell: <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> his onely <HI>Sonne,</HI> in whom hee is well <HI>plea&s;ed:</HI> yet all the&s;e he <HI>&s;orely</HI> afflicted. Being &s;o; O <HI>ncere</HI> Chri&s;tian, vnder his af|fliction, admire his <HI>wi&s;edome:</HI> thinke of the <HI>lot</HI> of thy fellow <HI>brethren: care</HI> not for the wic|keds
<PB N="32" REF="23">vpbraiding: <HI>indure</HI> the vncharitables cen&s;uring: and refre&s;h thine <HI>heart</HI> with con|&s;olation, though, being one of his <HI>children,</HI> thou &s;uffer <HI>&s;ore</HI> affliction.</P>
<P>How <HI>&s;ore</HI> is it, when he ca&s;teth vs as down on the <HI>ground,</HI> and (as it were) throweth vs along vnder the mo&s;t vile <HI>contempt</HI> of men, &s;etting euen <HI>Athei&s;ts,</HI> and Sycophants (as it were) to tread and <HI>trample</HI> vpon vs, and to make vs no better then as myre vnder their very <HI>hor&s;es</HI> feet: exalting them on high <HI>aboue</HI> vs, and bringing vs to mo&s;t <HI>low</HI> and ba&s;e e&s;tate:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dout.</HI> 28.43, 44.</NOTE> and vs the <HI>tayle?</HI> when he puts vs to the harde&s;t pinches, <HI>paines</HI> and <HI>perils</HI> that can bee, and driueth vs thorow the mo&s;t <HI>grieuous</HI> extremities, and mo&s;t <HI>feareful</HI> calamities, to make vs as <HI>hople&s;se</HI> to e&s;cape, as they are the <HI>burning</HI> that pa&s;&s;e <HI>thorow</HI> a violent <HI>fire;</HI> or they drowning, that goe thorow a deepe <HI>gulfe</HI> of water? There|fore, O beloued Chri&s;tian, art thou in any affliction?
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Pet.</HI> 4.12. <HI>&amp;</HI> 5.9. <HI>Heb.</HI> 12.3, 5.</NOTE> thinke it no <HI>newes;</HI> thinke it not thine alone <HI>ca&s;e;</HI> thinke it not <HI>&s;trange;</HI> be not <HI>weary</HI> of it; do not <HI>faint; di&s;tru&s;t</HI> not; <HI>de&s;paire</HI> not:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Acts</HI> 16.25</NOTE> &s;ing in thy <HI>pri&s;on;</HI> reioyce in thy <HI>dunge|on;</HI> refu&s;e not to take <HI>comfort;</HI> yea, remem|ber thy <HI>le&s;&s;on;</HI></P>
<P>That <HI>God,</HI> euen our mo&s;t gracious <HI>God,</HI> oft
<PB N="33" REF="23" MS="y">times doth exerci&s;e his very <HI>deare</HI> children with very great affliction: and not onely &s;o, but al&s;o with manifold affliction;
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deut.</HI> 28.15, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> afflictions of the <HI>bodie</HI> by aches, <HI>paines,</HI> &s;ickne&s;&s;es, diuers <HI>di&s;ea&s;es;</HI> afflictions of the <HI>name,</HI> by infamies, <HI>reproches,</HI> and all bad <HI>reports:</HI> affliction of the <HI>goods,</HI> by lo&s;&s;es, by <HI>thefts,</HI> by <HI>robberies,</HI> by <HI>debts,</HI> by &s;undry <HI>ca&s;ualties:</HI> affliction of the <HI>mind,</HI> by <HI>terrors,</HI> by <HI>feares,</HI> by <HI>di&s;contentments,</HI> by <HI>di&s;comforts</HI> in <HI>husband,</HI> or in <HI>wife,</HI> or in <HI>chil|dren,</HI> or in <HI>&s;eruants,</HI> or in <HI>neighbours,</HI> or in <HI>friends:</HI> affliction of euery <HI>kind,</HI> nets to <HI>in|&s;nare</HI> vs, burthens to <HI>oppre&s;&s;e</HI> vs, men to <HI>tyran|nize</HI> ouer vs, <HI>fire</HI> to burne vs, <HI>water</HI> to drowne vs.</P>
<P>O Chri&s;tian <HI>man,</HI> or <HI>woman,</HI> is thine afflic|tion not onely <HI>&s;ore,</HI> but al&s;o manifold? Fret not thy &s;elfe for all this:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 37.8.</NOTE> con&s;ent not in any <HI>wi&s;e</HI> to do <HI>euill:</HI> forget not <HI>Gods</HI> Name:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 44.17, 18, 20.</NOTE> deale not <HI>fal&s;ly</HI> in his Couenant: let not thine <HI>heart</HI> turne backe, nor thy <HI>&s;teps</HI> decline from his <HI>way,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Heb.</HI> 10.35, 36, 37, 38.</NOTE> nor &s;tretch out thine <HI>hands</HI> to a &s;trange <HI>god:</HI> ca&s;t not <HI>away</HI> thy <HI>confidence:</HI> liue by <HI>faith</HI> patiently and <HI>ioyfully;</HI> and to this end remem|ber that thy confidence hath great <HI>recompence</HI> of <HI>reward:</HI> remember, that after long <HI>patience,</HI> thou &s;halt receiue the <HI>promi&s;e:</HI> remember, that many are the <HI>troubles</HI> of the <HI>righteous:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 34.19.</NOTE> re|member,
<PB N="34" REF="24">that yet a <HI>little</HI> while, and hee that &s;hall come, will <HI>come,</HI> and will not <HI>tarry.</HI></P>
<P>Onely, &s;ee thou bee not the <HI>cau&s;e</HI> of thine owne affliction, as wicked <HI>&s;inners</HI> are, as com|panions of the <HI>wicked</HI> are,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pro.</HI> 13.20. 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 11.30 <HI>P&s;.</HI> 107.17</NOTE> and as carele&s;&s;e Chri&s;tians are: for then thou art a <HI>foole;</HI> then thy be&s;t comfort in thine affliction is to <HI>re|pent</HI> of thy <HI>tran&s;gre&s;sion,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ier.</HI> 17.16.</NOTE> and to craue <HI>par|don.</HI> Againe, &s;ee that thou <HI>de&s;ire</HI> not afflicti|on; for though <HI>God</HI> plea&s;e to <HI>&s;end</HI> it, he will cau&s;e it to <HI>worke</HI> to thy be&s;t:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 8.28.</NOTE> yet if thou wil|fully <HI>de&s;ire</HI> it, hee may leaue thee to thy <HI>&s;elfe,</HI> and &s;o thou wilt peruert it to thy wor&s;t: it &s;hewes <HI>faith</HI> and <HI>obedience,</HI> wi&s;ely to <HI>beare</HI> it; but &s;hewes <HI>arrogancy</HI> and vaine <HI>confidence,</HI> to de&s;ire it. Al&s;o <HI>maruell</HI> not, that <HI>God</HI> exerci&s;eth his children oft times with <HI>&s;ore</HI> affliction, when they would faine be in <HI>liberty</HI> and free|dome; for it is his <HI>will:</HI> and who &s;hould haue their <HI>will;</HI> the <HI>Father,</HI> or the <HI>Child?</HI> Parents ought to &s;hew, and mainetaine their owne <HI>right will</HI> again&s;t the <HI>childs</HI> wicked, or <HI>wanton will;</HI> yea, though the child doe pet at it, and bee &s;icke at it, &amp;c. Otherwi&s;e (as lamen|table experience &s;hewes) the childs wills ful|filling, is the parents &s;hame, &s;mart, paine, and vndoing. Now our heauenly Father, who&s;e will is mo&s;t holy, and who knoweth that his
<PB N="35" REF="24" MS="y">childrens willed liberty, and wi&s;hed free|dome would bee many times abu&s;ed to his di&s;honour, therefore chu&s;eth rather to his glory and their good, to cro&s;&s;e their indi&s;|creet and childi&s;h will in denying them ea&s;e, and freedome; &amp; to do his owne will in exer|ci&s;ing them with &s;ore affliction.
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 30.18.</NOTE> O behold his <HI>goodne&s;se</HI> and <HI>wi&s;edome</HI> herein! for all this is that he may haue the fitte&s;t <HI>occa&s;ion</HI> to be gra|cious vnto <HI>vs:</HI> this he euen waiteth for, and this the&s;e holy ones &s;o experienced, as they haue left a worthy <HI>confe&s;sion</HI> of it, &s;aying,</P>
<P><HI>But at length thou broughte&s;t vs into a weal|thy place.</HI>] After God hath tryed his children by <HI>affliction,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 103.9.</NOTE> hee bringeth them out into the wayes of <HI>con&s;olation:</HI> hee <HI>afflicteth</HI> them, hee <HI>childeth</HI> them, hee is <HI>angry</HI> with them, hee bringeth them into the <HI>Net,</HI> hee <HI>aba|&s;eth</HI> them, hee commits them to the <HI>fire,</HI> he ca&s;ts them into the <HI>water,</HI> he doth try them by <HI>affliction,</HI> but not alwayes. Oh afflicted Chri&s;tian, be <HI>patient,</HI> though the <HI>Rod</HI> of the wicked come vpon thee,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 125.25</NOTE> it &s;hall not re&s;t vp|on thee: be <HI>content,</HI> though thou be in trou|ble, thy trouble &s;hall not la&s;t euer: bee <HI>cheerefull,</HI> though thou be in pouerty, in debt, in mi&s;ery, thou &s;halt come out: bee of <HI>com|fort,</HI>
<PB N="36" REF="25">though it be long,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pro.</HI> 23.18.</NOTE> yet there will bee an end, and thy hope &s;hall not bee cut off: bee <HI>thankefull,</HI> and waite &s;till on God, and let thy Soule keepe &s;ilence vnto him.</P>
<P>For after he hath tryed his Children by <HI>af|fliction,</HI> he bringeth them into the wayes of <HI>con&s;olation,</HI> hee his owne &s;elfe doth it: hee brought <HI>I&s;rael</HI> out of <HI>Egypt,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Exo.</HI> 20.2. <HI>Acts</HI> 7.10.</NOTE> Io&s;eph</HI> out of Pri|&s;on, <HI>Dauid</HI> out of all his troubles; the&s;e out of the Net, out of the Fire, out of the Water: and he his owne &s;elfe brings all his Children out of their <HI>affliction.</HI> O thou good Chri&s;ti|an, whom God hath brought into any grie|uous condition,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 123.2.</NOTE> euen as the eyes of the Ser|uant looke to receiue helpe from the hand of his owne Ma&s;ter, and as the eyes of the Maiden are lifted vp to the hand of her owne Mi&s;tre&s;&s;e: So lift vp thine eyes, and expect deliuerance from Gods owne <HI>&s;elfe:</HI> hee him|&s;elfe hath <HI>wounded</HI> thee, and he him&s;elfe will <HI>heale</HI> thee: he him&s;elfe hath <HI>ca&s;t</HI> thee downe, and he him&s;elfe will <HI>rai&s;e</HI> thee vp.</P>
<P>Thou &s;halt not neede to cry to any Crea|tures in Heauen or in Earth: Oh who will <HI>helpe</HI> mee? Who will <HI>heale</HI> mee? Who will <HI>comfort</HI> me? Who will <HI>deliuer</HI> me? for hee <HI>Him&s;elfe</HI> will do it: as in <HI>afflicting</HI> thee, hee giues not his Authority to another: &s;o in <HI>re|lea&s;ing</HI>
<PB N="37" REF="25">thee, he will not giue his <HI>glory</HI> to ano|ther: Reioyce in the <HI>Net</HI> he hath brought thee into; reioyce in the <HI>affliction</HI> he hath laid vp|on thy loynes; reioyce in the <HI>riding</HI> of men ouer thine head; reioyce in the <HI>fire</HI> ready to burne thee, and in the <HI>water</HI> ready to drowne thee, for he <HI>him&s;elfe</HI> will bring thee out, euen he, to who&s;e <HI>helpe</HI> thou mai&s;t mo&s;t confident|ly tru&s;t. Vaine is the <HI>helpe</HI> of Man,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 60.11.</NOTE> but hee is a &s;ure <HI>Helper,</HI> he is a &s;ure <HI>deliuerer,</HI> he is a &s;ure <HI>comforter;</HI> his power is a &s;ure <HI>power,</HI> his wil|lingne&s;&s;e is a &s;ure <HI>willingne&s;&s;e,</HI> his promi&s;e is a &s;ure <HI>promi&s;e,</HI> his mercies are &s;ure <HI>mercies;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 55.3.</NOTE> they &s;hall not be a&s;hamed that <HI>waite</HI> on him, they &s;hal not be for&s;aken that <HI>&s;eek</HI> him, he wil neuer <HI>faile</HI> them that <HI>tru&s;t</HI> in him: but after, for his owne <HI>glory</HI> and their good, he hath <HI>tryed</HI> them &s;ome while by <HI>affliction,</HI> he will in due time, e|uen in due time, bring the~ out into <HI>con&s;olation.</HI></P>
<P>O Chri&s;tian, though yet thou bee cha&s;te|ned euery morning, do not &s;ay,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 73.13.</NOTE> I haue wa&s;h|ed mine <HI>hands</HI> in Innocency, and <HI>clen&s;ed</HI> mine <HI>heart</HI> in vaine: do not not &s;ay, The Lord hath <HI>forgotten</HI> to be merciful: do not &s;ay,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">116.11.</NOTE> They that <HI>prophecy</HI> of future <HI>comfort</HI> vnto thee, are Lyers: do not &s;ay, thy way is hidden from the Lord:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 40.27.</NOTE> doe not &s;ay, thy <HI>Iudgement</HI> is pa&s;&s;ed ouer of thy God:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 97.11.</NOTE> but <HI>beleeue</HI> that light is &s;owne for
<PB N="38" REF="26">the <HI>Righteous,</HI> and gladne&s;&s;e for the vpright in <HI>heart,</HI> and in due &s;ea&s;on, &s;uch &s;hall reape a plea&s;ant <HI>crop:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 30.5, 11.</NOTE> beleeue that at length he will turne thy mourning into reioycing, and thine heauine&s;&s;e into gladne&s;&s;e: though <HI>weeping</HI> indure all the night, yet <HI>ioyes</HI> &s;hal come in the morning:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">126.5, 6.</NOTE> Though thou do&s;t now <HI>&s;ow</HI> in teares, yet hereafter thou &s;halt <HI>reape</HI> in com|fort: he will bring thee out of <HI>borrowing,</HI> into the ability for <HI>lending;</HI> out of pre&s;ent mi&s;ery, into permanent felicity; out of a poore, &s;icke, de&s;olate and dolefull ca&s;e, into a delightfull and wealthy inclo&s;ure.</P>
<P>And when this is not according to thy ex|pectation in Earth, remember the infinit and endle&s;&s;e Con&s;olation prepared, and re&s;erued for thee in <HI>Heauen:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">16.9, 11.</NOTE> and let thine <HI>heart</HI> be <HI>glad,</HI> and thy <HI>glory</HI> reioyce, and thy <HI>fle&s;h</HI> re&s;t in hope of that fulne&s;&s;e of <HI>ioy,</HI> and of tho&s;e plea&s;ures at his right hand for euermore.</P>
<P><HI>I will goe into thine hou&s;e with burnt Offe|rings.</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> 13.</NOTE> God deliuering his <HI>people</HI> out of af|fliction, moues &s;ome in particular to greater <HI>zeale</HI> of the duties of <HI>Religion.</HI> Oh &s;ee the con|trariety of &s;ome in <HI>affliction!</HI> they &s;eeme full of <HI>Deuotion;</HI> but no &s;ooner <HI>deliuered,</HI> they returne againe to their vaine <HI>conuer&s;ation:</HI> the&s;e are euen &s;uch as God &s;aith,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ier.</HI> 2.30.</NOTE> receiue no <HI>correc|tion:</HI>
<PB N="39" REF="26" MS="y">they are &s;uch as haue not vpright <HI>hearts</HI> with him:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 78.37. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 1.5. <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 4.14.</NOTE> they are &s;uch as prouoke him to <HI>&s;trike</HI> them no more as his <HI>children,</HI> but let them alone as <HI>ba&s;tards</HI> vnto de&s;truction. Oh, happy are we, if we bee not of the <HI>number</HI> of the&s;e, but of &s;uch as in their owne particular are moued to bee more <HI>zealous</HI> in the duties of Religion, after they &s;ee how comfor|tably God hath brought them out of <HI>af|fliction:</HI> heere is more then common <HI>grace;</HI> for &s;uch are very rare; heere is true <HI>Wi&s;e|dome;</HI> for after a <HI>wi&s;e</HI> man is rebuked,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pro.</HI> 9.8.</NOTE> hee will <HI>loue</HI> more: heere is right profiting by <HI>affllic|tion;</HI> for after &s;uch are afflicted,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;.</HI> 119.67, 71. <HI>P&s;ame</HI> 116.12.</NOTE> they learne and keepe Gods Word the better: Here is a thankefull mind indeed: for &s;uch are <HI>zealous</HI> of Gods <HI>prai&s;e;</HI> &s;uch &s;tudy what to render vn|to God; &s;uch de&s;ire to expre&s;&s;e their <HI>thanke|fulne&s;se</HI> in the pre&s;ence of all Gods people; &s;uch make ha&s;te to meet the Lord in his <HI>wor|&s;hip,</HI> &s;aying euen to him&s;elfe, <HI>I will goe into thine Hou&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>Oh man and woman, that art willing to go into the Tauerne, and into the Ale-hou&s;e, but vnwilling to goe into Gods Hou&s;e: How fooli&s;h art thou to goe like the euill &s;eruant,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mat.</HI> 24.49.</NOTE> to eate and drinke with the drunken, and to &s;it among Hypocriticall Scoffers, and to re|fu&s;e
<PB N="40" REF="27">to goe like the Seruants of God to his Hou&s;e, to &s;ing and pray with his Children, and to heare his holy Mini&s;ters? Oh thou that art willing to goe into the gaming hou&s;e, but not into Gods Hou&s;e! How fooli&s;h art thou to goe like the ding-thrift, to &s;pend the preci|ous time, and thy needfull goods with the prophane, vnto thy vndooing, and to refu&s;e to go like the Prudent,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pro.</HI> 23.23.</NOTE> to buy the truth, and get grace vnto health, and wealth, and &s;aluation? Oh thou that art willing to goe into the Har|lots hou&s;e, but not into Gods Hou&s;e! How fooli&s;h art thou to goe like a Foole to the Stockes,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pro.</HI> 7.22.</NOTE> and like an Oxe to the &s;laughter, vnto the hou&s;e that leadeth to death, and to refu&s;e to goe like the Wi&s;e and Religious, vn|to the Hou&s;e that leadeth vnto Happine&s;&s;e, Comfort, and eternall Life?</P>
<P>Oh man or woman that art willing to goe into Gods <HI>Hou&s;e,</HI> that loue&s;t the <HI>place</HI> where his Honour dwelleth,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 26.8. <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 84.1, 2.</NOTE> that holde&s;t his <HI>Taber|nacles</HI> amiable, that feele&s;t thy <HI>&s;oule</HI> longing, and fainting for the <HI>Courts</HI> of the Lord,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 122.1</NOTE> that art glad to heare and &s;ee others willing to go vnto his Hou&s;e,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 27.4.</NOTE> that de&s;ire&s;t to <HI>dwell</HI> all the dayes of thy life in his Hou&s;e; how prudent and how wi&s;e art thou? for there thou &s;halt behold the <HI>beauty</HI> of the Lord, enquire at his
<PB N="41" REF="27" MS="y"><HI>mouth,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 10. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 65.4. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 84.4, 11.</NOTE> heare the happy tydings of <HI>peace</HI> and of good things, be &s;atisfied with <HI>goodne&s;se,</HI> be euer pray&s;ing of God; there God will be the <HI>Sunne</HI> and the <HI>Shield</HI> vnto thee; there he will giue thee <HI>grace</HI> and <HI>glory;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 63.5.</NOTE> there he will feede thy <HI>Soule</HI> with better then <HI>marrow</HI> and <HI>fatne&s;se,</HI> there will he hide thee in his <HI>Pauilion,</HI> and in the &s;ecret of his <HI>Tabernacle</HI> in the time of trouble.</P>
<P><HI>With burnt Offerings will I goe,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver.</HI> 13.15.</NOTE> I will offer vnto thee burnt Sacrifices of fat Rammes, with Incen&s;e: I will prepare Bullocks with Goates in a|bundance.</HI>] The godly wor&s;hip God per&s;o|nally, rightly, delightfully, and plenteou&s;ly: Per&s;onally, for they come, and they <HI>offer</HI> in their owne <HI>per&s;ons:</HI> Rightly, for they offer to God that which he pre&s;cribeth, then Legall, now Euangelicall <HI>Sacrifices:</HI> Delightfully, for they offer with <HI>Incen&s;e,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Exo.</HI> 30.34.</NOTE> with artificiall &amp; mo&s;t plea&s;ant per&s;ume of &s;weete <HI>Spices:</HI> vnder the Law, with &s;pirituall mo&s;t plea&s;ant perfume of Chri&s;ts mo&s;t &s;weete <HI>interce&s;&s;ion,</HI> and of the mo&s;t &s;weete <HI>grace</HI> of his <HI>Spirit</HI> vnder the <HI>Go&s;|pell:</HI> Plenteou&s;ly, for they offer not a Ramme,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Chr.</HI> 29.21.</NOTE> or a Bullocke, or a Goate, but Rammes, Bul|lockes, and Goates, many <HI>Offrings</HI> and ma|ny <HI>Sacrifices.</HI></P>
<P>O you that come not to appeare before
<PB N="42" REF="28">the <HI>Lord</HI> in the a&s;&s;emblies of his people per|&s;onally: how &s;awcie and vnreuerent is this? Not a pretended nece&s;&s;itie, to ride out to &s;ee your <HI>purcha&s;e;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luke</HI> 14.18, 19, 20.</NOTE> nor the de&s;ire to goe trie your <HI>yoke</HI> of Oxen newly bought; nor your rea&s;on to tarry at home with your late wedded <HI>wife,</HI> will &s;erue to excu&s;e it. Oh, you that come, and doe offer, but not rightly, in that you offer not that which he pre&s;cribeth, but your owne fancied repetitions, your owne &s;uppo&s;ed good intents: how vniu&s;t, how vncomely is this?
