The Churchs Thank-Offering to God Her King, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Recording, thanking, praiſing, an high imployment; who fit for it; how great the engagement to it; who the fountaine of mercies; whence received, thither returned.
SECT. I.
Thankeſ-giving and praiſe a ſacred imployment.
THe old manner was, that a certaine number were appointed, to record, to thanke, and to praiſe the Lord God of Iſrael a1 Chron. 16. ….; Theſe muſt b… Levites, ſuch as did miniſter before the Arke of the Lord. It was a ſacred imployment, a worke (as ſome Pſalmes are) of Degrees. To Record was the loweſt, and required little clevation of ſpirit: To Thanke was an higher Degree, and commanded more life of affection. To Prai…e, that it, to ſing the high praiſes of our God, there comes in Selah, a winding-up of the ſpirit to the higheſt. It may be ſaid, What need all this? Such a livelineſſe of affection? Such an activity of ſpirit to thank and to praiſe God? It is as ordinary a thing, and as eaſie a worke, as is done in the world; Kings of the Earth and all people, Princes and all Iudges of the Earth, both young-men and Maidens: Old men and children bPſ. 148. 11, 12.. All theſe doe as they are commanded, they thanke the Lord and praiſe Him too; if we could heare the afore-mentioned ſpeaking one after another, we ſhould heare nothing but Thankes and Praiſe. I am in health ſaith one, I thanke God: I am increaſed and proſper in the world, ſaith another, I praiſe God: I have had many croſſes and troubles in the world, I bleſſe my God. They have well ſpoken in all that they have ſaid, but ô that there were ſuch an heart cDeut. 5. 29.! All creatures praiſe God, for ſo they are commanded, Dragons and all deepes, &c. Beaſts and all Cattell, creeping things and flying ſoule; all praiſe Him in their kind. But man is a more excellent Creature, he ſtands charged to doe it in a more excellent manner, els as good not done; he hath a tongue for that end, and called his glory; and yet the feweſt of all doe praiſe God, as they ſhould, and all, becauſe they thinke it ſo eaſie and ordinary a worke to praiſe Him, whereas tongue and heart both muſt be well tuned for this work, for it is the moſt heaven-like of all the ſervices perform'd by Man here below. As to Praiſe is comely, ſo is it a clean, pure, heavenly, laſting action: None but the Righteous, whoſe hearts are cleanſed from ſinne, and emptied of Selfe, they onelyonly doe it, the upright in heart dPſ. 33. 1. Pſ. 119. 7; and what they doe now on Earth, they ſhall doe hereafter in Heaven; it is their worke to all Eternity.
SECT, II.
Who the Perſon is that is fit for this worke.
VVE muſt then find-out a fit perſon for this worke, ſo high an imployment; a perſon that can doe it to purpoſe decently and in order, that miniſters before the Lord continually, they that walke with Him, cleave to Him, truſt in Him: the people of God, ſuch as feare Him onelyonly, ſerve Him onelyonly, ſo walking in his wayes. Theſe many are but one, one Houſe, one Body, ſo ſingle they in converſation, ſo uſefull they in their communion each with other, as members one of another. And ſo I ſhall take them all under a ſingle Notion, as one perſon, whom I ſhall properly call the Church. The Church indeed eforeign., having more then a name, for that and no more is nothing. She hath a Name that ſhe lives and ſhe doth live: and this life is the more ſpiritfull and active, becauſe as light was brought out of the wombe of darkneſſe; ſo her life from death: She was dead, but ſhe is now alive and lives for ever, her life being hid with Chriſt in God fCol. 3. 3.. A very fit perſon for ſuch a worke, an heavenly worke, an heavenly perſon; who, might ſhe deliver her own words with her own mouth, would doe it exactly well: but howſoever ſhe will doe it decently and in order, after ſhe hath told us her ingagement to the worke, how ſhe doth record it, and to whom ſhe payeth the tribute of praiſe and thankes.
