Lectures Upon Philippians, Lectures · Chapter 1 · Lecture 3
LECTƲRE III.
PHILIP. 1. verſ. 3.4.5.
I thanke my God hauing you in perfect memory. &c.
NOw giuegive me leaue, before I come to that which followeth, to note one thing farther from the words already handled; and that is, the Apoſtles often vſing of the name of Ieſus Chriſt in ſo few words. Out of the abundance of his heart his mouth ſpake, and ſtill his mouth was filled with Ieſus Chriſt, Ieſus Chriſt, inſomuch that three ſeuerall times ſtill he ingeminates Ieſus Chriſt, Paul and Timothie the ſeruants of Ieſus Chriſt, to all the ſaints in Ieſus Chriſt, grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Which argueth that his comfort was in him, that his louelove was ſet on him, and that he was vntounto him, as the ſpouſe ſpeaketh in the Canticles, the chiefeſt of ten thouſand. Cant. 5.10.Hence then I obſerue a rule whereby commonly to diſcerne what a man is, his ſpeach commonly bewraieth what he is. The worldling his tongue is ſtill talking of the world, the couetous man of his money, the voluptuous man of his pleaſure, the proud man of his rich attire, the delicate man of his dainty fare, the pot-companion of his cups, and the like, commonly talke moſt of the things they like beſt; and by their talke commonly they may bee diſcerned what they are. And in this reſpect as it is with them that ſet their affections on things which are on earth, ſo is it with them that ſet their affections on the things which are aboue. They are ſtill talking of the word of their ſaluation, of the commandements of the Lord, of the mercies of the Lord, and of the things that belong vntounto their peace; as Dauid profeſſeth of himſelfe ſaying,Pſ. 101.1.119.13.15.145 5.35.28. My ſong ſhall be of mercy and iudgement: with my lips doe I ſpeake of all the iudgements of thy mouth: I talke of thy commandments, and hauehave reſpect vntounto thy waies: I will talke of thy worſhip ô Lord, thy glory, thy praiſe, and wondrous workes, my tongue ſhall be talking of thy righteouſneſſe all the day long, and I will tell of thy ſaluation from day to day. But of all other things their delight is, in their hearts to muſe, and with their tongues to talke of Ieſus Chriſt. Here their hearts dance for ioy, and the talking hereof is more ſweet then hony and the hony-combe vntounto their mouthes. Hereon they louelove, as it were, to dwell, and their tongues can neuer be ſatisfied with talking on him. And why? here is their comfort, here is their hope, here is their louelove, here is their crowne of reioycing. Here is their protector in all dangers, their reconciler vntounto God, their mediator betweene God and them, their Sauiour from their ſinnes, and he that is made of God vntounto them wiſdome, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption. Here is he in whom are hid all the treaſures of wiſdome and knowledge, of mercy and louelove, in whom alone the father is well pleaſed. And therefore here as men rauiſht with ioy, they cry, and cry againe, holy Ieſus, ſweet Ieſus, bleſſed Ieſus: euen as we ſee the ſpouſe in the Canticles not to leaue her bridegroome Chriſt Ieſus after once ſhee catch hold of him, but ſtill cries, O fountaine of the gardens, O well of liuing waters, Cant. 4.15.5.10.11.and of the ſprings of Lebanon My wellbeloued is white and ruddy, the chiefeſt of ten thouſand. His head is as fine gold, his locks curled, and blacke as a rauen &c. ad verſ. 17. Thus the children of God louelove to talke of him whom their ſoule loueth, and thus commonly a man may diſcerne who are ſaints in Chriſt Ieſus. Commonly I ſay, not euermore certainely. For if good ſpeech, and holy talke, and crying Lord, Lord, and often vſing of the name of Ieſus Chriſt were a perpetuall and certaine rule of a good Chriſtian, the diſſembling hypocrite would be as good a Chriſtian as the beſt. And a hard matter it is not to be deceiued ſometimes by the hypocrite. But commonly, I ſay, a mans ſpeach bewraieth what he is, holy, or profane. The ground of which note is that ſaying of our Sauiour,Mat. 12.34. that of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh: and otherwiſe we cannot iudge whereon the heart thinketh, but by that whereon the tongue runneth.