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mat.</HI> 15.9. 1. <HI>Sa~.</HI> 15.23 <HI>Eccl.</HI> 5.1.</NOTE> This <HI>wor&s;hip,</HI> is a wor&s;hip in vaine: this &s;eruice, is a rebellion and &s;tubbornene&s;&s;e: this <HI>offering,</HI> is a &s;acrifice for <HI>fooles:</HI> this doing, is doing of <HI>euill.</HI> Oh, you that <HI>offer,</HI> but not delightfully, not with <HI>incen&s;e,</HI> not in Chri&s;ts name; not in &s;inceritie; not with grace in your <HI>hearts:</HI> how vnprofitable, and how vn|acceptable is this? You keepe backe Gods part, his portion, his delight, and &s;o (without you <HI>repent</HI>) you &s;hall find him another <HI>day,</HI> as <HI>Nadab</HI> and <HI>Abihu</HI> partly found him,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Leu.</HI> 10.2.</NOTE> that is, a con&s;uming <HI>fire.</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Hob.</HI> 12.28, 29.</NOTE> Oh, you that come and offer to <HI>God,</HI> but not plentifully, but emptie-<HI>hear|ted,</HI> grudgingly, with wearine&s;&s;e, and &s;nuffing at it, euen &s;nuffing at the <HI>pure,</HI> and plentifull <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> di&s;daining that hee &s;hould bee &s;o plenteou&s;ly made known by his <HI>Preachers,</HI>
<PB N="43" REF="28" MS="y">and his <HI>Word</HI> &s;o powerfully taught by them! how vngodly? how crooked? and how vn|thankfull is this?
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mal.</HI> 1.6, 7, 8, 10, 14. <HI>&amp;</HI> 2.2.</NOTE> The <HI>Lord</HI> holds this a de&s;pi|&s;ing of his <HI>Name,</HI> and a contemning of his <HI>Table.</HI> Hee hath no plea&s;ure in &s;uch <HI>wor&s;hip|pers,</HI> he accepts no &s;uch offerings, he reckons &s;uch offerers, <HI>deceiuers,</HI> hee cur&s;eth them, and their <HI>ble&s;sings.</HI></P>
<P>Oh, you therefore that feare <HI>God,</HI> follow the example of the godly <HI>Prophet;</HI> come (e|&s;pecially on the <HI>Sabbaths</HI>) and appeare per|&s;onally before the <HI>Lord,</HI> to wor&s;hip him in your owne per&s;ons. For thus do all his <HI>Saints,</HI> they all &s;it downe at his feet,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deut.</HI> 33.3.</NOTE> that euery one of them may receiue of his <HI>words:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 84.7.</NOTE> euery one of them appeareth before him in <HI>Sion.</HI> Come, and offer to him the <HI>&s;acrifices</HI> which he pre|&s;cribeth: &s;o did the <HI>godly</HI> vnder the <HI>Law;</HI> &s;o doe you vnder the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> wor&s;hip him right|ly: then they gaue him the burnt <HI>offerings</HI> of fat <HI>Rams, Bulls,</HI> and <HI>Goats:</HI> now giue him that which is your rea&s;onable <HI>&s;eruice</HI> of him; euen in all thankfulne&s;&s;e for all his <HI>mercies</HI> towards you in Chri&s;t <HI>Ie&s;us;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 12.1.</NOTE> pre&s;ent your bodies a li|uing <HI>&s;acrifice, holy,</HI> and <HI>acceptable</HI> to him. Come, &amp; <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> him delightfully, <HI>pray,</HI> giue him thankes, <HI>heare</HI> his <HI>Word,</HI> receiue his <HI>Sa|craments</HI> with holy <HI>incen&s;e,</HI> with a <HI>pure</HI> mind,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Tim.</HI> 2.8.</NOTE>
<PB N="44" REF="29">with <HI>truth</HI> in the inward affections,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 51.6. <HI>Heb.</HI> 12.28 <HI>Col.</HI> 3.17.</NOTE> with <HI>grace</HI> in your <HI>hearts,</HI> and in the <HI>Name</HI> of the Lord <HI>Ie&s;us.</HI> For this hee <HI>loueth;</HI> this is plea&s;ing vn|to him; in this hee <HI>delighteth;</HI> this makes our <HI>&s;acrifices</HI> acceptable vnto him. Come, and <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> him plenteou&s;ly: as they prepared many <HI>Rams,</HI> and <HI>Bulls,</HI> and <HI>Goats</HI> to offer vnto him; &s;o prepare to bring in your prayers, plentifull <HI>deuotion;</HI> in your thanke&s;giuings, plentifull <HI>affection;</HI> in your hearing his <HI>Word,</HI> plentifull attention; in receiuing his <HI>Sacra|ments,</HI> plentifull feeling; and in dedicating your whole <HI>life,</HI> and &s;elfe vnto him, plentifull and vnwearied application.</P>
<P><HI>I will pay thee my vowes,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 14.</NOTE> which my lips haue vttered, and my mouth hath &s;poken when I was in trouble,</HI> or <HI>affliction.</HI>] What the godly pro|mi&s;e <HI>God</HI> in their <HI>debts, &s;ickene&s;&s;e,</HI> or any other <HI>mi&s;ery,</HI> they are carefull to performe in their <HI>wealth, health,</HI> and <HI>libertie.</HI> Oh thou man, or woman that did&s;t <HI>vow,</HI> and promi&s;e to <HI>God,</HI> that if hee brought thee out of <HI>debt,</HI> thou woulde&s;t neuer bee a vaine <HI>companion,</HI> a care|le&s;&s;e <HI>wa&s;ter,</HI> an idle <HI>walker,</HI> vnthri&s;tie, vngodly any more;
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pro.</HI> 3.9. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 16.3.</NOTE> but <HI>honour</HI> him with thy <HI>&s;ub&s;tance,</HI> and extend thy liberalitie to his <HI>Saints!</HI> O, thou that did&s;t in thy <HI>&s;ore</HI> &s;ickene&s;&s;e promi&s;e and <HI>vow</HI> vnto him, that if hee brought thee
<PB N="45" REF="29" MS="y">to <HI>health</HI> againe, thou woulde&s;t neuer neglect the <HI>Church,</HI> neglect <HI>hearing</HI> his <HI>Word,</HI> pro|fane his holy <HI>day, &s;weare, lye,</HI> keepe ill <HI>compa|ny,</HI> bee <HI>vnruly</HI> any more; but feare, honour, &s;erue him, liue like a good <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> all thy life! O, thou that did&s;t in any kind of di|&s;tre&s;&s;e, <HI>trouble,</HI> or mi&s;ery promi&s;e and <HI>vow</HI> vn|to him, that if hee would deliuer thee, thou woulde&s;t neuer be irreligious, <HI>vnholy,</HI> wicked, di&s;obedient any more; but doe all &s;uch <HI>du|ties,</HI> ob&s;erue all &s;uch <HI>orders,</HI> follow all &s;uch <HI>Wayes</HI> as mo&s;t agree to his <HI>holy</HI> will, and <HI>Word,</HI> and <HI>glory!</HI> And hath he been kind vnto thee, according to thy <HI>nece&s;sities?</HI> and ha&s;t not thou paid thy <HI>vowes</HI> vnto him, which thy <HI>lips</HI> vtte|red in thine affliction? but denied, neglected, or forgotten the &s;ame?</P>
<P>Oh, how vniu&s;t, how vnthankefull, how vn|godly, how di&s;hone&s;t, how &s;hamefull is this? So to <HI>promi&s;e,</HI> was as <HI>little</HI> as thou coulde&s;t doe; and wilt thou not re&s;pect to doe &s;o <HI>lit|tle</HI> for <HI>God,</HI> that hath done &s;o much for thee, as to indeuour to performe thy promi&s;e? Thou woulde&s;t haue giuen any thing, and been at any <HI>co&s;t</HI> to haue bin deliuered; GOD hath done it freely for thee, and do&s;t thou de|ny to <HI>pay</HI> him thy <HI>vowed</HI> &s;eruice? Whom wilt thou regard?