SECT. III.
The Churches engagement to record, to thanke, to praiſe.
HItherto all fits very well, the Perſon and the Worke. Now ſee the engagement thereunto, that's very ſtrong and binding: For behold, how great the loving kindneſſes are? how rich the mercies? how marvellous the workes, which the Lord hath done for this Nation (whereof in due place) and conveyed to it, through the hands of man? It is God Who makes two of one mind in one houſe; and the ſame God, Who hath made two Houſes one, to goe together, as one man, hand in hand, heart with heart, in the ſame way perfectly joyned together in the ſame mind, and in the ſame judgement g1 Cor. 1. 10.. I ſhall then take theſe many under one ſingle Notion alſo, as one perſon and ſo goe on to tell the Churches engagement, but to her God firſt. As the King ſaid, if the Lord doe not helpe, whence could he helpe? out of the Barne-floore or out of the wine-preſse h2 Kin. 6. 26.? The ſame may be ſaid touching all created power; if the Lord had not helped, neither this nor that could have helped. The proud helpers doe ſtoope under Him. iIob 9. 13.. But when the yeere of Recompences for His Zion is come kEſa. 34. 8., when He will be avenged of His Adverſaries, who have made voyd His Law; when He workes ſalvations l1 Sam. 11. 13.in Iſrael (as He hath done this Day;) when He doth ariſe to judgement, to ſave all the meeke of the Earth mPſ. 76. 9.: What then? Then He breaks the Arrowes of the Bow, the Shield ver. 3.and the Sword, and the battle (aye God doth it, and ſo doth it, that all may ſay, The hand of the Lord is here, He hath done it of a truth.) Then he ſpoyles the ſtout hearted; then he cuts off the ſpirit of Princes; ſo as when they would oppoſe the way and worke of the Lord, thoſe men of might ſhall not find their hands; but it ſhall be with them as once it was, when the Charet and Horſe were caſt into a dead ſleepe, ver. …. 6.and then the weake ſh…ll ſay, They be ſtrong nIoel 3. …0., their Armour, though as contemptible in mans eyes, as David and his Armour was, is of proofe, and ſhall doe exploits upon His Churches enemies. He goes not unweaponed, that carries the revenge of God along with him, though he carries but a ſling, a ſcrip and a pibble *Sam 17. 40.Such deſpicable inſtruments are choſen of God, whereby He will performe exploits, ſo as He may have all the glory, putting into them Heroicall Motions for atchieument.
Surely all this hath the Lord done for His people this laſt yeare; all theſe Scriptures have bin fulfilled in our eyes. How hath H…e diſappointed the Hopes and Helpes of the Adverſary? how did Hee riſe u… againſt the helpe of evill doers pEſa. 31. 2.? how did Hee ſtarve the gods of the Earth? how did Hee make the faces of the wicked as flames qEſa. 13. 8.? And that this laſt may not be forgotten: how did He ſet the face of the Righteous like a fl…nt, againſt the faces of them, who turned th…ir backs upon God, and went contrary to Him in all His commands? Truly it is wonderfull in our eyes; but behold we therin the Churches engagement to their God.