Hence then learne you, beloued, to make tryall vntounto your ſelues, and to giuegive tryall vntounto others, what yee are Your tongue and talke may tell your ſelues, and doe tell others, what yee are. What is it whereon your tongues louelove moſt to talke, and wherein yee take moſt pleaſure when yee talke? Is it on the things which are on earth? It may be a token vntounto your ſelues and others that yee are earthly minded. Is it on the things which are aboue? It may be a token vntounto your ſelues and others that your converſation is in heauen. If yee louelove Chriſt Ieſus, if yee take comfort in Chriſt Ieſus, your tongues will be talking of Ieſus Chriſt, and your hearts will reioyce, when your tongues are talking of him. As therefore the Apoſtle exhorteth the Coloſſians, ſo doe I you, Let your ſpeach be gracious alwaies, Col. 4.6.and powdred with ſalt. Let the mercies which yee hauehave in Chriſt Ieſus be ſo ſweet and comfortable vntounto you, that your hearts may delight alwaies to muſe, and your tongues alwaies to talke of Chriſt Ieſus. Let him be hid in your heart, let him breake out in your tongue, and let him reioyce both the heart and the tongue, that ſo yee may hauehave teſtimonie within your ſelues, and giuegive teſtimonie vntounto others, that yee are Saints in Chriſt Ieſus. Now proceede we to that which followeth.
I thanke my God] After the inſcription and ſalutation, now followeth the body of the Epiſtle it ſelfe: wherein the principall ſcope and drift of the Apoſtle is to confirme the Philippians in the truth wherein they ſtood, that they might not onelyonly not decreaſe, but increaſe in all knowledge, and in all iudgement. In this exordium or beginning of his Epiſtle, which is from verſe 3. to 12. to teſtifie his louelove toward the Philippians, that ſo they might the rather hearken vntounto him; 1. he ſignifieth his reioycing on their behalfe for the grace of God already beſtowed on them. 2. he ſignifieth his aſſured hope of Gods farther mercy towards them in performing the good worke which he had begun in them. 3. he prayeth for their perſeuerance, & increaſe in all knowledge and in all godlines. His reioycing on their behalfe he ſignifieth, 1. in his giuing of thanks vntounto God on their behalfe. 2. in remembring them in his prayers vntounto God. 3. in praying for them with gladneſſe. The grace of God already beſtowed on them, for which he reioyced in their behalfe, is ſaid to be, 1. their fellowſhip with other Churches in the goſpell. 2. their perſeuerance therein from the firſt day they had receiued the goſpell, till now that he wrote vntounto them. This is the generall reſolution of theſe words.
Now for the more particular opening of the meaning of them, in that in the beginning of his Epiſtle, hee thanketh God on the Philippians behalfe, he obſerueth his vſuall manner. For ſo he beginneth almoſt all his Epiſtles, as anon we ſhall heare. In that he ſaith, that hee thanketh his God, he ſignifieth his bold, and neere approch vntounto God in giuing thanks, and in praying vntounto him. Againe, in that he ſaith, that he hath them in perfect memory alwaies in all his prayers for them all, he meaneth that as alwaies he thanketh God for them all, ſo alwaies in all his prayers vntounto God he remembreth them. And he addeth that his prayers are alwaies powred out vntounto God for them with great ioy and gladneſſe of heart. Why? becauſe, as he addeth the reaſon, of the fellowſhip which they had receiued in the Goſpell. 1. Becauſe they, as other Churches had receiued the goſpell, and thereby had fellowſhip with the Father, and with his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt; and becauſe they had continued in the truth from the firſt day of their conuerſion vntounto Chriſt, by his miniſtery vntill now that he wrote vntounto them. This was the cauſe of his thankſgiuing; and his continuall prayers, wherein he alwaies remembred them, were, that they might continue in that grace, euen in that fellowſhip which they had receiued in the goſpell. It is then briefly as if the Apoſtle had thus ſaid, I thanke my God alwaies on your behalfe, for that fellowſhip which you hauehave with the Father, and the Sonne, with vsus, and with other Churches by embracing the Goſpell, and for your perſeuerance therein from the firſt day that I, and Silas, and Timotheus preached it vntounto you vntounto now, and alwaies in all my praiers vntounto God I remember you, praying for you, with gladnes for the grace already granted you, that yee may continue and increaſe in that grace. This I take to be the meaning of theſe words.