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 57.11.</NOTE> To whom wilt thou keepe
<PB N="46" REF="30">thy <HI>word,</HI> &s;ince thou lie&s;t vnto <HI>God?</HI> Thou can&s;t no way excu&s;e thy &s;elfe:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 5.2, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> if thou plead ra&s;hne&s;&s;e, and ha&s;te; oh, how dur&s;t thou be ra&s;h and ha&s;tie, to &s;peake thou coulde&s;t not tell what vnto the high <HI>God</HI> of <HI>Heauen?</HI> If thou confe&s;&s;e it was thy <HI>folly;</HI> why, hee hath no plea&s;ure in <HI>fooles.</HI> If thou thinke it no great matter, thou deceiue&s;t thy &s;elfe, in promi&s;ing without <HI>con&s;cience</HI> to performe; thy <HI>mouth</HI> hath cau&s;ed thy whole &s;elfe to &s;tand <HI>guiltie</HI> of much <HI>&s;inne:</HI> better it had beene (though that would haue witne&s;&s;ed thine <HI>vnthankfulne&s;&s;e,</HI> and forgetting of <HI>God</HI>) that thou had&s;t not <HI>vowed,</HI> then to vow, and not to <HI>pay.</HI></P>
<P>Oh, Chri&s;tian, doe thou both, <HI>vow,</HI> and <HI>pay:</HI> God by troubles and afflictions doth (as it were) call thee, and euen importune thee to vow &s;ometing vnto him; as &s;ome lawfull, allowed &amp; pre&s;cribed <HI>te&s;timony</HI> of thy thank|fulne&s;&s;e: if thy <HI>lips</HI> haue vttered, and thy <HI>mouth</HI> hath adui&s;edly, reuerently, and <HI>holily</HI> &s;poken &s;ome <HI>vow</HI> vnto his <HI>Maiestie,</HI> in the <HI>day</HI> of thy mi&s;erie; &s;ee that thou carefully per|forme it, as &s;oone as hee grants thee any <HI>de|liuery.</HI> If a filthy fornicatour, and a rebellious fornicatre&s;&s;e, pretend <HI>con&s;cience</HI> of keeping their abominable <HI>vow</HI> again&s;t all GODS forbid;
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iudg.</HI> 11.3.</NOTE> if <HI>Micha's</HI> mother, making a mad
<PB N="47" REF="30" MS="y"><HI>vow</HI> to make a grauen <HI>image</HI> for her &s;onne, was &s;o diligent to performe it; oh, how care|full &s;hould wee be to <HI>pay</HI> our lawfull and holy <HI>vowes,</HI> a part of his <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> vnto GOD? Pre|cept, prai&s;e, peace, patterne, and profit requi|reth this at vs. <HI>Precept</HI> of GOD; for hee com|mandeth vs to <HI>pay</HI> our <HI>vowes</HI> vnto him,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Eccl.</HI> 5.4.</NOTE> and that <HI>quickly,</HI> without delay. <HI>Prai&s;e;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 65.1.</NOTE> for this is a part of the <HI>prai&s;e</HI> giuen to <HI>Sion,</HI> that in it the <HI>vow</HI> &s;hall be performed vnto GOD. <HI>Peace;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deu.</HI> 23.21</NOTE> for if we haue &s;peedily <HI>paid</HI> that wee <HI>vowed,</HI> our con&s;cience &s;hall excu&s;e vs of that inquiry, and that &s;inne, that otherwi&s;e wee are guiltie of. <HI>Patterne;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 28.20</NOTE> for this is exemplified to vs in <HI>Iaa|kob;</HI> in <HI>I&s;rael;</HI> in <HI>Dauid;</HI> in <HI>Hannah;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Num.</HI> 21.2. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 116.</NOTE> and all o|ther <HI>holy</HI> ones: and paying our <HI>vowes</HI> to <HI>God,</HI> wee follow their godly <HI>example. Profit;</HI> for if wee <HI>pay</HI> our <HI>vowes</HI> to GOD,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 1.11</NOTE> hee will &s;till giue vs more <HI>ble&s;sings,</HI> and make vs haue &s;uch experience of his <HI>goodne&s;&s;e,</HI> as each one of vs &s;hall haue cau&s;e to &s;ay,</P>
<P><HI>Come, and heare, all yee that feare God,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 16.</NOTE> and I will tell you what hee hath done for my &s;oule.</HI>] The knowledge of <HI>Gods</HI> goodne&s;&s;e to his <HI>peo|ple</HI> in generall, moueth the true <HI>godly</HI> to note what it is to them&s;elues in particular. Oh, beware heere of the mo&s;t fearefull <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of &s;ome; I meane of the &s;pitefull wicked: for
<PB N="48" REF="31">when they &s;ee GODS goodne&s;&s;e to his <HI>people,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;.</HI> 112.10.</NOTE> they be grieued at it, they <HI>gna&s;h</HI> their <HI>teeth</HI> for <HI>anger,</HI> and they <HI>melt</HI> away with <HI>enuy:</HI> which &s;heweth that they are in&s;pired with the <HI>malice</HI> of the <HI>Deuill:</HI> for from the beginning, he and his haue beene &s;o helli&s;hly-minded. But <HI>be|hold,</HI> and take your marke by it: the true <HI>godly</HI> put the &s;ight, and <HI>knowledge</HI> of this to a mo&s;t worthy and excellent v&s;e: for it moueth them to note, what Gods goodnes is to their very <HI>&s;elues</HI> in their owne particular.</P>
<P>Oh <HI>Chri&s;tian,</HI> doe thou &s;o: ha&s;t thou <HI>heard</HI> what great, <HI>excellent,</HI> wonderfull, and what comfortable things, God in all <HI>ages</HI> hath done for his <HI>people,</HI> to witne&s;&s;e his <HI>mercy, loue, righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>truth</HI> vnto them, and to make them <HI>hope</HI> in him, <HI>tru&s;t</HI> in his <HI>Name,</HI> &s;erue him, and be a&s;&s;ured that they are <HI>ble&s;&s;ed</HI> of him? Oh thinke, and ob&s;erue what he hath <HI>done</HI> al&s;o for thy <HI>per&s;on!</HI> Oh, if thou can&s;t <HI>tell</HI> of none, but common to euery <HI>creature,</HI> yea and to the <HI>vniu&s;t,</HI> as well as to the <HI>iu&s;t,</HI> then thy <HI>ca&s;e</HI> is vnco~fortable: but if thou find, that to thee al&s;o hee doth <HI>communicate</HI> his &s;peciall kindne&s;&s;e, and his &s;ingular <HI>fauour;</HI> then thou ha&s;t that which is for <HI>comfort,</HI> for reioycing, for <HI>a&s;&s;urance,</HI> and for <HI>in&s;truction:</HI> for com|fort, becau&s;e thereby thou &s;ee&s;t that <HI>God</HI> com|forts
<PB N="49" REF="31" MS="y">thee, as <HI>one</HI> of his owne, by doing for thee, as for his very <HI>owne.</HI> For reioycing, be|cau&s;e thereby <HI>God</HI> giues thee rea&s;on to &s;ing with ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Mary,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luke</HI> 1.46.</NOTE> My <HI>&s;oule</HI> doth <HI>magnifie</HI> the <HI>Lord,</HI> and my &s;pirit <HI>reioyceth</HI> in <HI>God</HI> my <HI>Saui|our,</HI> for he hath done <HI>great</HI> things for me. For <HI>a&s;&s;urance,</HI> becau&s;e thereby thou art a&s;&s;ured, that <HI>God</HI> remembreth thee with the <HI>fauour</HI> of his owne <HI>people,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 106.4, 5.</NOTE> and makes thee &s;ee the <HI>feli|citie</HI> of his <HI>cho&s;en.</HI> For <HI>in&s;truction,</HI> becau&s;e thereby thou art fitted to relate the <HI>goodne&s;se</HI> of the <HI>Lord</HI> vnto others out of thy owne ex|perience.</P>
<P><HI>Come, and heare, and I will tell you, what God hath done for my &s;oule.</HI>] Hee that is guided by a right <HI>&s;pirit,</HI> is carefull to v&s;e all <HI>good</HI> meanes to bring <HI>others</HI> comfort. Oh, the &s;carefull car|riage of &s;uch as bee guided by a froward, and vncleane <HI>&s;pirit,</HI> as <HI>Cain, Saul, Doeg, Iudas,</HI> and the like: for the&s;e v&s;e what <HI>meanes</HI> they can to bring to others, and e&s;pecially to the <HI>godly,</HI> di&s;comfort. Oh, <HI>happy</HI> are they that are gui|ded by a right <HI>&s;pirit:</HI> for they &s;eeke euery <HI>way</HI> to comfort others, chiefly &s;uch as are <HI>godly:</HI> they lead a <HI>life</HI> to comfort them, performe good <HI>actions</HI> to comfort them, and they lay vp <HI>words</HI> to comfort them: they euen pur|po&s;e to relate what <HI>&s;weetnes</HI> they haue found
<PB N="50" REF="32">in <HI>Gods</HI> goodne&s;&s;e towards their owne <HI>&s;oules,</HI> vnto other <HI>Chri&s;tians</HI> to reioyce, and <HI>&s;olace</HI> their <HI>holy mindes</HI> therewith:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Act.</HI> 14.26, 27.</NOTE> &s;o did <HI>Paul,</HI> and <HI>Barnabas</HI> to the <HI>Church</HI> at <HI>Antioch:</HI> &s;o did <HI>Pe|ter</HI> to the Chri&s;tians in the hou&s;e of <HI>Mary</HI> praying together:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">12.12, 17.</NOTE> teaching vs the like <HI>zeale, delight, loue,</HI> and <HI>de&s;ire</HI> to comfort <HI>others, Da|uid</HI> &s;tands forth and &s;aith to the godly,</P>
<P><HI>Come, and heare, all yee that feare God.</HI>] It is a Chri&s;tians <HI>dutie</HI> to heare of <HI>Gods</HI> priuate and &s;peciall <HI>benignitie.</HI> O worldling, thou &s;a|uoure&s;t nothing,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 4.7.</NOTE> but this tran&s;itory <HI>world:</HI> O profane per&s;on,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Act.</HI> 18.15.</NOTE> thou holde&s;t &s;uch <HI>que&s;tions,</HI> nothing but <HI>vaine</HI> words, and <HI>idle</HI> names: O hypocrite, thou (mea&s;uring another by thy line) accounte&s;t &s;uch relation, but vaine glo|rie: O &s;incere Chri&s;tian, it is my <HI>dutie</HI> to de|clare it,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 25.12, 14.</NOTE> and thine to <HI>heare</HI> it; for thou feare&s;t <HI>God,</HI> and &s;o oughte&s;t to haue the <HI>&s;peciall</HI> things of <HI>God</HI> reuealed vnto thee: thou feare&s;t <HI>God,</HI> and &s;o wilt bee glad to <HI>heare</HI> how kind <HI>God</HI> hath beene vnto me:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;.</HI> 119.74.</NOTE> thou feare&s;t <HI>God,</HI> and &s;o wilt cheere thine owne <HI>&s;oule</HI> with that com|fort which thou heare&s;t that <HI>God</HI> hath giuen to anothers <HI>&s;oule.</HI></P>
<P><HI>And I will declare what hee hath done for my &s;oule.</HI>] It agreeth to true <HI>pietie,</HI> to declare our owne experience of <HI>Gods</HI> &s;peciall <HI>mercy.</HI> O
<PB N="51" REF="32" MS="y">man, or woman, to whom <HI>God</HI> hath beene &s;pecially mercifull,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 106.7, 21.</NOTE> and thou ha&s;t not <HI>vnder|&s;tood</HI> it: O thou to whom he hath vouch&s;afed a <HI>multitude</HI> of <HI>mercies,</HI> and thou ha&s;t not <HI>re|membred</HI> them: O thou, for whom hee hath done <HI>great</HI> things, and thou ha&s;t forgotten him: O thou,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 147.</NOTE> with whom he hath <HI>dealt</HI> more graciou&s;ly, then with many <HI>others,</HI> and thou doe&s;t not &s;o much as thinke, or &s;peake of it: O thou,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deut.</HI> 32.</NOTE> whom he hath <HI>crowned</HI> with rare be|nignities, and thou ha&s;t lightly <HI>e&s;teemed</HI> both him&s;elfe, and his benefits: how peruer&s;e, fro|ward, and impious is this thy <HI>dealing?</HI> Many would faine &s;ee that, which <HI>God</HI> hath <HI>offered</HI> thee to &s;ee, and cannot: many would faine <HI>heare</HI> that, which thou mighte&s;t <HI>heare,</HI> and may not: many would turne vnto <HI>God,</HI> and <HI>loue</HI> him, and <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him, if tho&s;e <HI>glorious</HI> things, mighty <HI>workes,</HI> and gracious <HI>doctrines</HI> were vttered to them, that haue beene plen|tifully &s;hewed vnto thee: <HI>woe</HI> vnto thee for thine ingratitude, <HI>woe</HI> vnto thee for thine im|pietie.</P>
<P><HI>O Chri&s;tian,</HI> be it otherwi&s;e with thee;
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 45. <HI>Exod.</HI> 18.1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 1. <HI>Luk.</HI> 1. 1. <HI>Tim.</HI> 1. <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 40.10.</NOTE> &s;hew thy <HI>pietie,</HI> by declaring thine owne <HI>experience</HI> of <HI>Gods</HI> &s;peciall <HI>mercy,</HI> as <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> did: as <HI>Mo|&s;es</HI> did: as <HI>Hannah</HI> did: as <HI>Mary</HI> did: as the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> did: hide not his <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;se</HI> within
<PB N="52" REF="33">thine <HI>heart:</HI> conceale not his louing kindnes, but <HI>declare</HI> his <HI>mercy,</HI> and his <HI>&s;aluation.</HI> Thou declare&s;t to thy <HI>wife,</HI> or to thy <HI>neighbour,</HI> thy <HI>experience</HI> of &s;ome <HI>friends</HI> &s;peciall friendly|ne&s;&s;e; O how much <HI>more</HI> &s;houlde&s;t thou, to winne them to God al&s;o, declare to <HI>wife,</HI> and <HI>family,</HI> and neighbours, thine <HI>experience</HI> of Gods &s;peciall <HI>mercy?</HI> Imitate this <HI>holy</HI> man, &s;aying: Come, let your <HI>worke</HI> alone a little <HI>while;</HI> come, let your bu&s;ine&s;&s;e &s;tay a little <HI>while;</HI> come, leaue off your other communi|cation a little <HI>while;</HI> come, &s;it downe by me, and giue eare a <HI>while</HI> to what I &s;hall <HI>tell</HI> you, and <HI>heare,</HI> and I will tell you <HI>excellent,</HI> admi|rable, comfortable things, euen</P>
<P><HI>What God, hath done for my &s;oule.</HI>] Much of our bounden <HI>prai&s;e</HI> of God, con&s;i&s;ts in an <HI>holy</HI> ob&s;eruation, and faithfull mention of our owne part, in the particular <HI>goodne&s;se</HI> of God. O thou, whom God doth not afford the matter of &s;uch ob&s;eruation: O thou, to whom God giues no cau&s;e of any &s;uch men|tion:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 4.17.</NOTE> but lets thee alone, like <HI>Ephraim,</HI> like tho&s;e <HI>blind</HI> leaders: leaues thee in fearefull <HI>hunger,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mat.</HI> 15.14</NOTE> thir&s;t, &s;hame,</HI> &s;orrow of <HI>heart,</HI> and vex|ation of <HI>&s;pirit,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 65.</NOTE> like tho&s;e that for&s;ake him: <HI>&s;uf|fers</HI> thee to walke in thine owne wayes, like all the <HI>Heathen</HI> of old time:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Act.</HI> 14.16</NOTE> giues thee vp
<PB N="53" REF="33" MS="y">vnto <HI>vile</HI> affections, and to a <HI>reprobate</HI> mind,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 1.26, 28.</NOTE> like tho&s;e vnrea&s;onable <HI>Idolaters:</HI> thou can&s;t not &s;ing of his <HI>Name,</HI> thou can&s;t not <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him, thou can&s;t not <HI>glorifie</HI> him; but cleane contrary. And this is the <HI>puni&s;hment,</HI> the <HI>plague,</HI> the iudgement of God, that thou can&s;t be <HI>merrie,</HI> but not in him: thou can&s;t <HI>reioyce,</HI> but not in him: thou can&s;t &s;hew <HI>te&s;timonies</HI> of his <HI>wrath</HI> again&s;t thy <HI>&s;oule,</HI> but thou can&s;t not tell of any <HI>grace</HI> hee hath giuen to thy <HI>&s;oule.</HI></P>
<P>O happy <HI>Chri&s;tian,</HI> remember wherein thy bounden <HI>thankes</HI> to God, and the plentifull argument of thy <HI>prai&s;ing</HI> of him con&s;i&s;teth, namely, in thy <HI>holy</HI> ob&s;eruation, and faithfull mention of thy owne part in his particular <HI>goodne&s;se.</HI> O how great is his goodne&s;&s;e,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 31.19.</NOTE> that hee hath <HI>laid</HI> vp for them that <HI>feare</HI> him! Be thou wi&s;e to ob&s;erue thy part in it,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;.</HI> 107.42.</NOTE> that thou mai&s;t vnder&s;tand the <HI>Lords</HI> louing kindne&s;&s;e vnto thy <HI>&s;oule:</HI> ob&s;erue whether thou can&s;t &s;ay with the <HI>Prophet;</HI> Come and <HI>heare,</HI> all you that feare God, and I will <HI>tell</HI> you what hee hath <HI>done</HI> for my <HI>&s;oule.</HI></P>
<P>Hee hath <HI>cho&s;en</HI> mee,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 4.3.</NOTE> and &s;et mee apart for him&s;elfe: In the <HI>Volume</HI> of his <HI>Booke</HI> of Life,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">40.7.</NOTE> my <HI>Name</HI> is written in <HI>Heauen:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">23.3. 31.7.</NOTE> Hee hath <HI>con|uerted,</HI> and re&s;tored my <HI>&s;oule:</HI> He hath <HI>knowne</HI>
<PB N="54" REF="34">my <HI>&s;oule</HI> in aduer&s;itie:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 30.3.</NOTE> Hee hath brought my &s;oule from the <HI>graue:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">86.13.</NOTE> He hath deliuered my <HI>&s;oule</HI> from the lowe&s;t <HI>hell:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">71.17.</NOTE> Hee him&s;elfe hath <HI>taught</HI> me,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">32.5.</NOTE> euen from my <HI>youth:</HI> He hath for|giuen mine <HI>iniquitie,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">103.10, 13</NOTE> and my <HI>&s;inne:</HI> Hee hath not <HI>dealt</HI> with me after my <HI>&s;innes,</HI> nor rewar|ded mee according to mine <HI>iniquities:</HI> As a <HI>father</HI> pittieth his <HI>children,</HI> &s;o hee hath <HI>pittied</HI> me:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">118.6, 7, 21.</NOTE> He is on my <HI>&s;ide,</HI> he taketh my <HI>part:</HI> He is become my <HI>&s;aluation:</HI> Hee vpholdeth mee in mine <HI>integritie:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">41.12.</NOTE> I was brought <HI>low,</HI> and hee <HI>helped</HI> me:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">116.6.</NOTE> Sometime hee hath &s;hewed mee <HI>great,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">71.20.</NOTE> and &s;ore <HI>troubles;</HI> but hee hath by and by <HI>quickned</HI> me againe: He hath brought me <HI>vp</HI> againe out of my <HI>deepe</HI> mi&s;eries: He hath <HI>increa&s;ed</HI> mine <HI>honour:</HI> Hee hath returned to <HI>comfort</HI> me on euery <HI>&s;ide:</HI> Hee hath <HI>healed</HI> all my <HI>di&s;ea&s;es:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">103.3.</NOTE> He hath deliuered my <HI>&s;oule</HI> from <HI>death,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">116.8.</NOTE> mine <HI>eyes</HI> from <HI>teares,</HI> and my <HI>feet</HI> from falling.</P>
<P><HI>I cryed vnto him with my mouth,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 17.</NOTE> and I was exalted for the words of my tongue.</HI>] I cryed earne&s;tly vnto him in my grieuous <HI>mi&s;ery,</HI> and becau&s;e I <HI>prayed</HI> without doubting, in a &s;ted|fa&s;t <HI>faith,</HI> he lifted me <HI>vp</HI> out of all my <HI>feares:</HI> Hee hath <HI>deliuered</HI> mee,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">71.3.</NOTE> and cau&s;ed mee to <HI>e&s;cape:</HI> Hee hath giuen commandement to <HI>&s;aue</HI> me:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">139.17, 18</NOTE> O how <HI>precious</HI> are his <HI>thoughts</HI> vn|to
<PB N="55" REF="34" MS="y">mee! how <HI>great</HI> is the <HI>&s;umme</HI> of them! If I &s;hould <HI>count</HI> them, they are <HI>moe</HI> in number then the <HI>&s;and:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 116.7, 23, 6.</NOTE> Hee hath dealt &s;o bountifully with mee, as &s;urely <HI>goodne&s;se,</HI> and <HI>mercy</HI> &s;hall <HI>follow</HI> me all the <HI>dayes</HI> of my <HI>life,</HI> and I &s;hall euen <HI>dwell</HI> in his <HI>Hou&s;e</HI> for euer.</P>
<P>Can&s;t thou tell all this the <HI>Lords</HI> admira|ble doing to thy <HI>&s;oule</HI> (as euery experienced <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> can?) &s;ee thou <HI>declare</HI> it, to &s;hewthine abundant <HI>reioycing</HI> in God: to <HI>magnifie</HI> his benignitie: to <HI>glorifie</HI> his <HI>Name:</HI> and that &s;in|cerely, con&s;cionably, reuerently; and as <HI>Da|uid</HI> did, which was both (as Gods Saints v&s;e) to vtter forth abundantly the mention of Gods great goodnes:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">145.7.</NOTE> and al&s;o to &s;hew (con|trary to <HI>carnall</HI> mens thoughts) how rich God is to all that <HI>call</HI> vpon him, &s;ets his <HI>heart</HI> vpon them, <HI>careth</HI> for them, and preferreth them.</P>
<P><HI>If I regard iniquitie in mine heart,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 18.</NOTE> the Lord will not heare me.</HI>] The <HI>godly</HI> apply that vnto them&s;elues, if they become like the wicked, which God &s;peaketh properly of them that be wicked. Oh, the <HI>vnbeleefe</HI> of wicked <HI>ones</HI> indeed! for the&s;e will not <HI>beleeue</HI> the threat|nings, that properly are threatned again&s;t them: they <HI>per&s;wade</HI> them&s;elues,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ier.</HI> 5.12, 13</NOTE> that no <HI>euill</HI> &s;hall come vpon them; they be <HI>conceited</HI> that they &s;hal neuer &s;ee the iudgements <HI>denounced;</HI>
<PB N="56" REF="35">they hold the Preachers Words, prophe&s;y|ing the &s;ame to be an empty winde: Yea that the Preachers them&s;elues &s;hall &s;ooner &s;mart then they: they ble&s;&s;e them&s;elues in their owne minds; they &s;ay in their owne thoughts, We &s;hall haue <HI>peace,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deu.</HI> 29.19</NOTE> though we walke in the <HI>imagination</HI> of our owne hearts. O intolera|ble <HI>blindne&s;&s;e!</HI> O high <HI>pre&s;umption!</HI> Hence they adde <HI>drunkenne&s;&s;e</HI> to their <HI>thir&s;t;</HI> runne with the <HI>Thiefe;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 50.18 19, 20, 21. <HI>Eccl.</HI> 11.8.</NOTE> partake with the <HI>adulterer;</HI> haue <HI>hearts</HI> &s;et on them to do euill; do neuer think &amp; &s;ay in them&s;elues vpon the hearing or &s;ight how God plagues &s;uch as they are, Cer|tainely if I be &s;till &s;uch a one, God will plague me al&s;o in the end, and more and more har|den their hearts. O the fearefull <HI>effects</HI> of the wicked and vnbeleeuers of that which GOD hath &s;et downe as their doome; and yet this is not neere all:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pro.</HI> 28.15. <HI>Ier.</HI> 5.12. <HI>Deu.</HI> 23.20.</NOTE> for hence they fall into more euill, they doe euen belye God him&s;elfe, and God denies them his <HI>mercy,</HI> be&s;ides, hence they cannot repent.</P>
<P>But the true godly beleeueth and applyeth to him&s;elfe, if he do that which is wicked, e|uen the &s;ame <HI>puni&s;hment</HI> which God him&s;elfe &s;peaketh <HI>properly</HI> to them that are wicked: he expects no other, he lookes for no <HI>toleration,</HI> hee hopes for no <HI>di&s;pen&s;ation:</HI> he &s;aith with
<PB N="57" REF="35" MS="y"><HI>Iob,</HI> If I <HI>&s;in</HI> with the <HI>vaine</HI> per&s;ons,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iob</HI> 3.1.</NOTE> or the <HI>de|ceiuers,</HI> or the <HI>adulterers,</HI> or the <HI>cruell</HI> Ma&s;ters, or the <HI>oppre&s;&s;ours,</HI> or the <HI>vncharitables,</HI> or the <HI>vniu&s;ts,</HI> or the <HI>idolatrous</HI> couetous ones, or the <HI>vngodly</HI> worldlings, or the &s;pitefull <HI>euious</HI> ones, or the churli&s;h <HI>Nabals,</HI> or the common <HI>&s;orts</HI> &s;inne, or any <HI>&s;inne;</HI> the <HI>plagues</HI> of &s;uch <HI>&s;in|ners</HI> will come <HI>vpon</HI> me. Hee &s;aith with the <HI>Church,</HI> If I <HI>deale</HI> fal&s;ly in <HI>Gods Couenant;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 44.17, 18, 20, 21.</NOTE> if I turne backe, if I <HI>forget</HI> his <HI>Name,</HI> if I lift vp my <HI>hands</HI> to a &s;trange <HI>god,</HI> he hath &s;aid, He wil <HI>&s;earch</HI> out &s;uch <HI>&s;inners</HI> to puni&s;h them, and therefore I &s;hall not <HI>e&s;cape,</HI> but hee will &s;urely <HI>&s;earch</HI> mee, and my <HI>&s;inne</HI> out al&s;o. Hee &s;aith with <HI>Dauid,</HI> God hath <HI>&s;aid,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 1.15.</NOTE> When the <HI>wicked</HI> doe <HI>&s;pread</HI> forth their hands, I will <HI>hide</HI> mine <HI>eyes</HI> from them; when they make many <HI>prayers,</HI> I will not <HI>heare</HI> them.