Surely, if we ſhall well conſider what deliverances the Lord hath wrought this yeare, we muſt ſay of this day, as was ſaid in ancient dayes, The Lord hath wrought Salvation in Iſrael. But we ſhall r 1 Sam. 11. 13.find our Deliverance exceeding that Salvation, and paralell with that Deliverance in the following Chapters, where we reade thus; That the Philiſtines had ſo beſlaved Iſrael, that they had neither weapon nor Smith left amongſt them *… Sam. 13. 19.. And yet in this miſerable low condition, This naked, peeled people marched on (two leading the way, and over-comming the difficulties therein; for the terrour of the Lord went before, and then no matter whether few or none followed after) againſt a mighty Legion, a nume…ous and well furniſhed Adverſary, thirty thouſand Charriots and ſix thouſand Horſe-men, and people in multitude, as the …a…d on the Sea ſh…re t… Sam 13. 5., and returned from thoſe ad…erſaries laden with arm…s and vict…y …oth. The …hurches victory over her Adverſar…es, this laſt yeare, equals that in ſome things, and exceeds it in other ſome. There the Lord …rmed a naked people with the rev…nge of a God, and behold they did exploits. Here He did as much, for He raiſed up the fallen ſpirits of a beſlaved Kingdome alſo. He wro…ght ex…loits by a few choſen inſtruments, and put into their he…res heroicall motions for atchievement, ſo as a few went out againſt mighty Legion, a numerous and proud adverſary againſt light and treacherous Prophets, againſt heards and droves of Prieſts, and of Malignants, as th… ſands of the Sea-ſh…re are for multitude: But being …rmed with the revenge of a God, they did expl…its, as appeares this day. So farre the Salvation wrought then and now runne paralell. Here now our Salvation exceeds: for, behold the Lord wrought the greateſt Salvation by contrary meanes, ſuch as threatned a ſore deſolation: and ſo onelyonly a God can doe, Who at the firſt brought light out of the wombe of darkneſſe. By a moſt idolatrous Service-booke, compoſed of purpoſe to eſtabliſh that abomination, hath he confounded that Idolatrous Service and caſt it out. By the works of an imperious whoriſh woman uEzra 26. 30.(ſuch were the works of the Biſhops) hath he confounded them and their works. By the ſtrength of the Adverſary, He hath trod downe his ſtrength. By giving Scope to the foot of pride, He hath ſpoyled the proud and ſtout-hearted. By lawleſſe men, their violent deeds and devouring words, He hath wrought forth the redemption of our Lawes, and eſtabliſhment of the ſame By a Popiſh Party, a moſt malignant generation, He hath confounded them and their abominations. By ſonnes of Belial, who know no yoake, nor will beare any, He hath wrought for the vindication of our Religion, Lives, Lawes, Liberties. Thus Iehovah can doe, The great and dreadfull God; He can by moſt contrary meanes and Wils, bring to paſſe the good pleaſure of His owne Will He can by ſuch curſed Inſtruments, which threaten d…ſolation to a Land, worke forth Salvations for the ſame. Thus God can doe, and no god beſides Him: For man to ſay, that ſo he will doe (by out-lawed men maintaine the Lawes) were blaſphemy in his mouth. Thus far to ſhew the Churches engagement to their God.
The Church will tell her engagement to you, but firſt ſhe bleſſeth God, Who hath inſtructed you to diſcretion; That you doe ſo well underſtand your engagement to Him, which is, To walke before Him, and to be perfect. God hath wrought gloriouſly by you, ye will walke honourably before Him. The Church is confident you have engaged your hearts upon this thing xIer. 30. 21.. Ye are workers together with God, ye will labour to be Holy as He is Holy. What yee condemne in others, ye will hate in your ſelves; knowing well; He that will caſt a ſtone at an offendor muſt be free himſelfe, otherwiſe he condemnes and executes himſelfe in anothers perſon. Ye are, as good Samuel was, he did firſt cleare his owne Innocence, ere he duiſt charge the people with their ſinne y1 Sam. 12.. Innocency and uprightneſſe becomes every man, eſpecially thoſe that muſt take a liberty of controuling offenders. Ye have well conſidered all th…s; Ye have begun to reforme in your owne hearts and families: This is the true method of proceeding …cc…rding to the Order and a Statute in Iſrael; Ye are the Lords Hoſt, His Warriours, His Worthies, They that fight his battels muſt keep themſelves from every wicked thing aDeut. 23. ….. That is the Order; The judgement upon breach of that Order, ye may reade …ud, …o. And he that reades and conſiders will conclude his Duty thence, That a true and orderly Reform…r, reformes at he me firſt, and in his owne heart, then his Family, That the one may be kept as the Temple of the living God; The other ordered as the Church of Chriſt. And he that conſiders it not, as amongſt many, more then one there may be; This Scripture will have a keene edge againſt him, which we may reade with ſome alteration in the words, but none in the ſence; Th…u therefore who correct eſt another, correct eſt thou not thy ſelf bRom. 2. 21.? Thou who ſeemeſt to reforme abroad, reformeſt thou not at home? Certainly, there the Reformer begins, when he begins decently and in order, Great and mighty reaſon there is that he ſhould doe ſo; and preſſed upon you all by the Captaine of your Hoaſt: The very ſame that was for the Hoaſt of the Lord going forth againſt the Lords enemies; The Lord your God walketh in the midſt of your Camp to deliver up your enemies before you; therefore ſhall your Hoaſt, your Houſe, your Court, your Deut. 23.Camp, your Fleet be holy, that He ſee no uncleane thing in you, and turne Ver. 14.away from you. The Church hath told you your engagement, now ſhe will tell her engagement to you.
