The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 3
THE THIRD PART. Of Mans Thankfulneſſe.
AFter the Treatiſe of mans Miſery, and of his Delivery thence by Chriſt, the doctrine of Thankfulneſſe hath his neceſſary place: 1. Becauſe it concerneth Gods glory; ſeeing the principall end of our Redemption is our thankfulneſſe; that is, our acknowledging and magnifying of Chriſts benefits. 2. For our comfort, which conſiſteth in our delivery: and deliverance pertaineth not but to thoſe who deſire to approve themſelves thankfull. 3. That hence we may yeeld unto God his due and lawfull worſhip: for God condemneth all mans will-worſhip. We muſt therefore declare out of Gods word the nature of true thankfulneſſe, which is the due worſhip of God. 4. That we may know that all our good works are thankfulneſſe, and not merits. Now,What thankfulneſſe is in generall. in generall, Thankfulneſſe is a vertue acknowledging and profeſsing the perſon of whom wee have been intereſſed, and the greatneſſe of the benefits wee have received, with a deſire of returning and performing again to our benefactors all honest and poſsible duties. It comprehendeth in it truth and justice: Truth, becauſe it acknowledgeth and teſtifieth the benefits that are received: Juſtice, becauſe it endeavoureth to render condigne thanks for good deſerts.What Chriſtian thankfulneſſe is. So then, Chriſtian gratitude, which is here handled, is an acknowledgement and profeſsion of our free redemption from ſin and death by Christ, and an earnest deſire to decline and avoid ſin, and all diſpleaſure of God, and to order our life after his will; to crave expect, and receive all good things by true faith from him alone, A connexion of the Common places of this third part, by reſolving gratitude into his parts.and to render all poſsible thanks for benefits received at his hands. Two parts there are alſo of this gratefulneſſe; Truth and Juſtice: Truth acknowledgeth and teſtifieth the benefit of free redemption and yeeldeth thanks unto God for it. Juſtice offereth up unto God ſuch recompence as hee requireth, which is nought elſe but a true worſhip of him, obedience and good works. Unto truth belongeth the doctrine of prayer; and the doctrine of good works is referred to juſtice. Now the fountain of all theſe is, Mans converſion unto God: for the works of the regenerate only are good and acceptable to God; and Gods law is the rule of good works. Wherefore in this third part of Catechiſme, Mans converſion to God, and The law of God is largely handled. So that theſe four Common places principally appertain to this part, Of Mans Thankulfulneſſe; The Common place of Mans converſion, of Good works, of Gods law, and of Prayer. The order and coherence of theſe Common places may be gathered alſo on this wiſe:
Out of the diverſe and manifold doctrine of the two former parts we have learned,Another connexion by compounding gratitude of all his parts. that we are not through any merit of ours, but of Gods meer grace, by and for Chriſt, redeemed from ſin and death, and even from all evill both of crime and pain: whereof it followeth, that we ſhould be thankfull for this exceeding benefit beſtowed by Chriſt upon us. But we cannot ſhew and approve our ſelves thankfull to God, except we be truly converted: for whatſoever is done by them which are not converted, is done without faith, and is therefore ſin and abomination before God. Firſt therefore, thoſe things which are ſpoken of Converſion, are in few words to be expounded. Then enſueth the common place of good works: for by them we declare our thankfulneſſe towards God; and true converſion cannot ſtand without good works. Afterwards is adjoyned the doctrine which intreateth of the law, whereby we learn to know good works: For thoſe are truly ſaid to be good works, by which we worſhip God aright, and ſhew our ſelves to be thankfull; which are done by faith, according to the rule and preſcript only of Gods law. Becauſe God will chiefly be worſhipped of us, and magnified by invocation; and for this cauſe we ſhew our thankfulneſſe moſt of all by prayer and thankſgiving: at length the common place of prayer ſhall be laſtly annexed. Theſe things we purpoſe to declare briefly, and in order here following.