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Joh.</HI> 9.</NOTE> I doe not <HI>heare</HI> &s;inning &s;inners; therefore, If I <HI>regard</HI> wicked|ne&s;&s;e in mine <HI>heart,</HI> I <HI>beleeue</HI> that I &s;hall <HI>fare</HI> alike; out of all doubt he will not <HI>heare</HI> me.</P>
<P>Thus the truely <HI>godly</HI> apply Gods threat|nings to them&s;elues; and that, becau&s;e of their <HI>beleefe,</HI> and their experience; they <HI>belecue</HI> that he is &s;o <HI>true,</HI> as hee will not breake any of his <HI>words;</HI> they <HI>beleeue</HI> that he is &s;o <HI>holy,</HI> as he can|not <HI>indure</HI> any to haue <HI>acce&s;se</HI> vnto him in their &s;ins; they <HI>beleeue</HI> he is &s;o <HI>iu&s;t,</HI> as he iudg|eth
<PB N="58" REF="36">without <HI>re&s;pect</HI> of per&s;on;
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Io&s;h.</HI> 22.20.</NOTE> they ob&s;erue in their owne experience, how, as God hath threatned, euen &s;o hee hath <HI>executed</HI> vpon them that haue <HI>&s;inned.</HI></P>
<P>Oh the <HI>happy,</HI> and ble&s;&s;ed fruits of the <HI>god|lies beliefe</HI> of Gods iudgement, euen vpon them&s;elues, if they <HI>fall</HI> vnto &s;in! Hence they <HI>&s;tay</HI> them&s;elues from yeelding to <HI>temptations,</HI> &s;aying:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 39.9.</NOTE> How can I doe this <HI>great</HI> wickednes, and &s;o &s;in again&s;t God? Hence, though they <HI>indure</HI> neuer &s;o much <HI>affliction,</HI> yet they <HI>hold</HI> faithfull,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 44.17.</NOTE> &s;aying: All this is come vpon vs, yet haue we not forgotten thee. Hence they la|bour to <HI>preuent</HI> &s;in in their brethren, le&s;t they bee iudged together with them, &s;aying, to tho&s;e that they thinke are <HI>reuolting,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ie&s;h.</HI> 22.17.</NOTE> Is the ini|quitie of <HI>Peor</HI> too <HI>little</HI> for vs, from which we are not <HI>clen&s;ed</HI> vntill this <HI>day;</HI> but that yee mu&s;t turne <HI>away</HI> from God, and &s;o you <HI>rebel|ling</HI> to day, to morrow his <HI>wrath</HI> will come vpon vs all? &s;aying, to them that <HI>breake</HI> the <HI>Sabbath;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Neh.</HI> 13.17, 18.</NOTE> What <HI>euill</HI> thing is this that ye do? Did not your <HI>Fathers</HI> thus, and did not God bring all this <HI>euill</HI> vpon vs, and vpon this <HI>City?</HI> Yet ye bring more <HI>wrath</HI> vpon <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> by pro|faning the <HI>Sabbath.</HI> Hence they liue alwaies in <HI>feare</HI> to offend,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Pet.</HI> 1.17.</NOTE> &s;aying, Since wee <HI>call</HI> him <HI>Fa|ther,</HI> that <HI>iudgeth</HI> without re&s;pect of <HI>per&s;on,</HI> ac|cording
<PB N="59" REF="36" MS="y">cording to euery <HI>man;</HI> worke, let vs pa&s;&s;e the <HI>time</HI> of our <HI>&s;oiourning</HI> heere in <HI>feare.</HI> Hence the <HI>Prophet</HI> &s;aith, I will <HI>wa&s;h</HI> mine <HI>hands</HI> in in|nocency, and &s;o compa&s;&s;e <HI>Gods Altar.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The Lord will not heare mee.</HI>] They are in wofull mi&s;ery, who&s;e <HI>hearts</HI> regard <HI>iniquitie.</HI> O man, or woman, who&s;e <HI>heart</HI> imagineth that which is <HI>euill:</HI> becau&s;e thou art in <HI>health,</HI> in <HI>peace,</HI> in <HI>wealth,</HI> in <HI>pro&s;perity,</HI> at <HI>hearts-ea&s;e;</HI> doe&s;t thou thinke that thou art not in <HI>mi&s;ery?</HI> Yes, yes, thou art in <HI>wofull</HI> mi&s;ery. For becau&s;e thine <HI>heart</HI> deui&s;eth, <HI>nouri&s;heth,</HI> and regardeth <HI>iniquitie,</HI> the <HI>Lord</HI> doth not <HI>heare</HI> thee: this is thy <HI>mi&s;erie,</HI> and this is a grieuous <HI>mi&s;ery;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 4.</NOTE> This was the mi&s;ery of <HI>Cain,</HI> that <HI>God</HI> would not <HI>heare</HI> him. This is the mi&s;ery of &s;uch as <HI>heare</HI> not <HI>Gods</HI> Word to <HI>obey</HI> it,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Prou.</HI> 28.9.</NOTE> that <HI>God</HI> hea|reth not their <HI>prayer,</HI> but holdeth it <HI>abomina|tion;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Jer.</HI> 14.11, 12.</NOTE> this is the <HI>mi&s;ery</HI> of &s;uch as fall <HI>away</HI> from <HI>God,</HI> that he will neither <HI>heare</HI> their owne <HI>pray|ers,</HI> nor haue his <HI>Prophets pray</HI> for them; this is the <HI>mi&s;ery</HI> of &s;uch as refu&s;e to bee <HI>reclaimed</HI> from their <HI>old cu&s;tomes,</HI> vanities, and <HI>&s;ollies,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Prou.</HI> 1.28.</NOTE> that though they come in their extremities, and <HI>call</HI> earne&s;tly, and &s;eeke <HI>early</HI> vnto God for <HI>mercy,</HI> hee will not be <HI>found</HI> of them, hee will not <HI>an&s;wer</HI> them, he will not <HI>heare</HI> them; this is the <HI>mi&s;ery</HI> of &s;uch, as for all Gods continu|all
<PB N="60" REF="37"><HI>paines,</HI> and <HI>care,</HI> and <HI>co&s;t</HI> in bringing them <HI>vp</HI> like <HI>children,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 1.2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.</NOTE> yet they <HI>rebell</HI> again&s;t him; that hee <HI>delighteth</HI> not in their <HI>&s;acrifices;</HI> that hee is <HI>di&s;plea&s;ed</HI> with their <HI>appearing</HI> before him, that he <HI>accounteth</HI> their <HI>offerings</HI> and their <HI>incen&s;e</HI> abomination; that hee cannot <HI>away</HI> with their <HI>holy</HI> dayes, their <HI>Sabbaths,</HI> their <HI>&s;o|lemne</HI> meetings; that hee <HI>hateth</HI> their high times, takes them a <HI>trouble</HI> to him, is <HI>weary</HI> of them, cannot <HI>beare</HI> them, and that hee <HI>hideth</HI> his <HI>eyes</HI> from them, and will not <HI>heare</HI> their <HI>prayers.</HI> Oh con&s;ider this, thou, who&s;e <HI>heart</HI> is full of wickednes, who&s;e <HI>heart</HI> regardeth nei|ther <HI>pietie,</HI> truth, or <HI>mercy,</HI> but iniquitie, vn|godline&s;&s;e, <HI>vanitie:</HI> con&s;ider and &s;ee, if this be not a &s;ure, and heauy <HI>mi&s;ery,</HI> that the <HI>Lord</HI> will not <HI>heare</HI> thee.</P>
<P>O beleeue, as thou oughte&s;t, that it is a grie|uous <HI>mi&s;ery</HI> indeed: for what is a more grie|uous <HI>mi&s;ery,</HI> then Gods mo&s;t &s;euere <HI>iudge|ment?</HI> and as the fore&s;aid places doe <HI>proue,</HI> it is one of his threatned <HI>fearefull</HI> iudgements; &s;uch a <HI>iudgement,</HI> as makes the godly <HI>lament,</HI> &s;aying,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word">.</HI> 3.8.</NOTE> When I <HI>cry,</HI> and &s;hout, hee &s;hutteth out my <HI>prayer:</HI> &s;uch a <HI>iudgement,</HI> as make vs vnto our &s;elues <HI>comfortle&s;&s;e.</HI> For what comfort can we haue, when we cannot haue <HI>comfort</HI> in God? And what comfort can we haue in <HI>him,</HI>
<PB N="61" REF="37" MS="y">while he <HI>will</HI> not <HI>heare</HI> vs? Such a <HI>iudgement,</HI> as makes vs vnto others <HI>helpele&s;se:</HI> for what <HI>helpe</HI> can we giue them, when we can <HI>procure</HI> no <HI>helpe</HI> to them from God? And how can we procure <HI>helpe</HI> to them from <HI>him,</HI> when he wil not <HI>heare</HI> vs? &s;uch a <HI>iudgement,</HI> as <HI>denies</HI> vs <HI>hope</HI> of all benefits for <HI>body,</HI> and <HI>&s;oule:</HI> for what <HI>hope</HI> can wee haue to obtaine any of them, when <HI>God,</HI> at whom wee <HI>&s;eeke</HI> them, and of whom <HI>alone</HI> wee mu&s;t <HI>receiue</HI> them, will not heare vs? Such a iudgement, as pre&s;ages to vs <HI>finall</HI> exclu&s;ion: for what can we <HI>looke</HI> for, but that in the end <HI>God</HI> will &s;ay to vs, <HI>Away</HI> from me yee <HI>workers</HI> of iniquitie?</P>
<P>But, <HI>ble&s;&s;ed</HI> Chri&s;tian,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 13.12</NOTE> that ha&s;t &s;o ca&s;t off the <HI>workes</HI> of darkne&s;&s;e: <HI>wa&s;hed,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>J&s;a.</HI> 1.16.</NOTE> and made <HI>cleane</HI> thy &s;elfe: put <HI>away</HI> the <HI>euill</HI> of thy <HI>works</HI> out of <HI>Gods</HI> &s;ight: cea&s;ed to doe <HI>euill:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;.</HI> 73.13.</NOTE> clen&s;ed</HI> thine <HI>heart</HI> from the wickedne&s;&s;e, and hypo|cri&s;ie thereof: abandoned the <HI>loue</HI> of iniqui|tie: thou <HI>e&s;cape&s;t</HI> this <HI>wofull</HI> mi&s;ery, and thou partake&s;t his mo&s;t comfortable <HI>mercy:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ioh.</HI> 9.31.</NOTE> for be <HI>heareth</HI> thy <HI>prayers;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 65.24.</NOTE> euen while thou art <HI>&s;pea|king,</HI> he will <HI>heare,</HI> and before thou <HI>calle&s;t,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pro.</HI> 15.8.</NOTE> he will <HI>an&s;wer;</HI> yea, thy <HI>prayer</HI> is his <HI>delight.</HI></P>
<P>O here is a <HI>mercy</HI> indeed: &s;uch a <HI>mercy,</HI> as <HI>intitles</HI> the <HI>Lord</HI> him&s;elfe with that <HI>honourable</HI> de&s;cription; O thou that heare&s;t <HI>Sions</HI> prayer:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 65.2.</NOTE>
<PB N="62" REF="38">&s;uch a <HI>mercy,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Kings</HI> 8.30, 32, 34.36, 39, 43, 45, 49.</NOTE> as in the <HI>dedication</HI> of the <HI>Tem|ple</HI> King <HI>Salomon</HI> chiefly prayed for &s;aying, to euery kind of <HI>occa&s;ion</HI> of <HI>prayer;</HI> Then <HI>heare</HI> thou in Heauen thy dwelling <HI>place:</HI> Such a <HI>mercy,</HI> as makes vs able to <HI>comfort</HI> our &s;elues in <HI>God</HI> in all our nece&s;&s;ities: &s;uch a <HI>mercy,</HI> as armes vs again&s;t di&s;comfort in all <HI>mi&s;eries:</HI> &s;uch a <HI>mercy,</HI> as makes vs <HI>hopefull</HI> of all tempo|rall and <HI>eternall</HI> ble&s;&s;ings.</P>
<P>For whom he <HI>promi&s;eth</HI> &s;o to <HI>heare,</HI> he hea|reth to the <HI>purpo&s;e</HI> indeed:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 34.17.</NOTE> as it is &s;aid, The <HI>righteous cry,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">145.19.</NOTE> and the <HI>Lord</HI> heareth, &amp; deliue|reth them out of all their <HI>troubles.</HI> They that <HI>feare</HI> him, <HI>cry,</HI> and he <HI>heareth</HI> their cry, and <HI>&s;a|ueth</HI> them. They <HI>aske,</HI> and he granteth: they <HI>&s;eeke,</HI> and hee lets them find: they <HI>knocke,</HI> and he opens vnto them: they <HI>pray,</HI> and hee giues them good things: they <HI>de&s;ire,</HI> and hee giues them the <HI>Holy</HI> Gho&s;t. This <HI>mercy</HI> is mo&s;t worthy to be noted; this <HI>fauour</HI> is mo&s;t wor|thy to be ob&s;erued; this <HI>ble&s;sing</HI> the holy <HI>Pro|phet</HI> tooke &s;uch notice of, as hee was <HI>able</HI> to &s;ay:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 19.</NOTE> <HI>But verily God hath heard me, he hath at|tended vnto the voyce of my prayer.</HI>]</P>
<P>Oh,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 65.2.116.1.4.3.6.8, 9. <HI>Exod.</HI> 8.8.</NOTE> this <HI>moues</HI> them to come vnto him <HI>con|&s;tantly:</HI> this <HI>moues</HI> them to loue him <HI>dearely:</HI> this <HI>a&s;&s;ureth</HI> them, that hee highly regardeth them: this <HI>comforteth</HI> them again&s;t their ene|mies:
<PB N="63" REF="38" MS="y">this cau&s;eth others to <HI>honour</HI> them,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 7.8. <HI>Ioh.</HI> 9.31.</NOTE> with crauing their <HI>prayers:</HI> this <HI>witne&s;&s;eth</HI> that they <HI>obey</HI> his <HI>Word,</HI> that they wor&s;hip him,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Ioh.</HI> 3.22.5.14.</NOTE> that they doe his <HI>will,</HI> that they doe the <HI>things</HI> which plea&s;e him: that they pray according to his <HI>will:</HI> that the <HI>Spirit</HI> prayeth in, and for them.
