Memorable Days and Works of God in the Year 1645, Part
With many other, which time would faile to obſerve and illuſtrate. Oh for a compleat hiſtorie, which would ſet forth Gods glory, and theſe Kingdomes happineſſe.
A…d now England, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare tht Lord thy God, to walke in all his wayes, and to louelove him, and to ſerve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoule- Deut. 10. 12.
Meanes to render to the Lord according to all his benefits
1 Be a receiver in the maine: by making Chriſt ſure to thy ſoule ſoe to get a full and right title to theſe inferior mercyes: And this will ſweeten every benefit, and lift it up high in thy thoughts, ſeing it al comes from ſoe heavenly a ſpring of love; when a ſoule can be thankfull for Chriſt firſt, and for other favours in him: when it ſeeth ſalvation wrought, and applyed, and ſoe takes the cup of ſalvation The heart hereby is marveilouſly warmed, & enlarged unto thankfulneſſe and a ſmall mercy elevated, as a pledge of greater. Is it not received in Chriſt, who is the heire of all thinges? Doth it not come ſwimming to us in his bloud? And the want hereof is one cheife cauſe of the great unthankfulneſſe we ſee in theſe times: ſome dead and heartleſſe, others groſely prophaine, the love of Chriſt would have conſtrained them, and beene ſtronger then death, to doe and ſuffer for him to the vttermoſt: 2 Cor. 5. 14and Cant. 8. 6. 7.
2 In deepe thoughts ſet together Gods greatneſſe and thy vileneſſe. That ſuch a God ſhould doe ſuch thinges for ſoe wretched and unworthy a creature as thou art. Man would not doe ſoe for a ſtranger, eſpecially for an enemie: Only he that is infinitely good, and free in all he doth, one that workes for his owne ſake, becauſe mercy pleaſeth him yea, he works with delight to do his people good, Pſ. 35. 27. he hath pleaſure in the proſperitie of his ſervants, Thus many became ſoe thankfull, Luk. 1. 48. conſidering the Lord to be mighty, and her ſelfe in a low eſtate, a heart ſpiritually humble is ever a thankfuil heart, As mans worth goeth downe ſoe Gods goodneſſe goeth up.
3 Prize and remember the mercies thou receiveſt, It is not the having of mercies that makes one thankfull. but the eſteeming & magnifying of them as they are, many mercies grow ſtale by the commonneſſe of them: as the Sun that ſhineth dayly, and the Goſpel which is preached plentifully, victories, and deliverances are now adays ordinary matters therefore not duely regarded, He that ſlights my kindneſſe will ſcarſe thanke mee for it, or he that forgets it, ſoe of God and his people, Pſal. 105. 5. and. 106. 13.
4 Put caſe yee wanted ſuch and ſuch mercyes, which for moſt part are beſt ſeene in the want of thē: What miſcheife would it have beene, if the enemy had prevailed at Naiſby, and other places? If they had entred into ſoe many of our ſtrong places, which were left? If an arbitrary Goverment had beene erected and thereby a perfect ſlavery? If popery had been introduced, and the Goſpel baniſhed? Sit do woe & thinke what a ſad face of things would have now appeared: remember all the way which the Lord thy God hath led thee in theſe heavy times as Deut. 8. 2.
5 Pray to be able and willing to render, As thou prayeſt for the increaſe of other graces, ſo pray alſo to be acting & exciting this grace of thankfulneſſe, God, if intreated will enlarge thy heart to runne the way of his Commandements.
6 To prayer add thine own endeavour, Strive and ſtraine to doe this dutie? as David. 103. 1. Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoule and all that is within mee, Bleſſe his holy Name Bleſſe the Lord O my ſoule, and forget not all his benefits. Water comes not up without pumping: and wee have dry hearts, there needs an holy violence to be uſed, as Mat. 11. 12.
7 There needs ſome thought taking: as David, VVhat ſhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards mee? Pſal. 116. 12 God ſtudies to doe us good, and waits to be gracious: and that by a counſell from all eternity hath thoughts of peace toward his Church, thoughts of ſupply of delivetance, of turning all to good.
Finis.
End of the text · Joseph Caryl, Memorable Days and Works of God in the Year 1645 (1646)