The firſt thing then which here I note is, the Apoſtles beginning of his Epiſtle with thankſgiuing vntounto God on the Philippians behalfe. And ſo he beginneth all his Epiſtles with thankſgiuing vntounto God on their behalfe to whom he wrote, onelyonly his Epiſtles to the Galatians, and to Titus, and the former to Timothy excepted. And ſo Peter beginneth his former Epiſtle. Whence I obſerue, that thankſgiuing vntounto God is a ſeruice principally requiſite in a Chriſtian. I exhort, ſaith the Apoſtle, that firſt of all, 1 Tim. 2.1.or aboue all things ſupplications, prayers, interceſſions, and giuing of thanks be made for all men. And in the former to the Theſſ…lonians, he willeth in all things to …iue thanks; 1 Theſſ 5.18.for that this is the will of God in Chriſt Ieſus. And not any ſacrifice is more exactly commanded or deſcribed in Leuiticus then the ſacrifice of thankſgiuing. Wherevpon,Leuit. 7.12. if we looke into the practiſe of the ſaints of God, we ſhall finde that they were neuer ſlacke in this ſeruice. Melchiſedech after Abrahams victory ſlacked not this ſeruice,Gen. 14.20. but gaue thanks vntounto the moſt high God which had deliuered his enemies into his hand. Moſes alſo and the Iſraelites after their deliuerance from the Aegyptians, Exod. 15.1.and out of the red ſea, ſlacked not this ſeruice, but ſung praiſes vntounto the Lord. So did Deborah, and Barak, and Iehoſhaphat, and many others after their victories ouer their enemies. And how often doe we read that, as others of his ſeruants, ſo our bleſſed Sauiour himſelfe gaue thanks vntounto his father? All which ſhew clearely how requiſite this ſeruice of thankſgiuing vntounto God is, if either we will hearken to the precepts and exhortations of the Holy Ghoſt, or doe as we hauehave the ſaints of God, and our bleſſed Sauiour for example.
What then? Doth the Lord neede the praiſes of man, or is he delighted with his giuing of thanks? No, the Lord needeth them not, neither is he delighted therwith ſo much for his owne ſake. Yet doth hee require them of vsus, and is delighted therewith for our ſakes▪ for 1. in giuing of thanks vntounto God, we acknowledge that to be from him, for which we giuegive him thanks. 2. In giuing him thanks, we ſhew our ſelues well pleaſed and content with that ſpirituall grace or temporall bleſſing wherefore wee giuegive him thanks. 3. In giuing him thanks, we returne what wee can vntounto the Lord, with humble confeſſion that we can no more, nor that but by grace. Laſtly, in giuing of thanks vntounto God, wee prouoke him to beſtow farther mercies vponupon vsus. All which things he requireth of vsus, and liketh well in vsus. And for theſe very reaſons, beſides the former, is thankſgiuing vntounto God ſo requiſite a ſeruice in a Chriſtian.
Yet as requiſite a ſeruice as it is, we faile aſmuch in it as in any ſeruice. It may be, that being in perill, or perſecution, or ſorrow, or neede, or ſicknes, or other like aduerſitie we will make our requeſts knowne vntounto God in prayer and ſupplication, as the occaſions are publiquely or priuately. But when the Lord hath heard our prayers, and gr…nted our requeſts; when he hath done more for vsus then we could deſire or thinke. What giuing o… thanks is there vntounto God either publiquely or priuately? For inſtance, now of late when the Lord opened the clouds of heauen, and threatned by raine to depriue vsus of that bleſſing of the fruits of the earth, which he had ſhewed vntounto vsus in great plenty and abundance, then we powred out both publique and priuate prayers in our Churches and in our houſes, that it would pleaſe the Lord to ſend vsus ſuch weather, whereby we might receiue the fruits of the earth in due ſeaſon. But now that the Lord hath ſent vsus ſeaſonable weather, and giuen vsus good hope of reaping the fruits of the earth in due ſeaſon, in what Congregations publiquely, in what houſe… priuately is the voice of praiſe and thankſgiuing heard? I inſtance onelyonly in this; but as it is in this, ſo is it in other things Not one of ten that ſings the ſong of praiſe and thankſgiuing after benefits receiued: it is too harſh a note, we cannot tune it: all, or the moſt part of vsus being liker vntounto thoſe nine Lepers that neuer returned backe to giuegive God praiſe, then vntounto the ſtranger that returned.Luc. 17.18. Beloued, by vnthankfulneſſe we prouoke Gods wrath▪ againſt vsus aſmuch as by any ſinne; and therefore Paul reckons it vp amongſt the moſt heynous ſinnes:2 Tim. 3.2. but the ſacrifice of thankſgiuing is as pleaſant and acceptable vntounto God as is any ſacrifice; and therefore by Dauid the Lord ſaith,Pſal. 50.23. who ſo offereth me thanks and praiſe he honoreth me, euen with moſt excellent honor. Let vsus therefore clenſe our ſelues from this ſinne of vnthankfullneſſe,Phil. 4.6. and let, as the Apoſtle exhorteth, our requeſts be ſhewed vntounto God in prayer and ſupplication, with giuing of thanks. The fouler that the ſinne of vnthankfulneſſe is, let vsus the more deteſt it: and the more requiſite that thankſgiuing vntounto God is, let vsus the more abound therein. Let vsus follow the counſell of the Apoſtle, and walke in Chriſt Ieſus, rooted and built in him, and ſtabliſhed in the faith, Col. 2.6, 7.as we hauehave been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiuing.