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 8.27.</NOTE> This makes them the mo&s;tprofit able <HI>members</HI> in a family, in a towne, in a city, in a kingdom: this proues to them&s;elues, and others, their integrity, and vpright <HI>heart</HI> with <HI>God,</HI> and that (notwith&s;tanding, through humane <HI>frailtie</HI> they erre in many things) they cheri&s;h no <HI>hy|pocri&s;ie,</HI> they di&s;ge&s;t no wickedne&s;&s;e, they pur|po&s;e no <HI>euill</HI> in their <HI>hearts.</HI> This &s;peciall be|nefit <HI>Dauid</HI> got, by ob&s;eruing how <HI>God</HI> heard his <HI>prayers,</HI> and thence rea&s;oned, &s;aying, If I regard <HI>iniquitie</HI> in mine <HI>heart,</HI> God will not <HI>heare</HI> me: but verily God hath <HI>heard</HI> me, and attended vnto the <HI>voyce</HI> of my <HI>prayer:</HI> there|fore, who dare &s;ay, that I regard any <HI>iniquitie</HI> in my <HI>heart?</HI> La&s;tly, this ob&s;eruation prouo|keth (as it ought) the true <HI>godly,</HI> to great <HI>thank|fulne&s;&s;e;</HI> as it did this holy man, &s;aying:</P>
<P><HI>Ble&s;&s;ed be God,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 20.</NOTE> which hath not put backe my prayer from him; nor his mercy from me.</HI>] Gods not refu&s;ing our prayers, and his not with|holding his <HI>mercy</HI> from vs, requireth &s;peciall <HI>thanke&s;giuing</HI> at vs. O they, that haue had
<PB N="64" REF="39">much, and long <HI>experience,</HI> how God hath not put backe their prayers, nor kept away his mercy from them; and yet the <HI>time</HI> is to come that they haue made, euen very this <HI>point,</HI> an argument of <HI>thanke&s;giuing.</HI> O this, euen this <HI>one</HI> neglected, this <HI>one</HI> vnknowne, this <HI>one</HI> forgotten <HI>dutie,</HI> puts them into the <HI>guilt</HI> of much <HI>iniquitie;</HI> as the <HI>guilt</HI> of pre&s;uming, that God owes them the <HI>hearing</HI> of their <HI>prai|ers,</HI> and that he <HI>owes</HI> them his <HI>mercy:</HI> the <HI>guilt</HI> of e&s;teeming, that it is no &s;uch great <HI>matter,</HI> that he turnes not <HI>away</HI> their prayers from him, or his <HI>mercy</HI> from them: the <HI>guilt</HI> of not reckoning the&s;e among Gods &s;peciall <HI>bene|fits:</HI> the <HI>guilt</HI> of <HI>ignorance,</HI> that the&s;e are wor|thy <HI>&s;ignes</HI> of his <HI>goodnes,</HI> and do de&s;erue high <HI>account,</HI> much <HI>prai&s;e,</HI> and great <HI>thankfulne&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>Therefore, O Chri&s;tian, if this haue beene thy guilt, <HI>repent</HI> vnfainedly thereof; &s;hew thy &s;elfe <HI>&s;orrowfull</HI> before God for it; make <HI>&s;uite</HI> to him for the <HI>pardon</HI> heereof: and remem|bring, that euer &s;ince thou wa&s;t <HI>called,</HI> thou ha&s;t been a <HI>petitioner</HI> vnto him; remembring, that thou ha&s;t made innumerable <HI>reque&s;ts</HI> to him; remembring, that hee might <HI>iustly</HI> haue excepted again&s;t thy <HI>petitions,</HI> for diuers <HI>wants</HI> in the be&s;t of them; remembring, that thou art mo&s;t <HI>vnworthy</HI> to vtter thy mind vnto his
<PB N="65" REF="39" MS="y">mo&s;t high <HI>Maiestie;</HI> remembring, that thou art not <HI>worthy</HI> of the very lea&s;t of his <HI>daily,</HI> hourely, continuall, <HI>corporall, &s;pirituall,</HI> nece&s;&s;a|ry, more nece&s;&s;ary, mo&s;t nece&s;&s;ary <HI>innumera|ble mercies,</HI> that hee hath &s;hewed, doth &s;hew, and according to his faithfull <HI>promi&s;e</HI> will &s;hew vnto thee.</P>
<P>Remember the&s;e things, and then thinke; how for all thy often comming, thy neuer cea&s;ing to aske at <HI>him</HI> thy manifold <HI>wants,</HI> thy great vnworthine&s;&s;e; yet, though a <HI>father,</HI> a <HI>mother,</HI> a mo&s;t kind <HI>friend</HI> would haue been weary; hee neuer &s;hewed him&s;elfe <HI>troubled, grieued,</HI> or <HI>weary,</HI> neuer put backe thy <HI>prayers,</HI> nor kept backe his &s;peciall <HI>mercy,</HI> his mo&s;t needfull <HI>mercy,</HI> nor his &s;auing <HI>mercy</HI> from thee. Thinking, I &s;ay, how for all thou ha&s;t giuen him &s;ufficient <HI>occa&s;ion</HI> to prouoke him to doe it, yet hee hath not done it; oh bee <HI>thankfull,</HI> oh be thorowly thankfull!</P>
<P>For who knoweth not, that if he would, he might haue turned <HI>away</HI> thy <HI>prayers</HI> from him: he might <HI>iu&s;tly</HI> in <HI>anger,</HI> and <HI>&s;ore</HI> di&s;plea|&s;ure haue reiected them: he might haue <HI>held</HI> backe his <HI>mercy</HI> from thee? Oh what would become of vs, if the <HI>Lord</HI> &s;hould refu&s;e our <HI>prayers,</HI> and turne away his <HI>mercy?</HI> Oh then calamities, fearefull de&s;olation, dreadfull <HI>de|&s;truction</HI>
<PB N="66" REF="40">like a <HI>whirlewind,</HI> and &s;ore <HI>distre&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>angui&s;h</HI> would come vpon vs, and wee &s;hould find none to <HI>helpe</HI> vs, there could bee none able to <HI>comfort</HI> vs, in the bitterne&s;&s;e of our <HI>&s;oules</HI> wee &s;hould <HI>lament,</HI> wee &s;hould <HI>cry</HI> out, &s;aying: Oh, are not all the&s;e <HI>griefes, mi&s;e|ries, troubles,</HI> and <HI>euils</HI> come vpon vs, becau&s;e the <HI>Lord</HI> hath put our <HI>prayers</HI> backe from <HI>him,</HI> and kept his <HI>mercy</HI> backe from vs?</P>
<P>O con&s;ider the&s;e things, and let vs be <HI>wi&s;e;</HI> let vs not &s;till prouoke him to <HI>refu&s;e</HI> our <HI>pray|ers,</HI> by refu&s;ing his precepts; let vs not &s;till prouoke him to hold back his <HI>mercies,</HI> by our holding backe our <HI>duties:</HI> O, that our &s;ecure generation, &s;o giuen ouer to manifold <HI>prouo|cation,</HI> could &s;o number their <HI>dayes,</HI> as they might apply their hearts &s;peedily to this <HI>wi&s;e|dome!</HI> neuer more need of this <HI>wi&s;edome:</HI> oh, let vs be yet <HI>wi&s;er:</HI> let vs make &s;ure, that God &s;hall continue not to turne <HI>away</HI> our <HI>prayers</HI> from him, nor his mercy from vs; and this we doe, namely, if we turne not <HI>away</HI> our <HI>hearing,</HI> and <HI>obedient</HI> hearkening from his Word: if wee <HI>hold</HI> not backe our <HI>obedience,</HI> hee will not <HI>hold</HI> backe his <HI>acceptance:</HI> if wee keepe not back our <HI>duty,</HI> he wil not keepe back his <HI>mercy.</HI></P>
<P>And if he keepe not backe our <HI>prayers</HI> from him&s;elfe, nor his <HI>mercy</HI> from vs; oh, how <HI>hap|pie</HI>
<PB N="67" REF="40" MS="y">are we! Then we haue <HI>a&s;&s;urance</HI> that he <HI>lo|ueth</HI> vs; forgiues vs; will deliuer vs, and <HI>&s;aue</HI> vs; <HI>heale</HI> our Land of all the mi&s;eries thereof; <HI>teach</HI> vs in the good <HI>way</HI> wherein wee &s;hould <HI>walke;</HI> and when wee make <HI>mone</HI> becau&s;e of <HI>drought,</HI> or <HI>famine,</HI> he will heare the Heauens (as it were) crying for vs, and make the Hea|uens heare the Earth gaping after raine for vs, and cau&s;e the Earth to heare the Corne, and the Wine, &amp; the Oyle, longing to grow forth for vs, and will &s;ee that the&s;e &s;hall heare vs according to our want and &s;euerall nece&s;|&s;ities. <HI>[My prayer from him&s;elfe, nor his mercy from me.]</HI> God makes a <HI>ble&s;sed</HI> exchange with his ble&s;&s;ed <HI>&s;eruants.</HI> O man, or woman, that &s;aye&s;t otherwi&s;e: &ocirc; thou that &s;aye&s;t; I haue offered vnto God, and he had no re&s;pect vn|to it.
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iob</HI> 21.15.</NOTE> What profit &s;hould we haue to pray vn|to him? We haue <HI>fasted,</HI> and hee beholds vs not; we haue <HI>humbled</HI> our &s;elues, and he takes no knowledge of it; wee find no &s;uch ex|change; we thinke, the proud and wicked re|ceiue more fauour then we doe; we account tis but in <HI>vaine</HI> to &s;erue him.
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mal.</HI> 3.13.</NOTE> O fearefull &s;tout words again&s;t God, and mo&s;t fal&s;e,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 4.</NOTE> except thou be naught, as <HI>Cain</HI> was; except thou be an Hypocrite, as the <HI>Iewes</HI> were;
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 58.</NOTE> except thou be a wicked &s;eruant, as <HI>Iudas</HI> was; which, if
<PB N="68" REF="41">thou be, thou mu&s;t blame thy &s;elfe. Otherwi&s;e thou &s;halt find his <HI>&s;eruice,</HI> an happy &s;eruice; thou &s;halt find a great difference betweene the righteous,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mal.</HI> 3.17, 18.</NOTE> and the wicked; betweene him that &s;erueth God, and him that &s;erueth him not; betweene the religious, and the irriligi|ous: thou &s;halt find a <HI>&s;eruice,</HI> like the &s;eruice of a child to his <HI>deare</HI> and louing father. For as a father with &s;uch a child: &s;o he makes a <HI>ble&s;&s;ed</HI> exchange with his ble&s;&s;ed &s;eruants.</P>
<P>They bring him their <HI>offering,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 4.4. <HI>Rom.</HI> 12.1. <HI>P&s;.</HI> 115.12. <HI>Prou.</HI> 23. <HI>Matt.</HI> 7. <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 4.</NOTE> and he giues them his <HI>holy</HI> acceptation: they giue him their <HI>bodies,</HI> and he giues them his <HI>ble&s;sings:</HI> they giue him their <HI>hearts,</HI> and hee giues them his Spirit, and his grace: they giue him his <HI>wor|&s;hip,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 50.23</NOTE> and hee giues them the comfort of his <HI>&s;aluation:</HI> they honor him with their <HI>&s;ub&s;tance,</HI> and he fils their <HI>barnes</HI> with abundance:
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Prou.</HI> 3.10. <HI>Mat.</HI> 10.41, 42. <HI>Iam.</HI> 4.8. <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.28.</NOTE> they giue his Me&s;&s;engers a &s;mall reward, and hee giues them a great reward: they draw neere to him, and hee drawes neere to them: they <HI>loue</HI> him,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 91.14, 15. <HI>Mal.</HI> 3.16, 17.</NOTE> and hee makes all <HI>worke</HI> for the be&s;t vnto them: they honour him, and he honours them: they thinke of his <HI>Name,</HI> and he keeps in remembrance their <HI>name.</HI> His <HI>glory,</HI> is their <HI>iewel,</HI> and he makes them his <HI>iewels:</HI> they are euer &s;ending vp their prayers, and prai&s;es to him, and hee is euer multiplying his <HI>mercies</HI>
<PB N="69" REF="41" MS="y">vnto them: oh, what a <HI>ble&s;sed</HI> exchange doth he make with his <HI>ble&s;sed</HI> &s;eruants?</P>
<P>O wonderfull <HI>bounty!</HI> &ocirc; admirable <HI>benigni|ty!</HI> behold, and admire this <HI>ble&s;sed</HI> exchange: it is worthy to be <HI>admired</HI> and magnified for euer. For what is it, for which <HI>God</HI> makes this exchange with his <HI>&s;eruants?</HI> Oh it is,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 64.6.</NOTE> as out of them, and as it is theirs, euen no better then as <HI>filthy</HI> rags: and what are they with whom hee makes it? oh,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mat.</HI> 8.8. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 64.6.</NOTE> as of them&s;elues they are mo&s;t vnworthy; they are euen as an vncleane thing: and what is that, that they giue him, con&s;ide|red in it &s;elfe? Oh, it is none of theirs,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 4.7.</NOTE> it is no|thing, but what he hath fir&s;t giuen them; it is nothing, but what they haue fir&s;t <HI>receiued</HI> of him; it is only his very owne: they mu&s;t needs <HI>confe&s;&s;e,</HI> &s;aying, What are we, <HI>O Lord,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Chron.</HI> 9.14, 16.</NOTE> that we &s;hould be able, or apt to <HI>offer</HI> any thing vnto thee? for all things come of thy &s;elfe, and of thine own haue we giuen vnto thee: all duties that we render vnto thee, are fir&s;t <HI>taught</HI> vs by thine own <HI>hand,</HI> and all that thou exchange&s;t with vs, is thine owne, it is all thine owne.</P>
<P>O Chri&s;tian, let this <HI>ble&s;sed</HI> exchange moue thee to bee euer in an <HI>holy</HI> exchanging with the <HI>Lord:</HI> moue thee to <HI>glory</HI> in his liberality: moue thee to <HI>hold</HI> no gaine comparable to <HI>godline&s;se:</HI> moue thee to &s;erue the <HI>Lord</HI> with
<PB N="70" REF="42">gladne&s;&s;e: mooue thee to come before him with reioycing: mooue thee to main|taine to the <HI>face</HI> of all bla&s;phemers, that no <HI>&s;eruice</HI> is &s;o commodious to them that <HI>&s;erue</HI> in it, as the <HI>Lords</HI> &s;eruice is to his <HI>&s;er|uants;</HI> none &s;o <HI>honourable,</HI> none &s;o comforta|ble; and that he is mo&s;t <HI>rich</HI> to all that <HI>call</HI> vp|on him: moue thee to <HI>confe&s;se,</HI> and &s;ay to him for all his exchanges in <HI>generall;</HI> Now there|fore,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Chron.</HI> 29.13.</NOTE> &ocirc; my <HI>God,</HI> I thanke thee, and <HI>prai&s;e</HI> thy glorious <HI>Name:</HI> moue thee to <HI>confe&s;se,</HI> and &s;ay to him in particular for this exchange; Ble&s;&s;ed be <HI>God,</HI> which hath not put backe my <HI>prayer</HI> from him&s;elfe, nor his <HI>mercy</HI> from me. His <HI>Name</HI> be extolled; his <HI>Name</HI> bee <HI>pray&s;ed;</HI> his mo&s;t <HI>glorious Name</HI> be ble&s;&s;ed for <HI>euer,</HI> and <HI>euer, Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="treatise">
<PB N="71" REF="42" MS="y">
<HEAD>A &s;hort Treati&s;e vpon the thirtie one and thirtie two Ver&s;es, of the one <HI>hun|dred and &s;euenth</HI> PSALME.</HEAD>
<P>_THE <HI>Holy Gho&s;t,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The dri&s;t.</NOTE> &s;etting forth the great <HI>prai&s;e</HI> of GOD, by this whole <HI>P&s;alme;</HI> Fir&s;t,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The parts.</NOTE> in a gene|rall propo&s;ition of the &s;ame in the fir&s;t <HI>Ver&s;e,</HI> doth &s;et it al&s;o forth. Secondly, by certaine particular in&s;tan|ces, or pre&s;idents of his mo&s;t <HI>prai&s;e</HI>-worthy admini&s;tration towards &s;undry mo&s;t calami|tous, and <HI>di&s;tre&s;sed,</HI> per&s;ons:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The ending of each Narration.</NOTE> ending the Nar|ration of each of the&s;e, with one and the &s;ame &s;peciall <HI>Exhortation.</HI> As al&s;o his gracious <HI>dea|ling</HI> towards mi&s;erable wanderers, <HI>harbour|le&s;se,</HI> and &s;uccourle&s;&s;e in &s;trange Countries. His mo&s;t fauourable regard of <HI>wofull</HI> inthral|led <HI>captiues</HI> vnder the yrons of cruell Tyrants. His wondrous mercy extended to &s;uch as were <HI>&s;ore</HI> broken with violent <HI>&s;ickne&s;&s;e;</HI> and his admirall reliefe to &s;uch Sea-faring men, as were in &s;uch de&s;perate ieopardie, as no <HI>way</HI> but lamentable peri&s;hing, without his pre&s;ent powerfull helpe.</P>
<P><PB N="72" REF="43"><HI>O that men would prai&s;e the Lord for his good|nes,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 31.</NOTE> and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men!