Great reaſon the Church ſhould record your labour of Love, worke of Faith, patience of Hope; for in all theſe you have been abundant. The greateſt reaſon in the world, ſhe ſhould be exceeding thankfull; for you have been exceeding carefull. How? you have oft refreſhed her; You were not aſhamed of her Chaine; when ſhe was in Rome, you ſought her out very diligently and ſound her h2 Tim. 1. 16. Mat. 4. 1.: The Churches prayer is, The Lord grant that you and yours may find mercy of the Lord in that day. What Day? A Day that ſhall burne like an Oven; nay, more terrible then ſo; A Day when the wicked ſh…ll be at their wits end for expectation, and call to the Hils to fall upon them. O it is a mighty matter to find mercy of the Lord in that Day, that terrible Day; that all ſearching, all quickning, all opening, all manifeſting Day: I cannot expreſſe what a mercy it is to find mercy in that Day. But ſo the Church prayes, That you may finde mercy in that Day, That you may lift up your heads with joy in that Day; Behold Him in that Day, Whom your ſoule loveth, Whom you ſerve, Whom you feare, and Whoſe Rights you have maintained with all your might. So the Church prayes; And good reaſon the Church ſhould pray ſo, That you may find mercy in that Day; for in this Day, in how many things you have miniſtred to her, her Lord knowes, ſhe knowes not; but in very many, that ſhe knowes, and ſhe doth Record them with rejoycing: And ſhe wiſheth you proſperity in the Name of the Lord, that you may ride on with your honour and doe valiantly; The greateſt Reaſon that can be, She ſhould wiſh even ſo, your proſperity; for therein are involved Peace and Truth, the ſafety and proſperity of the whole Kingdome.
I muſt obſerve, as they call it, decorum Perſonae, The Church is never lav…ſh or large in praiſes to Man; She likes not to ſtrike much upon that ſtring, leaſt it ſhould affect too much, and make too ſweet Muſicke in the eare: Yet She cannot but adde this, and then She will put in for Caution, That many Parliaments have done worthily; Many very worthy deeds have been done for the Nation thereby, but you have exceeded them all. Indeed you have done ſo much, ſo many worthy deeds, that, as was ſaid wittily, the Church may ſay truly, You have made the Church the greateſt Ʋſurer in the World; for you have turned all her eſtate into Obligations. Truly She hath nothing She dares call her owne; all her Eſtate lyeth in Bonds indeed, whereby She is tyed faſt to her King and You. She thanks you heartily, ſo well content is She with her Bonds; her Eſtate is good enough, and ſure enough, and rich enough; her Bonds are her Freedome and her Riches both.
SECT. IV.
Abundant Thanks and Praiſe tickle the eare; therefore the Church puts in Caution for that.
FOr Caution now, and there is need of it: For we low men can exalt man very high, and give him high praiſes, more then is comely. We can ſay, That Gods are come downe to us in the likeneſſe of men, and we can offer ſacrifice unto them, ſuch as is only due to God: And ſo mighty men have fallen even by the applauſe of man, as well as by the tickling of their owne hearts. This is a dainty point, man had need to looke on ſtrait, leſt he treſpaſſe upon Gods peculiar Right, which he may doe before he is aware.