The ſecond thing which here I note is, the cauſe of the Apoſtles thankſgiuing vntounto God, which is, becauſe of the fellowſhip which they had in the goſpell from the firſt day vntill then; 1. becauſe they as other Churches had receiued the goſpell, whereby they had fellowſhip with the Father, and the Sonne, and becauſe they had continued in the truth from the firſt day of their conuerſion vntounto Chriſt by the worke of his miniſterie vntounto now that he wrote vntounto them. Whence I obſerue a principall matter of our thankſgiuing vntounto God, a principall cauſe why we ſhould, vponupon the bleſſing beſtowed vponupon vsus, giuegive thanks vntounto God for it. In all things indeed is matter of our thankſgiuing vntounto God. for eueryevery good giuing and eueryevery perfit gift is from aboue, Jam. 1.17.and commeth downe from the father of lights &c. He created vsus, formed vsus, and made vsus, and that in his owne image, in him we liue, moue, and hauehave our being; he giueth health, wealth, peace, liberty, foode, rayment, he ſendeth raine from heauen, and fruitfull ſeaſons, deliuereth in all dangers, comforteth in all troubles, helpeth in all needs, bleſſeth the worke of our hands, and filleth vsus with plenteouſneſſe of all good things. And for all theſe we ſhould, and hauehave great cauſe from day to day to tell out his praiſes with gladnes, and to offer vntounto him the ſacrifice of praiſe & thankſgiuing. But yet is a more principall matter behind, which is the fellowſhip which wee hauehave with other reformed Churches in the goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, and the continuance thereof ſo long time amongſt vsus, the preaching of the word of our ſaluation amongſt vsus, and the bleſſed increaſe thereof vnderunder a moſt gracious gouernment. Here is indeed principall cauſe of reioycing, and thankſgiuing. for by our fellowſhip which we hauehave with other Churches in the goſpell, we hauehave fellowſhip with the Father, and with his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, as Iohn witneſſeth, ſaying, that which we hauehave ſeene and heard, to wit the goſpell,1 Joh. 1.3. declare we vntounto you, that yee may alſo hauehave fellowſhip with vsus, and that our fellowſhip alſo may be with the Father, and with his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt. By our fellowſhip in the goſpell, we are called out of darknes into his marueilous light, and we which in time paſt were not a people are now the people of God, 1 Pet. 2.9, 10.and we which in time paſt were not vnderunder mercy hauehave now obteined mercy, as Peter witneſſeth. By our fellowſhip in the goſpell, we are borne againe not of mortall ſeede, 1 Pet. 1.3.23.but of immortall, and are begotten vntounto a liuely hope in Chriſt Ieſus, as the ſame Peter witneſſeth. And by our fellowſhip in the goſpell,2 Tim. 3.15. we are made wiſe vntounto ſaluation through the faith which we hauehave in Chriſt Ieſus, as witneſſeth our Apoſtle. O bleſſed fellowſhip in the goſpell, whereby we are made wiſe vntounto ſaluation, whereby we are regenerate, and begotten vntounto a liuely hope in Chriſt Ieſus, whereby we are called out of darknes into light, and of no people made the people of God, and whereby wee hauehave fellowſhip with Chriſt Ieſus, which is the great end of the miniſtery of the goſpell, that we may hauehave fellowſhip with him, and walke in the light as he is in the light. Againe, the continuance of our fellowſhip in the goſpell from the firſt day of her Maieſties moſt gracious gouernment ouer vsus vntounto now, our pereſeuerance in the truth without being remoued away vntounto another goſpell, which is not another goſpell, ſaue that there be ſome which trouble you, and intrude to peruert the goſpell of Chriſt, what a principall bleſſing is this of our good God vntounto vsus? Surely theſe are ſuch bleſſings, as may well make vsus breake out into exclamation with Dauid, and ſay,Pſal. 116.12, 13, 17. What ſhall I render vntounto the Lord for theſe his great mercies towards me? I will receiue the cup of ſaluation, and call vponupon the name of the Lord. I will offer a ſacrifice of thanks-giuing, & will call vponupon the name of the Lord. This was Dauids reſolution vponupon deliuerance from dangers by Saul, and much more vponupon ſuch bleſſings as theſe hauehave we iuſt cauſe of ſuch reſolution, God being principally in this ſoft and ſtill voice of the goſpell.
