Works, Part 4 · Religious instruction · Chapter 69
CHAP. LXIX. Of Thankesgiuing and right vse of the creatures.
NOne can euer praise the Lord, till he be rauished with his greatnesse, and goodnesse, and the want of this feeling causeth vsus to be cold in thanksgiuing, euen as our praiers be cold when we hauehave but small feeling of sinne.
2 And that wee doe in truth of heart acknowledge God to be the preseruer of vsus fromOf vnthankfulnes. all euils, and giuer of all mercies, we may trie by our thankfulnes and prayer.
3 The sin that was in the Israelites is in vsus, for the want of one good thing, doth make vsus rather to mourne, than the hauing of many good things doth make vsus thankfull.
4 We must be thankfull presently and speedily, when wee wil long keepe the remembrance of any merciemercy.
5 Because our faith yeeldeth but drops of thankfulnes, the Lord is constrained to yeeld but drops of his mercies.
6 Being with one afflicted in body and minde, vntounto whom the Lord had shewed great tokens of saluation, and fruitfull to sanctifie the present afflictions: he said, I feare not the time of the visitation of them, that thereby doe grow in the gifts and graces of God: butVse of the creatures. rather I feare least the time of their deliuerance should be tainted with vnthankfulnes, and so wofully they should loose the fruite of that good which so dearly they purchased of the Lord.
7 Wee hauehave no continuing citie now, but we looke for another, not that wee may not call these things ours, which are sanctified vntounto vsus by the word and prayer, and in a good conscience vsing them: but that we should not set our harts vponupon them, further than they are sanctified vntounto vsus, we should not desire to vse them.
1 These outward benefits are promised with a condition, that so far we shall hauehave them as is for his glorie and our good, with which condition we are commanded to aske them: if then we want any thing, we must know it is not good for vsus, but hurtfull: we are to magnifie his mercies, which holdeth those things from vsus which are not for our good: and yet giueth vsus that by the want thereof, which by the thing enioyed wee could not come vntounto. For the thing doth not hurt vsus, but our corruptions which abuse it, therefore he keepeth promise when he taketh it away, for he hath made the promise for our good.
9 It hath been the order of the Church, to begin and end their assemblies with praises. And no marueile, for of all sacrifices this seemeth to be most principall. First it was an exercise in Paradise, and it shall be an exercise in heauen. Againe, this exercise shall continue, when all other shall cease. For in heauen we shall not neede the word, nor praier, nor Sacraments, nor discipline, but the praising of God shal not cease, being a peculiar exercise of the Angels and Saints of God in heauen. Besides, to this exercise of praising God are all other exercises directed. For why do we heare the word, but that feeling increase of knowledge, we may praise God? Why doe we pray, but that hauing experience of God his merciemercy, we may more amply giuegive thankes to God? Why doe we receiue the Sacraments, but that being rauished with comforts by them, wee might giuegive greater glorie to God? And moreouer, if we may coniecture the goodnes of a thing by our vnwillingnes to do it, this exercise may be thought to be the best, because it is the hardest. Large volumes of protestations flie from vsus, but in our neede, which would make one beleeue we would be thankfull, but scarse a word of performing any thing is found in vsus, after our prayers be heard: wherin also we are not vnlike to the dissembling Shipmen, who in extreame dangers leaue their Oares and fall to prayer, but comming to the land, they fill Cans, and drowne all theSimile. remembrance of their gracious deliuerie with deepe drinking. In sicknes & health we are full of praying, but the tempest past wee are too quiet and carelesse. It is marueilous in our Liturgie, that among an hundred praiers, scarse one thanksgiuing is found, and yet in euill matters, either by a natural Logick, or cunning Rhetorick, we hauehave learned to begin a new suite, with a thankfull commemoration of receiuing the old.