I will aſcend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the moſt High, ſo the great King of Babel thought and ſpake in the pride of his heart iI…. 1… ▪. And yet we doe not conceive, that he thought himſelfe able to clamber up above the clouds, and there ſet himſelfe in the Throne of God; He was not ſo brutiſhly confident as to thinke ſo. We find him guilty but of ſtout words againſt the Lord, and high thoughts; and ſo we alſo may, though we thinke not ſo, aſcend above the height of the clouds too: For (I borrow M. Perkins words which will explaine Perk. on Gen. …. 21. c. 5. ſect. 1.theſe) we may doe all this two wayes.
Firſt When we thinke we have power of our ſelves, whereby we can match or countervaile the power of God. This thought riſeth in the heart very often, when we truſt in our Mountaine, and it is a ſtrong City and an high Wall in our conceit kProv. 18. 1….; and in our counſell and ſtrength, that it ſhall prevaile againſt God.
Secondly, When we take to our ſelves the honour of God and think… it our owne proper due. Such thoughts as theſe riſe very often in good hearts, but upon wiſer thoughts they put it from them as a curſed thing, and give not place by ſubjection thereto, no not for a minute. They can conſider with all their hearts how ſtout thoſe words are, we have read, and how high and abominable ſuch thoughts. But yet we may note, That the wiſeſt have not alwayes theſe wiſe and conſidering thoughts before they be beaten into them firſt, by ſome ſore affliction, whereby they are put into feare, and know to purpoſe; That they are but men lPſal. 9. Vehementiſſimè agnoſcant. Iun.; and therefore what they did was not by their owne ſtrength. It is a paſſage ſurely to be noted, how brag Sampſon was of what he had done. What had he done? With the jaw-bone of an Aſſe heaps upon heaps mIudg. 15. 16, 17.; With the jaw of an Aſſe have I ſlaine a thouſa… me…: … doubles it, that the b…eneſſe of the inſtrument might adde to his praiſe, and then he caſt away the Inſtrument as a contemptibl… th…n…, th…t the victory might be given wholly to his owne hand. Next newes we heare, Sampſon is ſore athirſt. Then he ſpeaks more ſa…ly and wi…ely; Thou haſt given …his deliverance into the hand of thy ſervant And then he lo…ked toward the bone that he had caſt away with ſcorne, and behold water thereout, whereby his ſpirit revived; That he might know (and be humbled) the ſame hand which gave him drinke now, gave him the victory bef…re. But ſuch a proud ſpirit Man hath, it will not downe till it be beaten downe; he is ſeldome made wiſe but by ſtroakes.
The Church ſpeaks as unto wiſe men, who can ju…ge what She ſaith, and account it but a point of her zeale and wiſedome to put in Caution here, and to ſhew her care and feare, leaſt praiſe and applauſe ſhould doe you hurt; leaſt having done ſo much and ſo worthily, and being ſo famous in Iſrael, you ſhould not be able to looke through all; a…l you have, and all you are, and all you have done, through all to Chriſt, and through Chriſt to God; for indeed the Church finds it by experience to be an hard thing; nay, without a great meaſure of Grace, impoſſibl… to doe as aforeſaid, That is, To ſay as one did, I have laboured more abundantly then they all; and then to conclude heartily I have done nothing at all: yet not I but the grace of God which was with me a1 Cor. 15. 10.: To ſay in w…y of glorying as a man hath done, and as you may doe; In nothing, am I behinde the very chiefeſt, that have formerly or now have ſate in Conſultation; and the… in the cloſe of the worke, thinke truly as he ſaith, though …he nothing b… Cor. 12. 11., A hard matter this to all that are made of one bloud cActs 17 26., to that part we properly call fleſh, a great incroacher ſtill upon Divine Right. If God be pleaſed to honour fleſh a little, and to caſt Hi… quickning Beames upon it, then commonly fl…ſh will honour it ſelfe a great deale, it will come in, carve liberally to it ſelfe, All the Glory Indeed if we doe not looke well unto it, and with a ſtrong hand command and charge it: ſo fleſh will doe, it will (Biſhop like) take a large ſhar…; at le…ſt, it will incroach far upon Gods peculiar Right. And then it doth juſt as if the Wall ſhould, now the Sun-beames are upon it, boaſt, That the Beames were produced by ſome excellent vertue and power in the Mud wall …nd not by the Sun dPerinde ac ſi partes radium ſe par…rire dicat Calv. Inſtit. 3. Cap. 12..