HaueHave we then ſuch principall cauſe of thankſgiuing vntounto our God for the fellowſhip which wee hauehave with other Churches in the goſpell, and for the continuance of this fellowſhip from the firſt day vntounto now, euen theſe forty yeares? This then 1. ſhould teach vsus, willingly and gladly to embrace the goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, when it is brought vntounto vsus. For if there be ſuch cauſe of thankſgiuing vntounto God for it being had, then ſurely is there great cauſe of gladly embracing it, when it may be had. And yet what dullneſſe, and ſlacknes, and coldnes herein? In this congregation how is it embraced? I beare you record ſome of you, that yee doe embrace it willingly and gladly, and I aſſure my ſelfe that from your hearts you thanke your God for it. But others there are that ſeldome or neuer come vntounto the hearing of it; others that when they ſhould heare it turne their backs, and depart away from the hearing of it; others that heare it ſleepingly, or coldly, ſo that either it enters not in, or quickly after is choked by the cares of this world. Do theſe thanke God for the fellowſhip which they hauehave with others in the goſpell? Nay they hauehave none, and ſome of them will hauehave no fellowſhip with others therein: and therefore vnleſſe at length they take hold of the grace that is offered them, they ſhall hauehave no fellowſhip with the Father, or with Ieſus Chriſt his ſonne. As for you, beloued, that gladly embrace the goſpell of your ſaluation, hold on your good courſe, thirſt after it as the Hart doth after the water brooks, frequent the places where yee may heare it, lay it vp in your hearts, that yee may not ſinne againſt the Lord, and let your mouthes be euer filled with praiſes & thankſgiuing to God for it.
Secondly, this ſhould teach vsus to labour by all holy meanes to continue in the grace, and in the truth wherein we ſtand vntounto the end. For if it ſhould ſo principally cauſe in vsus thankſgiuing vntounto God, then ſhould it alſo worke in vsus all holy deſire and labour, to be daily more and more ſtabliſhed and ſtrengthned in the truth of Chriſt Ieſus, and in our fellowſhip with other Churches in the goſpell. And yet how wauering are we many of vsus, and how quickly caried about with eueryevery winde of doctrine by the deceit of men, and with craftineſſe whereby they lay in waite to deceiue? If a runnagate Seminarie that compaſſeth ſea and land to make one of his profeſſion, and when he is made, makes him twofold more the childe of hell then he himſelfe is, a ſworne-vaſſall to that man of ſinne, a diſloyall traitor to his Prince, an vnnaturall enemy to his country, if ſuch a one I ſay, ſhall with fained words creepe into ſecret corners amongſt vsus, and gloſingly ſlander the truth of the goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, and ſet abroche his owne damnable hereſies, how quickly doe we liſten vntounto them, and are led captiue by them? Howſoeuer it be with vsus, it is thus in too too many places. But, beloued, let vsus know that whoſoeuer tranſgreſſeth and abideth not in the doctrine of Chriſt hath not God. 2 Ioh. 9.He that continueth in the doctrine of Chriſt, he hath both the Father and the Sonne. If there come any vntounto you, and bring not this doctrine, 10.receiue him not to houſe, neither bid him, God ſpeede. I know they will tell you they bring the doctrine of Chriſt vntounto you; but doe yee as the men of Beraea did,Act. 17.11. which are much commended for ſo doing, examine it by the ſcriptures, and ſearch whether it be ſo, and yee ſhall finde it to be the doctrine of deuills, 1 Tim. 4.1.as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, and as euen by that place it will appeare to be. Wherefore, beloued brethren, as now yee hauehave fellowſhip with other Churches in the goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, ſo continue therein: Let nothing bee able to remoue you from the truth wherein yee ſtand, but hold faſt your good profeſſion vntounto the end.