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 32.</NOTE> Let them exalt him al&s;o in the congre|gation of the people and prai&s;e him in the a&s;&s;em|bly of the Elders.</HI></P>
<P>Or thus rather: <HI>Let them Confe&s;&s;e, Magnifie, Prai&s;e,</HI> To, Or <HI>before</HI> IEHOVA, <HI>his benignitie, and his maruellous workes to, or, before the &s;onnes of men: And let them exalt him in the congregation of the people: and in the a&s;sembly of Elders let them prai&s;e him.</HI>]
<NOTE PLACE="marg">What the&s;e ver&s;es are.</NOTE> Which two Ver&s;es are an ampli|fied exhortation to excellent Thanke&s;giuing, teaching indeed (and without being more curious then the <HI>Text</HI> doth intend) thus much vnto vs:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">What they teach.</NOTE> <HI>viz.</HI> That it is the duty of euery one relea&s;ed out of mi&s;ery, and of eue|ry partaker of <HI>Gods</HI> benignitie; both priuate|ly and publikely to <HI>prai&s;e</HI> his <HI>goodne&s;se,</HI> his <HI>workes,</HI> and <HI>him&s;elfe</HI> mo&s;t worthily.</P>
<P>It is the dutie of the fir&s;t &s;ort,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Proofe of the fir&s;t and &s;econd point.</NOTE> by expre&s;&s;e precept in &s;ix <HI>Ver&s;es</HI> of this <HI>P&s;alme:</HI> it is al&s;o the dutie of the &s;econd &s;ort, as by the direct command of the 11. and 12. <HI>Ver&s;es</HI> of the 148. <HI>P&s;alme:</HI> &s;o by implication in the &s;aid <HI>Ver&s;es</HI> of this &s;aid <HI>P&s;alme;</HI> as the learned <HI>Tran&s;latours</HI> of the New <HI>Tran&s;lation</HI> doe witne&s;&s;e, in tran|&s;lating
<PB N="73" REF="43" MS="y">indefinitely, <HI>O that men would prai&s;e the Lord!</HI> Now it is their duty, to what? Why,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Of the third</NOTE> both priuately: for, to, or <HI>with,</HI> or <HI>before Ieho|ua,</HI> as it v&s;ed to bee rendred, intimateth that &s;ecret <HI>deuotion,</HI> which in <HI>Matt.</HI> 6.6. <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> com|mendeth, and commandeth to his Di&s;ciples. Al&s;o <HI>publikely:</HI> for, to, or <HI>before the &s;onnes of men,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Of the fourth.</NOTE> meaneth that open <HI>deuotion</HI> which all are to ioyne together, called next by way of <HI>ex|po&s;ition,</HI> The prai&s;ing of <HI>God</HI> in the congrega|tion, and in the <HI>a&s;sembly.</HI> This dutie here,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Of the fifth.</NOTE> is to <HI>prai&s;e,</HI> Fir&s;t, Gods goodne&s;&s;e, <HI>Magnifie to Ie|houa his benignity.</HI> Secondly, His noble works, <HI>and his maruellous workes.</HI> Thirdly, Him&s;elfe, <HI>exalt him, prai&s;e him:</HI> and how? Mo&s;t worthi|ly. For all the&s;e circum&s;tances,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Of the &s;ixth.</NOTE> <HI>prai&s;e his mar|uellous or wonderfull workes, and exalt him;</HI> and that before him&s;elfe, and in the congregation of the people, and in the a&s;&s;embly of <HI>Elders;</HI> doe confirme this worthie&s;t manner of doing this dutie. Now to come to the application of this Doctrine:</P>
<P>O,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Application to the for|mer.</NOTE> we that haue been relea&s;ed by the Lords admirable mercy, out of any mi&s;ery, grieuous corporall mi&s;ery, or which is wor&s;er, grieuous <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> mi&s;ery;
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The things reprooued.</NOTE> O let vs thinke of our forget|ting, of our neglect of this dutie <HI>priuately,</HI> or <HI>publikely,</HI> and worthily to prai&s;e our gracious
<PB N="74" REF="44"><HI>God:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">How to thinke of the&s;e.</NOTE> let vs euen &s;eriou&s;ly, and heauily thinke hereon to be a&s;hamed of our vnthankfull for|getfulnes, and negligence, &amp; to repent therof. To further this,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">How to &s;earch the&s;e con&s;ider Gods de&s;ire.</NOTE> &ocirc; let vs <HI>&s;earch</HI> out and mea&s;ure the grieuou&s;nes of this forgetting, and of this neglect: to this purpo&s;e con&s;ider, Fir&s;t, How it cro&s;&s;eth <HI>Gods</HI> owne de&s;ire; being relea&s;ed, ea&s;ed, deliuered, redeemed, healed, he de&s;i|reth that we come and <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him; but we for|get it,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The godlies v&s;e.</NOTE> we neglect it, albeit he de&s;ire it. Con&s;i|der, &s;econdly, how contrary we are herein to the examples of the ancient <HI>godly</HI> ones; &ocirc; where do we find in the <HI>Scripture,</HI> any of the true holy ones defamed with this forgetful|ne&s;&s;e,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Idolaters practice.</NOTE> and with this neglect? Con&s;ider, third|ly, how, euen gro&s;&s;e <HI>Idolaters</HI> may ri&s;e vp to <HI>condemne</HI> vs; for which of them forget, or neglect to prai&s;e their abominable <HI>Idols,</HI> when they receiue any victory, or be deliue|red out of any mi&s;ery?</P>
<P>Con&s;ider,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Our taking on.</NOTE> fourthly, how our own <HI>carriage</HI> in calamitie &s;erueth to <HI>condemne</HI> the&s;e &s;innes. For when griefs are vpon vs we, pray, we cry, wee &s;head <HI>teares,</HI> we make <HI>vowes</HI> to God to moue him to <HI>helpe</HI> vs; and yet being helped, this dutie is forgotten, this dutie is neglected. Con&s;ider,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Our ca&s;e.</NOTE> fifthly, what a <HI>ca&s;e</HI> wee were in be|fore wee were relea&s;ed; what a farre more
<PB N="75" REF="44" MS="y">grieuous <HI>ea&s;e</HI> we had beene in, if wee had not beene deliuered,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Our vnwor|thine&s;&s;e.</NOTE> and how vnworthy wee are that the <HI>Lord</HI> &s;hould releeue vs at all. O let vs con&s;ider all the&s;e, and then finding in our &s;elues, that for all the &s;ame, yet we haue for|gotten, yet wee haue neglected this dutie of <HI>prai&s;e:</HI> let vs then confe&s;&s;e, and cry out: O,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The v&s;e.</NOTE> we haue <HI>&s;inned,</HI> wee haue done <HI>wickedly: God</HI> hath remembred vs, and wee haue forgotten him; he hath been liberall to vs, and we haue beene vnthankfull to him: &ocirc;, we haue de&s;er|ued, that our mi&s;ery &s;hould haue been doub|led; &ocirc;, we are <HI>a&s;hamed;</HI> &ocirc; forgiue vs, <HI>Lord,</HI> &ocirc;, forgiue vs.</P>
<P>And &ocirc; wee,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Application to the latter things re|prooued.</NOTE> that are otherwi&s;e partakers of the louing kindne&s;&s;e of the <HI>Lord,</HI> let vs al&s;o thinke of our negligence, vnmindfulne&s;&s;e, and backewardne&s;&s;e to this dutie to repent al|&s;o, and to be a&s;hamed of the &s;ame: con&s;ide|ring to that end; Fir&s;t,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">to aggrauate the&s;e, con&s;i|der Gods mind. The godlies v&s;e.</NOTE> that it is again&s;t <HI>Gods</HI> mind that wee are &s;o: for hee would haue vs thankfull for all his <HI>benefits</HI> we doe inioy. Se|condly, it is again&s;t the v&s;e of his right <HI>&s;er|uants:</HI> for they prai&s;e him, and as it is, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 145.10. they <HI>ble&s;se</HI> him for all his goodnes.
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The vnrea|&s;onablene&s;&s;e.</NOTE> Third|ly, it is again&s;t all rea&s;on, that we being crow|ned with his <HI>benignitie,</HI> &s;hould neglect this dutie: for wee de&s;erue none of it. Fourthly,
<PB N="76" REF="45">many arguments make greatly again&s;t vs for our ingratitude.
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The argu|men sa|gain&s;t.</NOTE> Oh, what a thing is it, when <HI>happine&s;&s;e,</HI> when our owne gladne&s;&s;e, when others commending our <HI>estate,</HI> cannot awa|ken vs out of our neglect?
<MILESTONE N="1"><HI>Happine&s;se;</HI> for as it is &s;aid, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 144.15. The people are <HI>happie</HI> that haue &s;uch bountie.
<MILESTONE N="2"><HI>Gladne&s;se;</HI> for as it is &s;aid, <HI>Act.</HI> 14.17. <HI>God</HI> by his goodne&s;&s;e, as wee find al&s;o in our experience, doth fil our very <HI>hearts</HI> with gladne&s;&s;e.
<MILESTONE N="3"> Others commendation; for as it is &s;aid, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 126.2. They that <HI>behold Gods</HI> manifold <HI>ble&s;sings</HI> vpon vs, doe &s;ay that hee hath done <HI>great</HI> things for vs.
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The v&s;e.</NOTE> Oh, if we there|fore doe forget and neglect this <HI>dutie;</HI> let vs <HI>confe&s;&s;e;</HI> let vs <HI>repent;</HI> let vs be a&s;hamed, as a|fore: let vs al&s;o <HI>iudge</HI> our &s;elues worthy to haue it &s;aid of vs, as <HI>Deut.</HI> 32.6. Do you &s;o re|quite the <HI>Lord,</HI> &ocirc; you fooli&s;h people, and <HI>vn|wi&s;e?</HI> worthy that the <HI>Lord</HI> &s;hould conte&s;t a|gain&s;t vs, as <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 1.2. &s;aying, <HI>Heare</HI> &ocirc; <HI>Heauens,</HI> and giue eare, &ocirc; <HI>Earth:</HI> I haue nouri&s;hed, and brought vp children, and they haue rebelled again&s;t me. Worthy that he &s;hould take all our abundance, our riches, our comforts, our peace, our honours from vs: &s;hould powre <HI>contempt</HI> vpon vs, &s;hould turne our <HI>riuers</HI> into drie <HI>land;</HI> our water-&s;prings into a wildernes, our fruitfull <HI>land</HI> into barrennes, &amp; humble vs
<PB N="77" REF="45" MS="y">vnder &s;ore oppre&s;&s;ion, affliction, and &s;orrow.</P>
<P>And, let both &s;orts of vs now at the <HI>length,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Admonition to both.</NOTE> &s;ettle our <HI>hearts</HI> to the &s;incere practice of this dutie of <HI>priuate, publike,</HI> and worthy prai&s;e to <HI>God,</HI> euen to bring forth fruit worthy amend|ment in this <HI>point.</HI> O,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">A de&s;cripti|on of the fir&s;t.</NOTE> wee that haue felt the fainting of our <HI>&s;oules;</HI> that haue beene in &s;ore <HI>trouble;</HI> that haue (as it were) &s;it in <HI>darkne&s;&s;e,</HI> and the &s;hadow of <HI>death;</HI> that haue beene e|uen bound vp in <HI>affliction;</HI> that haue had our <HI>hearts</HI> brought downe with heauine&s;&s;e; that haue had our <HI>life</HI> next &s;tep to the <HI>gates</HI> of <HI>death;</HI> that haue had our &s;pirits melted away with <HI>perplexitie;</HI> that haue beene compa&s;&s;ed about with mo&s;t <HI>wofull</HI> mi&s;eries, and that haue &s;eene how when we <HI>cryed</HI> vnto the Lord, hee brought vs out of our darkene&s;&s;e; he deliue|red vs out of all our di&s;tre&s;&s;es; he &s;atisfied our longing &s;oules; he healed vs. Let vs, &ocirc; let vs now practi&s;e cheerefully and readily this holy dutie.</P>
<P>To incite vs thereunto, let vs con&s;ider: Fir&s;t,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">To moue the fir&s;t to prac|ti&s;e, con&s;ider Gods readi|ne&s;&s;e.</NOTE> <HI>Gods</HI> exceeding readine&s;&s;e to <HI>heare</HI> vs, and his pre&s;entne&s;&s;e to deliuer vs; yea, though our <HI>afflictions</HI> came on vs, becau&s;e wee had rebel|led again&s;t his Word, becau&s;e we had tran&s;|gre&s;&s;ed, becau&s;e of our <HI>iniquities.</HI> Secondly,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gods an|&s;werablenes.</NOTE> <HI>Gods</HI> fulfilling of our very wi&s;hes, &amp; bringing
<PB N="78" REF="46">vs to the very <HI>&s;tate</HI> we de&s;ired. Thirdly, the <HI>due</HI> time,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Time, man|ner, meanes.</NOTE> the <HI>&s;weet</HI> manner, the gracious <HI>meanes</HI> of his deliuerance of vs. Fourthly, the pa&s;&s;ing <HI>comfort</HI> we found,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The &s;equent comfort.</NOTE> after hee had deliuered vs, filling, as it is, <HI>P&s;alme</HI> 126.2. our mouth with <HI>laughter,</HI> and our <HI>tongue</HI> with &s;inging.</P>
<P>And,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">A de&s;cripti|on of the &s;econd.</NOTE> &ocirc; wee that haue not yet come where any &s;orrow, woe, bitterne&s;&s;e, <HI>worme-wood</HI> hath beene put into our <HI>cup:</HI> but we only haue lyen downe in greene <HI>pa&s;tures,</HI> and walked along be&s;ide the &s;till waters, and our <HI>table</HI> hath been alway <HI>richly</HI> furni&s;hed, our <HI>head</HI> anointed with <HI>oyle,</HI> our <HI>cup</HI> running ouer, <HI>goodne&s;&s;e</HI> and mercy following vs all the dayes of our life. O let vs, let vs al&s;o, if not much rather apply with ha&s;te, and ha&s;te with godly <HI>zeale,</HI> vnto this <HI>duty,</HI> vrging our mindes thereto with the&s;e con&s;iderations.</P>
<P>Con&s;idering;
<NOTE PLACE="marg">To moue the &s;econd, con|&s;ider receit.</NOTE> Fir&s;t, that all our <HI>comforts,</HI> are things meerely receiued, as 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 4.7. What ha&s;t thou, that thou did&s;t not <HI>receiue?</HI> Secondly,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Whence re|ceiued.</NOTE> that they bee all receiued from <HI>Gods</HI> good <HI>plea&s;ure,</HI> as of corporall things it is &s;aid, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 145.16. Thou opene&s;t thine <HI>hand,</HI> and <HI>fille&s;t</HI> euery liuing thing of thy owne <HI>good</HI> will: and of <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> things, <HI>Phil.</HI> 2.13. <HI>God</HI> worketh the will and the deed, of his owne good <HI>plea&s;ure.</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Vnde&s;ert.</NOTE> Thirdly, that all the <HI>bountie</HI> we
<PB N="79" REF="46" MS="y">inioy, is contrary to our <HI>de&s;ert:</HI> for as <HI>Da|niel</HI> 9.7. To vs belongeth <HI>confu&s;ion,</HI> or &s;hame of <HI>face.</HI> Fourthly, that our pro&s;peritie,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">All as we would haue them.</NOTE> our <HI>choy&s;e,</HI> our <HI>matches,</HI> our <HI>bargaines,</HI> our <HI>dwel|lings,</HI> our <HI>friends,</HI> our <HI>alliance,</HI> our <HI>food,</HI> our <HI>rayment,</HI> our <HI>peace,</HI> our <HI>meanes,</HI> our <HI>aduance|ments,</HI> our <HI>times,</HI> our <HI>&s;ea&s;ons,</HI> our <HI>affaires,</HI> yea and our <HI>Sabbaths</HI> are euen as we would haue them; as if that were verified to vs, which is &s;aid of the true <HI>fearers</HI> of <HI>God, P&s;al.</HI> 145.19. Hee fulfilleth the de&s;ire of them that feare him. O let vs con&s;ider the&s;e things;</P>
<P>And let the&s;e per&s;wade vs to the <HI>dutie</HI> here required of both kinds of vs:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Effect of the con&s;ide|rations.</NOTE> for &s;urely the&s;e rightly <HI>weighed,</HI> cannot but make vs &s;ay, O come, and wee &s;hall <HI>tell</HI> you what <HI>God</HI> hath done for our <HI>&s;oules:</HI> O magnifie the <HI>Lord</HI> to|gether with vs: O, what &s;hall wee render vnto the <HI>Lord</HI> for all his <HI>benefits?</HI> O, we will <HI>pay</HI> our <HI>vowes,</HI> which our <HI>lips</HI> haue vttered, and which our <HI>mouthes</HI> haue &s;poken in our <HI>affliction:</HI> O, wee will doe our <HI>dutie</HI> of &s;olemne <HI>prai&s;e</HI> vnto him priuately, <HI>publikely,</HI> and worthily. O that men would &s;o <HI>prai&s;e</HI> the <HI>Lord;</HI> O that <HI>high</HI> and <HI>low</HI> would &s;o prai&s;e the <HI>Lord;</HI> O that euery one would, as they are mo&s;t <HI>bounden,</HI> &s;o prai&s;e the <HI>Lord.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Prai&s;e</HI> him &s;o, priuately:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">How prai&s;e priuately.</NOTE> priuately with the
<PB N="80" REF="47"><HI>family,</HI> as <HI>Io&s;hua</HI> with his <HI>family;</HI> more <HI>priuate|ly,</HI> with &s;ome of the <HI>family,</HI> as <HI>Abraham</HI> with <HI>I&s;aac;</HI> mo&s;t priuately alone, as the Prophet <HI>Dauid</HI> mo&s;t often: and in <HI>priuate</HI> &s;ay vnto him,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Patterne of this priuate.</NOTE> as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 92.1, 2. It is a <HI>good</HI> thing to giue all <HI>thanks</HI> vnto thee, <HI>O Lord,</HI> euen to &s;ing prai|&s;es vnto thy <HI>Name,</HI> O mo&s;t <HI>High:</HI> yea, to &s;hew forth thy louing kindne&s;&s;e euery <HI>morning,</HI> and thy <HI>faithfulne&s;&s;e</HI> euery night: as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 116.16, 17. Oh <HI>Lord,</HI> verily I am thy <HI>&s;eruant,</HI> I am thy <HI>&s;eruant,</HI> and the &s;onne of thine <HI>handmaid;</HI> thou ha&s;t loo&s;ed my <HI>bonds,</HI> I will <HI>offer</HI> vnto thee the <HI>&s;acrifice</HI> of <HI>thanke&s;giuing,</HI> and will call on thy <HI>Name, O Lord.</HI> And <HI>P&s;.</HI> 118.21, 28. I will <HI>prai&s;e</HI> thee, <HI>O Lord,</HI> for thou ha&s;t <HI>heard</HI> mee, and art become my <HI>&s;aluation:</HI> thou art my <HI>God,</HI> and I will <HI>prai&s;e</HI> thee: thou art my <HI>God,</HI> and I will <HI>exalt</HI> thee: and as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 104.33, 34. I will <HI>&s;ing</HI> vnto thee, <HI>O Lord,</HI> as long as I <HI>liue:</HI> I will &s;ing <HI>prai&s;e</HI> to thee my <HI>God,</HI> while I haue any be|ing; my <HI>meditation</HI> of thee &s;hall bee <HI>&s;weet:</HI> I will be <HI>glad</HI> in thee. O, after this <HI>ble&s;sed</HI> man|ner, let euery one <HI>prai&s;e God</HI> priuately.</P>
<P>Euery one <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him al&s;o <HI>publikely:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">How prai&s;e publikely in the congre|gation of the people.</NOTE> both in ordinary on euery <HI>Sabbath;</HI> with addition of more <HI>thankes,</HI> and more <HI>zeale</HI> in thanking, on the <HI>Sabbaths</HI> of <HI>celebrating</HI> the <HI>holy Supper</HI> of the <HI>Lord:</HI> al&s;o, in extraordinary, on the
<PB N="81" REF="47" MS="y"><HI>dayes</HI> of &s;olemne <HI>publike</HI> thanke&s;giuing, as <HI>Nehemiah</HI> 12.27, 43. and <HI>E&s;ter</HI> 9.17. and let euery one <HI>profe&s;se</HI> concerning this <HI>publike,</HI> &s;ay|ing: as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 34.3.