The third thing which here I note is, the Apoſtles bold, and neere, and ioyfull approch vntounto God in his thankſgiuing vntounto God, in that he ſaith, I thanke my God. Whence I obſerue the manner of our thankſgiuing vntounto God, how we ſhould offer our ſacrifice of thankſgiuing vntounto him: And that is, 1. with ſuch aſſurance of Gods louelove in his mercies towards vsus, as that in our thankſgiuing for them we dare boldly as ſonnes ſay, I thanke my God. for ſo ſhall our ſacrifice of thankſgiuing be acceptable vntounto God, if vponupon aſſurance of his louelove we boldly powre out our ſoules in praiſe vntounto him. And therefore the Apoſtle to the Hebrewes exhorteth,Heb. 4 16. ſaying, Let vsus go boldly vntounto the throne of grace, be it in prayer, or in thankſgiuing, Let vsus goe boldly vntounto the throne of grace, praying and giuing thanks vntounto God through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. 2. Our thankſgiuing ſhould be offered with ſuch willingneſſe and cheerefullneſſe from our hearts vntounto God, that we might ſay, I thanke my God. So our Apoſtle in an other place,1 Cor. 14.18. I thanke my God, I ſpake languages more then yee all. How cheerefully he openeth his mouth in praiſe of his God. And ſo ſhall our thankſgiuing be pleaſing vntounto God, if we offer it from the heart cheerefully; for he loueth a cheerefull giuer, as of almes vntounto the poore Saints, ſo of thanks vntounto his name. And how can I goe vntounto him with greater cheerefullneſſe and thanke him, then when I go vntounto him as to my God, and ſay, I thanke my God? 3. Our thankſgiuing vntounto God ſhould be offered vp with ſuch ſoule-melting paſſion and affection, that as if we had greater feeling experience in our ſoules of his goodnes then others, and would be neerer him then others, we ſhould ſay, I thanke my God. for ſuch the Lord loueth beſt as preſſe the neereſt vntounto him, and then the ſacrifice of praiſe pleaſeth moſt where the ſoule is tied the cloſeſt vntounto his God. Theſe are the things in which the manner how we ſhould offer vp our ſacrifice of thankſgiuing conſiſteth, namely in faith and full aſſurance of Gods louelove towards vsus, with all willingneſſe and cheerefulneſſe from our hearts, and with a ſoule-rauiſht affection, as of a more then ordinarie feeling-experience of Gods goodnes towards vsus. And this manner I take it may bee obſerued from this that the Apoſtle ſaith, I thanke my God.
Here then that cold and curſorie forme of thankſgiuing which commonly is vſed is vtterly condemned▪ For what doe wee when the Lord hath remembred vsus in mercy, and done great things for vsus? I doubt not but there are who in their hearts cheerefully, and with their mouthes ioyfully ſay with the Prophet, thou art my God, Pſal. 118.28.and I will thanke thee, thou art my God, and I will praiſe thee. But a great many of vsus like vntounto horſes and mules which hauehave no vnderſtanding either remember not, or regard not to giuegive God thanks. A man may ſee it daily in many of vsus, that we come from our beds, and from our meales, as dogs from their kennels, and oxen from their ſtalls. Others of vsus hauehave certaine words of courſe, as to ſay, God be bleſſed, God be thanked, I praiſe God, I thanke God, which being good words in themſelues, yet are ſo coldly and curſorily vttered by vsus, as that a man may well ſee they hauehave their beginning in the lips, and their ending in the ayre, but neuer pierce the heauens. But beloued, if we will hauehave our voice of thankſgiuing to breake thorow the clouds, & to come vntounto the higheſt, we muſt vſe Maries magnificat, and ſay, My ſoule doth magnifie the Lord, and my ſpirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour. Luc. 1.46.As therfore it becommeth vsus to be thankfull, ſo let vsus remember in faith and full aſſurance of Gods louelove towards vsus to powre out our ſoules in thankſgiuing vntounto him, that ſo our ſacrif… may be acceptable vntounto him.