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Patterns of this.</NOTE> O <HI>magnifie</HI> the <HI>Lord</HI> with mee, and let vs <HI>exalt</HI> his <HI>Name</HI> together: and as <HI>P&s;alme</HI> 108.3. I will prai&s;e thee, <HI>O Lord,</HI> a|mong the <HI>people,</HI> and will &s;ing <HI>prai&s;es</HI> vnto thee among the Nations: and as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 111.1. I will prai&s;e the <HI>Lord</HI> with my whole <HI>heart</HI> in the <HI>a&s;&s;embly</HI> of the vpright, and in the <HI>congre|gation:</HI> and as <HI>P&s;alme</HI> 109.30. I will greatly <HI>prai&s;e</HI> the <HI>Lord</HI> with my mouth; yea, I will <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him among the <HI>multitude:</HI> and as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 116.18, 19. I will <HI>pay</HI> my <HI>vowes</HI> vnto the <HI>Lord</HI> now, in the pre&s;ence of all his <HI>people,</HI> in the Courts of the <HI>Lords</HI> Hou&s;e, in the <HI>mid&s;t</HI> of thee, &ocirc; <HI>Ieru&s;alem.</HI></P>
<P>O let euery one,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">How in the a&s;&s;embly of the Elders.</NOTE> thus <HI>prai&s;e</HI> the <HI>Lord</HI> pub|likely in the congregation of the <HI>people:</HI> and not onely &s;o, but al&s;o in the <HI>a&s;sembly</HI> of the Elders: if at any time (as they ought) the Princes and great ones doe a&s;&s;emble, vpon &s;peciall <HI>occa&s;ion</HI> together, to giue <HI>glory</HI> vnto the Lord: euen <HI>glory</HI> vnto his <HI>Name,</HI> and to <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> him in the <HI>beautie</HI> of Holine&s;&s;e: as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 29.1, 2. they are commanded; and as, becau&s;e God hath done greater honour to them, then to meaner <HI>people,</HI> they are more
<PB N="82" REF="48"><HI>bounden:</HI> O let euery one, who hath any cal|ling to be among&s;t them, as a <HI>teacher,</HI> or as an hearer, or as otherwi&s;e conuented, prai&s;e the Lord euen before them al&s;o, and &s;ay concer|ning this,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Patternes of this.</NOTE> as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.46. <HI>O Lord,</HI> I will &s;peake of thy <HI>te&s;timonies</HI> euen before Kings, and will not bee <HI>a&s;hamed:</HI> and as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 138.1. I will <HI>prai&s;e</HI> thee, <HI>O Lord,</HI> with my whole <HI>heart:</HI> yea, before the <HI>gods,</HI> or great <HI>Potentates</HI> will I &s;ing <HI>prai&s;e</HI> vnto thee. O, thus let vs prai&s;e the <HI>Lord</HI> priuately in his owne pre&s;ence, publike|ly in the congregation of the <HI>people;</HI> boldly, in the <HI>a&s;&s;embly</HI> of the Elders.</P>
<P>Let none of vs be like the wicked,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Who are contrary to the&s;e.</NOTE> who&s;e &s;ecret <HI>clo&s;ets</HI> are for &s;ecret <HI>&s;innes;</HI> but not for &s;ecret <HI>duties</HI> of godline&s;&s;e: who&s;e priuate hou&s;es are for priuate &s;ports, pa&s;times, pro|fits, plea&s;ures: but not for priuate prayers, and prai&s;es to <HI>God.</HI> Neither let vs be like the <HI>popi&s;h</HI> Recu&s;ant, or the &s;elfe-weening <HI>Separati&s;t;</HI> who di&s;daine the congregation of the people, and haue their owne will-wor&s;hips for corners, but no prai&s;e for the <HI>Lord</HI> in publike <HI>Temples.</HI> Neither let vs be like the timorous and feare|full, who dare not profe&s;&s;e <HI>God</HI> before the <HI>gods,</HI> nor prai&s;e the <HI>Lord</HI> before <HI>lords;</HI> but trea|cherou&s;ly lay their <HI>hand</HI> vpon their <HI>lips,</HI> when their <HI>mouth</HI> &s;hould be open to &s;hew forth his
<PB N="83" REF="48" MS="y">prai&s;e. Let the&s;e euils be farre from vs, and let vs <HI>laud</HI> the Lord our God with <HI>con&s;cience</HI> in priuate, with cheerefulne&s;&s;e in publike, and with <HI>courage</HI> before the Elders.</P>
<P>Thus prai&s;e his <HI>benignitie,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The prai&s;e of Gods be|nignity: that it is Ancient,</NOTE> thus prai&s;e his wonderfull <HI>workes,</HI> and thus prai&s;e him&s;elfe. O prai&s;e his benignity, by <HI>commending,</HI> Fir&s;t, the ancientne&s;&s;e thereof, for as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 25.6. His ten|der mercies, and his louing <HI>kindne&s;&s;es</HI> haue beene euer of old. Secondly,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Great,</NOTE> the <HI>greatne&s;se</HI> thereof: for as <HI>Neh.</HI> 9.17, 25. his is great kindne&s;&s;e, and great <HI>goodne&s;se.</HI> Thirdly, the <HI>richne&s;&s;e</HI> thereof: for as <HI>Rom.</HI> 2.4.
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rich, Admirable,</NOTE> there is ri|ches of his goodne&s;&s;e. Fourthly, the <HI>admira|blenes</HI> thereof: for, as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 31.19. O how mar|uellous is the <HI>goodne&s;&s;e</HI> that hee hath laid vp for them that <HI>feare</HI> him; yea, which hee hath already wrought for them that tru&s;t in him, before the &s;onnes of men? Fifthly,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Excellent,</NOTE> the excel|lencie thereof: for, as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 36.7. How excel|lent is his louing kindne&s;&s;e! Sixthly,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Immea&s;ura|ble,</NOTE> the <HI>im|mea&s;urablene&s;&s;e</HI> thereof: for, as <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 3.18. O the <HI>breadth,</HI> and <HI>length,</HI> the <HI>depth,</HI> and <HI>height</HI> of his <HI>mercy!</HI> Seuenthly,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Cau&s;e of all goods.</NOTE> the <HI>endle&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> there|of: for, as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 136. It indureth for euer, and euer. Eighthly, the <HI>effects</HI> thereof, as <HI>Titus</HI> 3.4, 5. Out of it comes <HI>mercie</HI> to &s;aue vs: as <HI>P&s;alme</HI> 63.3, 5. comes that to vs, which is bet|ter
<PB N="84" REF="49">then life, and which &s;atisfieth our <HI>&s;oules</HI> as with <HI>marrow</HI> and <HI>fatnes:</HI> as <HI>P&s;.</HI> 65.12. It is that which the <HI>yeere</HI> is <HI>crowned</HI> with &s;uch <HI>ble&s;sings,</HI> &s;uch <HI>fatnes,</HI> &s;uch abundance, &s;uch flouri&s;hing <HI>flockes,</HI> &s;uch goodly <HI>corne,</HI> as cau&s;eth all <HI>people</HI> to &s;ing, &amp; &s;howt for <HI>ioy:</HI> &s;aying, Therfore, how <HI>ancient</HI> how <HI>great?</HI> how <HI>rich?</HI> how <HI>admirable?</HI> how <HI>excellent?</HI> how <HI>immea&s;urable?</HI> how end|le&s;&s;e? how fruitful is the <HI>benignity</HI> of the <HI>Lord? prai&s;e</HI> it before him; <HI>prai&s;e</HI> it before the &s;ons of men; <HI>prai&s;e</HI> it before the congregation of the <HI>people; prai&s;e</HI> it before the <HI>a&s;sembly</HI> of the <HI>elders.</HI></P>
<P>And &s;o prai&s;e his wonderfull <HI>workes</HI> to|wards vs,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">To prai&s;e his wonderfull workes, by looking back two wayes:</NOTE> or others in our <HI>mi&s;eries.</HI> Fir&s;t, <HI>prai&s;e</HI> them by looking backe to his goodne&s;&s;e and power, &s;hewed, in doing that hee did for vs, when he <HI>redeemed</HI> vs, when he <HI>deliuered</HI> vs, when he <HI>healed vs,</HI> when he <HI>brought</HI> vs to that we de&s;ired: by looking <HI>backe</HI> al&s;o to his <HI>power</HI> and goodnes &s;hewed in <HI>pre&s;eruing</HI> vs, in <HI>pre|uenting</HI> vs, in <HI>&s;taying</HI> vs from <HI>peri&s;hing,</HI> from being beneath, from finall <HI>perdition</HI> in our mo&s;t <HI>forlorne</HI> ca&s;e, vntill he did deliuer vs. Se|condly,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">By acknow|ledgement,</NOTE> <HI>prai&s;e</HI> them by acknowledgement of his <HI>might,</HI> &amp; his <HI>will</HI> to be alone, and &s;ingular herein: &s;aying, <HI>O Lord,</HI> who can, or who could, who will, or would haue done &s;uch <HI>workes</HI> for vs, as thou ha&s;t done? None would, none
<PB N="85" REF="49" MS="y"><HI>could,</HI> but thou onely; thou only, to whom no|thing is hid, nothing <HI>hard,</HI> nothing <HI>impo&s;sible;</HI> who neuer <HI>fainte&s;t,</HI> art neuer <HI>weary,</HI> and of who&s;e <HI>vnder&s;tanding</HI> there is no &s;earching. Thirdly, <HI>prai&s;e</HI> them,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">By admiring</NOTE> by admiring his doing of them vnto vs: &s;aying, as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 8.4. O what is <HI>man,</HI> that thou art <HI>mindfull</HI> of him? What is the <HI>&s;onne</HI> of <HI>mortall</HI> man, that thou <HI>vi&s;ite&s;t</HI> him? and <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 144.3. <HI>Lord,</HI> what is <HI>man,</HI> that thou take&s;t knowledge of him? or the <HI>&s;onne</HI> of <HI>man,</HI> that thou make&s;t <HI>account</HI> of him?</P>
<P>And helpe this <HI>admiration,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Helps to this admiration, by con&s;ide|ring what we are.</NOTE> by thinking how we are, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 2.3. all of vs by <HI>nature</HI> the children of <HI>wrath:</HI> and <HI>Gen.</HI> 6.3, 5. Of our owne wee are naught but <HI>&s;infull</HI> fle&s;h, euery imagination of the thoughts of our heart be|ing onely euill <HI>continually:</HI> and <HI>Gen.</HI> 18.27. We are but <HI>du&s;t</HI> and <HI>a&s;hes:</HI> and <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 48.8. We are <HI>tran&s;gre&s;&s;ours</HI> from the <HI>wombe:</HI> and <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 144.4. We are but <HI>vanitie,</HI> and our <HI>dayes</HI> as a <HI>&s;hadow</HI> that <HI>pa&s;&s;eth</HI> away: and <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.24. The <HI>holie&s;t</HI> are but mi&s;erable and wretched. O <HI>marke</HI> the&s;e <HI>well,</HI> &amp; wonder at Gods workes of grace, of <HI>mercy,</HI> and of <HI>louing</HI> kindne&s;&s;e vn|to vs: <HI>prai&s;e</HI> them before him, <HI>prai&s;e</HI> them to the &s;onnes of men: &s;aying as heere,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Patternes of this pray&s;e.</NOTE> Surely the&s;e workes of the <HI>Lord</HI> are wonderfull workes: and <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 111.2, 3, 4. They are great,
<PB N="86" REF="50">they are honourable, they are glorious <HI>works,</HI> oh he hath &s;o done, and &s;o wrought the &s;ame, as he hath <HI>made</HI> them to be <HI>remembred</HI> for e|uer. Say, as <HI>P&s;.</HI> 78.4. Verily the&s;e <HI>works</HI> are the prai&s;es of the <HI>Lord.</HI> Say, as <HI>P&s;.</HI> 92.4, 5. Thou, <HI>Lord,</HI> ha&s;t made me <HI>glad</HI> through thy workes: I will <HI>triumph</HI> in the workes of thine <HI>hands. O Lord,</HI> how great is thy workes, and thy thoughts are very deepe?</P>
<P>Oh,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sins again&s;t Gods bonig|nity: Not remem|bring, Pre&s;uming, De&s;pi&s;ing. Sins again&s;t his workes: Not to ac|knowledge,</NOTE> be it farre from vs to be guiltie of that complained of, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 106.7. Not to remem|ber the multitude of his <HI>mercies:</HI> or that in <HI>Deut.</HI> 29.19. to pre&s;ume to <HI>&s;inne,</HI> through &s;awcie <HI>confidence</HI> in his <HI>mercy:</HI> or that in <HI>Rom.</HI> 2.4. To de&s;pi&s;e the riches of his goodne&s;&s;e: or that in <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 92.6. To be &s;o bruiti&s;h, as not to acknowledge his <HI>workes,</HI> and &s;o fooli&s;h, as not to di&s;cerne the &s;ame: or that in <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 28.5. Not to regard his <HI>workes:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Not to re|gard. Sins again&s;t him&s;elfe:</NOTE> or that in <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 95.9. To prouoke and <HI>tempt</HI> him, though wee haue &s;eene his <HI>glorious workes:</HI> or that in <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 10.4, 5, 13.
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Not to &s;eek, Not to thinke,</NOTE> To be &s;o proud, as not to &s;eek God, as not to haue him in our thoughts, as to thinke his <HI>wayes</HI> alway grieuous vnto vs,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">To contemn.</NOTE> as euen to <HI>contemne</HI> him. O farre be the&s;e from vs: and as it is &s;aid, <HI>Iob</HI> 21.16. Farre bee the <HI>coun&s;ell</HI> of all &s;uch from vs.</P>
<P><HI>Him&s;elfe,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">To prai&s;e. him&s;elfe.</NOTE> whom, as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 65.1. <HI>prai&s;e</HI> waiteth
<PB N="87" REF="50" MS="y">on in <HI>Sion:</HI> him&s;elfe, who is, as <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 18.3. mo&s;t worthy to be <HI>prai&s;ed:</HI> him&s;elfe, who <HI>P&s;.</HI> 22.3. inhabiteth the prai&s;es of <HI>I&s;rael:</HI> him&s;elfe, who&s;e <HI>prai&s;es, P&s;al.</HI> 78.4. the <HI>godly</HI> doe &s;hew to their <HI>po&s;teritie:</HI> him&s;elfe, to whom, <HI>P&s;alme</HI> 147.1. it is good, and plea&s;ant, and comely to &s;ing prai&s;es: him&s;elfe, who, <HI>P&s;alme</HI> 145.3. is great, and greatly to bee <HI>prai&s;ed:</HI> him&s;elfe, who, <HI>Deut.</HI> 10.21. is our God, and our <HI>prai&s;e,</HI> and <HI>glory.</HI></P>
<P>Him, euen him let vs <HI>prai&s;e</HI> worthily,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">To pray&s;e him worthi|ly, is, To exalt him.</NOTE> which in one word, is to exalt him: let vs &s;o <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him, as we <HI>exalt</HI> him: not our <HI>&s;elues,</HI> but our God: for as <HI>Mat.</HI> 23.12. Who&s;oeuer <HI>exalteth</HI> him&s;elfe, he &s;hall be <HI>aba&s;ed:</HI> not <HI>Idols,</HI> but the <HI>Lord,</HI> for as <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 97.7. Confounded be all they that &s;erue and reioyce in, and &s;o exalt <HI>Idols.</HI> No, no, but the <HI>Lord,</HI> the <HI>Lord,</HI> let vs exalt him alone: let vs exhort others to exalt him,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exhorting others.</NOTE> as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 99.5. Exalt yee the Lord our God: let vs in our <HI>&s;elues</HI> exalt him, &s;aying, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 25.1.
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Doing it our &s;elues.</NOTE> O <HI>Lord,</HI> thou art my <HI>God,</HI> I will exalt thee, and prai&s;e thy <HI>Name;</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Patternes.</NOTE> for thou ha&s;t done wonder|full things. Let the <HI>progeny</HI> of the <HI>godly</HI> exalt him, &s;aying, <HI>Exodus</HI> 15.2. The <HI>Lord</HI> is my &s;trength, and <HI>&s;ong,</HI> he is become my <HI>&s;aluation,</HI> he is my <HI>God,</HI> and he is my fathers <HI>God:</HI> I will prepare him an <HI>habitation,</HI> and I will exalt
<PB N="88" REF="51">him: thus <HI>prai&s;e</HI> the <HI>Lords</HI> owne &s;elfe, by <HI>ex|alting</HI> him.</P>
<P><HI>Exalt</HI> him;
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exalt him: &s;et all vnder him, in the congregati|on,</NOTE> &s;et all vnder him in the <HI>congre|gation: cry,</HI> Downe with <HI>Idols,</HI> downe with <HI>Images,</HI> down with <HI>mens</HI> deuices, downe with <HI>Inuocation</HI> of <HI>Saints,</HI> downe with <HI>wor&s;hipping</HI> of <HI>Angels;</HI> and intertaine and exalt in the congregation of his <HI>people,</HI> none but his owne <HI>ordinances,</HI> his owne <HI>Word,</HI> his owne <HI>Sacra|ments,</HI> his owne <HI>Name,</HI> his owne <HI>&s;elfe.</HI> Exalt him:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">In the a&s;|&s;embly of Elders,</NOTE> &s;et all vnder him in the <HI>a&s;sembly</HI> of Elders: Bid them, as <HI>Reu.</HI> 4.11, 10. fall downe before him, <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> him, and ca&s;t downe their <HI>crownes</HI> at his <HI>feet.</HI> Bid them, <HI>&s;.</HI> 2.10, 11. be <HI>wi&s;e,</HI> and bee <HI>in&s;tructed</HI> to <HI>&s;erue</HI> him with <HI>fear,</HI> &amp; to reioyce before him with trembling. Bid them, as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 29.1, 2. giue to him <HI>glory,</HI> and <HI>&s;trength,</HI> and giue to him the <HI>glory</HI> due to his <HI>Name.
<NOTE PLACE="marg">In the Fa|mily,</NOTE> Exalt</HI> him, &s;et all vnder him in the Family: <HI>Wiues, children, &s;eruants,</HI> in your duties feare the <HI>Lord,</HI> looke vp vnto the <HI>Lord,</HI> do all your <HI>&s;eruice</HI> of &s;ubiection, and <HI>obedience,</HI> as vnto the <HI>Lord. Husbands, fathers, masters, rule,</HI> as vnder the <HI>Lord,</HI> exalt him as your <HI>Ma&s;ter</HI> which is in heauen.</P>
<P><HI>Exalt</HI> him,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Set him aboue all.</NOTE> &s;et him aboue all, &s;ay, as <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 136.2, 3. Thou art <HI>God</HI> of <HI>gods,</HI> thou art <HI>Lord</HI> of <HI>lords:</HI> &s;ay, as <HI>Eph.</HI> 1.21, 22. Thou, <HI>O Lord,</HI> art
<PB N="89" REF="51" MS="y">farre aboue all <HI>principalitie,</HI> and <HI>power,</HI> and <HI>might,</HI> and <HI>dominion,</HI> and euery <HI>Name</HI> that is <HI>named,</HI> not onely in this <HI>world,</HI> but in that al&s;o which is to <HI>come:</HI> all things are vnder thy <HI>feet:</HI> &s;ay, as <HI>Gen.</HI> 14.19. Thou art the mo&s;t High <HI>God,</HI> the <HI>po&s;&s;e&s;&s;our</HI> of Heauen and Earth. Thus <HI>ex|alt</HI> him:
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Set mo&s;t by him.</NOTE> exalt him al&s;o in &s;etting more by him then all, &s;aying, as <HI>P&s;.</HI> 73.25. Whom haue I in <HI>heauen</HI> but thee? and there is none in <HI>earth</HI> that I de&s;ire be&s;ides thee. <HI>Exalt</HI> him, in &s;etting <HI>prai&s;es</HI> on him more then on all,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Set mo&s;t prai&s;es on him,</NOTE> &s;ay|ing, <HI>O Lord,</HI> I more delight in thee, then in <HI>fa|ther,</HI> or <HI>mother,</HI> or <HI>wife,</HI> or <HI>children,</HI> or <HI>friends,</HI> or <HI>goods,</HI> or <HI>plea&s;ures,</HI> or <HI>lands;</HI> yea, as <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 63.3. Thy louing <HI>kindne&s;&s;e</HI> is better to me then <HI>life</HI> it &s;elfe. Thou art my <HI>portion,</HI> my <HI>glory,</HI> and <HI>&s;ong. Exalt</HI> him,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Set apart chiefe place for him,</NOTE> in &s;etting apart a chiefe <HI>ha|bitation</HI> for him to dwell in, euen thy <HI>&s;oule</HI> all trimmed, as, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 66.2. A <HI>lowly,</HI> a <HI>poore,</HI> a <HI>con|trite &s;pirit,</HI> trembling at his <HI>Word.
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prefer place and meanes of his &s;er|nice, Be at co&s;t to &s;erue him,</NOTE> Exalt</HI> him, in preferring a <HI>place,</HI> and meanes for his <HI>&s;er|uice,</HI> before all thine owne <HI>comforts,</HI> as <HI>Dauid, P&s;al.</HI> 132. <HI>Exalt</HI> him, in being at co&s;t to <HI>&s;erue</HI> him, as the &s;ame royall <HI>per&s;on,</HI> 2. <HI>Sam.</HI> 24.24. <HI>Exalt</HI> him, in giuing him the be&s;t <HI>&s;eruice</HI> of all,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Giue him be&s;t &s;eruice,</NOTE> that is, as <HI>Rom.</HI> 12.1. thy <HI>body,</HI> and thy whole &s;elfe a liuing <HI>&s;acrifice,</HI> holy,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Giue him be&s;t di&s;h.</NOTE> and acceptable vnto him. <HI>Exalt</HI> him, in giuing him the be&s;t
<PB N="90" REF="52"><HI>di&s;h,</HI> euen as <HI>Prou.</HI> 23.26. with <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 51.6. thy very heart abounding with <HI>&s;incerity,</HI> and <HI>truth</HI> in all the inward <HI>parts</HI> thereof.</P>
<P>O, that men would thus <HI>prai&s;e</HI> the <HI>Lord priuate|ly,</HI> publikely, and worthily: O, that we had our minds heated, &amp; inflamed by al this that hath bin &s;aid, with holy <HI>zeale,</HI> to tye our &s;elues thus to <HI>confe&s;&s;e</HI> before the Lord his louing kindnes and his wonderfull <HI>workes</HI> before the <HI>&s;onnes</HI> of men; thus to exalt him in the congregation, and euery where; thus to prai&s;e him al&s;o in the A&s;&s;embly of the <HI>Elders.</HI> But, who is &s;uf|ficient for this <HI>Angelicall duty?</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">How to come to the grace to pray&s;e God thus.</NOTE> Of our &s;elues we haue not a thought towards it: God is the <HI>owner,</HI> and God is the <HI>giuer</HI> of it; therefore that we may performe it to him, we mu&s;t fir&s;t <HI>craue</HI> it at him, &s;aying with the Prophet, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 51.15. O Lord, open thou my <HI>lips,</HI> and my <HI>mouth</HI> &s;hall &s;hew <HI>forth</HI> thy <HI>prai&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>And le&s;t wee deceiue our &s;elues,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Proofes of &s;uch as doe pray&s;e God.</NOTE> thinking we be of the number of tho&s;e that <HI>prai&s;e</HI> God rightly, when indeed we be not, we mu&s;t note the proofes of &s;uch as doe <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him, his <HI>be|nignitie,</HI> and his <HI>workes</HI> &s;oundly, and examine our &s;elues of them. Fir&s;t, If we haue this &s;pe|ciall <HI>grace</HI> to <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him; then wee find in our &s;elues,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Affecting of God.</NOTE> that we &s;o <HI>affect</HI> the Lord, as we &s;eeke, we <HI>thir&s;t,</HI> we long greatly after him, and after
<PB N="91" REF="52" MS="y">the <HI>exerci&s;es</HI> of his <HI>wor&s;hip:</HI> for this, in <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 63. is &s;hewed to be in him who&s;e <HI>mouth prai&s;eth</HI> the Lord with ioyfull lips. Secondly, If wee haue this <HI>grace</HI> to prai&s;e his benignitie,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Leading to repentance by his be|nignity.</NOTE> then we find in our &s;elues that it leadeth vs vnto <HI>re|pentance,</HI> as it is &s;aid it ought to doe, <HI>Rom.</HI> 2.4. &s;o as our loue is &s;et vpon it, more then <HI>life,</HI> as <HI>P&s;alme</HI> 63.3. and it moueth vs to <HI>walke</HI> truely, and godly in Gods &s;ight: for this in the &s;aid P&s;alme, and in <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 26. is &s;poken of him that compa&s;&s;eth Gods Altar with the <HI>voyce</HI> of Thanke&s;giuing. Thirdly,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">His workes affect vs with loue, &amp;c.</NOTE> If wee haue this <HI>grace</HI> of <HI>prat&s;ing</HI> Gods wonderfull workes; then we find in our &s;elues a louing of them, a taking plea&s;ure in them, a <HI>gladne&s;&s;e</HI> in them, a <HI>reioycing</HI> in them, a <HI>gracious</HI> acknowledge|ment of them, a holy &s;hewing of them to our <HI>po&s;teritie,</HI> a de&s;ire to come to <HI>prai&s;e</HI> God in the a&s;&s;embly for them: for the&s;e are &s;aid, in <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 111. and 92. and 78. and 26. of &s;uch as haue this <HI>grace</HI> of magnifying GODS <HI>workes.</HI> Fourthly, If wee haue the true Art of <HI>pray|&s;ing</HI> God, we find in our &s;elues,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ordering our life well.</NOTE> that we order our life well: for in <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 50.23. this is ioyned with the <HI>offering</HI> of prai&s;e vnto God. O, let vs looke to the&s;e <HI>proofes</HI> of our fitne&s;&s;e to this <HI>du|tie:</HI> if we haue them not: then, as in <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 50.16. God calleth vs <HI>wicked,</HI> and challengeth vs of
<PB N="92" REF="53">vile audaciou&s;nes for meddling with any <HI>Di|uine</HI> dutie: but if we haue them, then he &s;aith, to incourage and to comfort vs, that wee glo|rifie him.</P>
<P>Which is the <HI>marke</HI> that in all things,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gods glory our <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">yme.</NOTE> and e&s;pecially in Thank&s;giuing we mu&s;t &s;hoot at: for his <HI>glory</HI> is the chiefe end of all. Being now come, and heereafter comming to the <HI>Sermons,</HI> and to the action of Thank&s;giuing, let vs euer think of <HI>Gods glory;</HI> for he wil haue vs doe this <HI>dutie</HI> for his meere <HI>glory:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Difference of this duty from others.</NOTE> all other <HI>duties</HI> of his <HI>&s;eruice,</HI> are almo&s;t onely for our <HI>nece&s;sitie;</HI> but this all for his <HI>glory:</HI> and there|fore in <HI>P&s;alme</HI> 66.2. it is called a <HI>&s;inging</HI> forth of the <HI>glory</HI> of his <HI>Name:</HI> and in <HI>P&s;alm.</HI> 29.2. a giuing of <HI>glory</HI> due to his <HI>Name.</HI> And wor|thily: becau&s;e if we be <HI>skilfull</HI> in it, wee there|in &s;peake &s;uch <HI>great</HI> things of him, and of his <HI>properties,</HI> and of his <HI>workes,</HI> and of his <HI>Name,</HI> according to a &s;peciall parterne, in the 145. <HI>P&s;alme,</HI> and many others, as wee &s;hew him|&s;elfe to bee a <HI>glorious</HI> God, and his <HI>Name,</HI> to bee a mo&s;t <HI>glorious Name.</HI> O that men would &s;o <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him in &s;ecret, in the family, in the congregation of the people, in the a&s;&s;em|bly of the Elders,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The lerme of this duty.</NOTE> as they might thus &s;hew his glory. And, &ocirc;, that this might not be at &s;ome &s;eldome fits, but as <HI>P&s;alm.</HI> 145.2. euery
<PB N="93" REF="53" MS="y">day: and as <HI>P&s;alm.</HI> 146.2. while wee doe liue, and while we haue any being.</P>
<P>Note a &s;peciall <HI>rule</HI> how to continue this alway in our &s;elues, and in our <HI>families:</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rules to continue it in our &s;elues.</NOTE> in our &s;elues to continue it, the <HI>rule</HI> is this, To haue his <HI>louing</HI> kindne&s;&s;e; his euerla&s;ting <HI>mer|cy;</HI> his <HI>holy</HI> remembrance; his continuall <HI>be|nefits;</HI> and the <HI>promi&s;es</HI> of the better <HI>life</HI> al|wayes in our <HI>thoughts,</HI> and (as it were) be|fore our <HI>eyes,</HI> with a blamele&s;&s;e <HI>conuer&s;ation,</HI> and a con&s;cience of thanke&s;giuing. If wee ob&s;erue this <HI>rule,</HI> wee &s;hall neuer <HI>cea&s;e</HI> to <HI>prai&s;e</HI> the Lord in our &s;elues.
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rules to con|tinue it in our families.</NOTE> To bee the like in our <HI>families,</HI> the <HI>rule</HI> is not to entertaine, but to <HI>cut</HI> off from them euery <HI>popi&s;h, pro|fane, di&s;solute,</HI> pick-thanke, <HI>&s;landerous,</HI> vaine, <HI>wicked,</HI> deceitfull, <HI>di&s;sembling,</HI> di&s;hone&s;t, <HI>drun|ken,</HI> vngodly, <HI>idle,</HI> irreligious <HI>per&s;on,</HI> and to maintaine (through all due re&s;pect yeelded to euery one in their place) <HI>peace, amitie, a|greement, vnitie;</HI> as there be no <HI>vnkindne&s;&s;es, iarres,</HI> contentions, <HI>breaches</HI> to make <HI>inter|ruption</HI> of godly <HI>exerci&s;es.</HI> If this <HI>rule</HI> be ob|&s;erued, then, as wee &s;hall want no <HI>comfort, honour, commendation</HI> to our <HI>families:</HI> &s;o in the &s;ame we &s;hall <HI>ble&s;se</HI> the <HI>Lord</HI> our <HI>God</HI> daily.</P>
<P>Whereupon,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">The reward of this duty.</NOTE> will follow the reward of this our thankfulne&s;&s;e to <HI>God;</HI> which is this,
<PB N="94" REF="54">namely, That if it bee &s;uch as we haue <HI>heard,</HI> and &s;o attended with a well-di&s;po&s;ed <HI>way</HI> to preuent all occa&s;ions of <HI>Gods di&s;honour,</HI> and with a well-ordred life to promote the <HI>glory</HI> of his <HI>Name;</HI> then hee will let vs &s;ee, yea, cau&s;e vs to <HI>enioy</HI> his <HI>&s;aluation,</HI> as it is <HI>promi&s;ed, P&s;alm.</HI> 50.23. not his de&s;truction, as hee <HI>threatneth</HI> the vnthankefull wicked in the 22. Ver&s;e,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gods ac|count of the thankefull.</NOTE> but his &s;aluation. So great <HI>account</HI> doth hee make of the <HI>right</HI> thankefull, as hee will not let them be ouer-<HI>wronged,</HI> taken <HI>away,</HI> or <HI>de&s;troyed, &s;uppre&s;sed, beaten</HI> downe, nor <HI>con|&s;umed:</HI> hee will not part with vs; hee will not be without vs: but that wee may &s;till <HI>honour</HI> him, <HI>prai&s;e</HI> him, and <HI>glorifie</HI> him; hee will keepe vs in <HI>&s;afetie, pre&s;erue</HI> vs in libertie, and <HI>maintaine</HI> vs in <HI>pro&s;peritie,</HI> by the <HI>tower,</HI> the <HI>rocke,</HI> the <HI>&s;trength,</HI> and the <HI>&s;hield</HI> of his <HI>tempo|rary &s;aluation,</HI> and giue vs the <HI>comfort, peace, ioy, riches, glory,</HI> and in the end the <HI>con&s;umma|tion,</HI> and the fulne&s;&s;e of his <HI>eternall</HI> &s;aluation in <HI>Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, ble&s;|&s;ed</HI> for euer, <HI>Amen, Amen.</HI></P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="54" MS="y">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