This is enough to ſhew the Churches engagement, and to keep Man from incroaching upon Gods Right, or from boaſting in himſelfe In God we may boaſt all the day long, and ſpare not, there is no danger there, for in Him ſhall all the ſeed of Iſrael be juſtified and ſhall glory *Iſa. 45. …3..
And this could not be well omitted here; for in very deed, the Church will Record very great things, admirable works, rich mercies, mighty Deliverances, ſtrange Diſcoveries, &c. and She will enlarge her ſelfe very much in thanksgiving and praiſe for all this; therefore the Caution was neceſſary.
SECT. V.
How the Church records Mercies; Who the Fountaine; to whom She payes Tribute.
THe Church records theſe things in her heart; There ſhe weigheth and ponders them. She can be content there might be a Pillar raiſed, and a perpetuall Remembrance written thereon of the wor…s of her God, and in great Charecters, ſo as he that runs might reade them: But nevertheleſſe She records them, as was ſaid; and She writes upon them all, Askt of God, and the gift of God through Chriſt: She Records them as the purchaſe of Blood, and ſo ſtreaming downe to her; Which quickens her up very much, and raiſeth her Spirits high in the receiving and Recording of them; And then She is fitted and well prepared for the high worke of Thanksgivi…g and of Prai…e. O S…e is abundant in Thanksgiving and in pr…iſe for Chriſt as the bottome-Mercy, Which beareth up all; The Foundation, Whereon She is eſtabliſhed mightily, even with the ſtrength of God; and in that ſtrength, She holds up all her Mercies, and Records them from the leaſt to the greateſt; from the firſt to the laſt; He is the Root, That beareth all her ſweets; All her Fruits are in Him, and ſome She gathers up, and picks from the earth; but the full Vintage (all below is but as the firſt fruits and gleanings) is where the Root is, in Heaven: He is the Sun to her little World. If He hide His face, She is in the Dark, though all the other Starres ſhine upon her, though there be an influence of all earthly Comforts towards her habitation: Still His Preſence makes the Day; His Abſence, the Night. The Church doth ſometimes reflect upon her old Condition; She would not be in it againe f…r a world, for therein She can behold now the very utmoſt of miſery; What is that? and without God in the World aEpheſ. 2. 12.. It was ſ…id before, as the Sun to the great World, ſo the Creatour thereof to our little World: If that be eclipſed but for an houre, ſee how the Creatures droop and hang downe the head: ſo it is with the Church; Let her be without health, if her God pleaſe; without liberty; without any thing in the world, ſo She be not with…ut God in the World, all is well; for it is Day with her, notwithſtanding all her Nights of ſorrow: For He i… the fountaine of Light, and of Life too; All her freſh Springs, the very being of life, the joy and comforts of her life are in Him. And if ſome of her Rivelets, ſome one or more ſtreames be cut off or tu…ned another way; yet the Spring-head runs cleare, The fountaine is the ſame, and She is ſure, That is her…; She hath an intereſt therein; Therefore She can make her boaſt of God all the Day, and all the Night of her ſorrow alſo; For in Him She is juſtified and will glory: And for Him her heart would be enlarged as wide as are the two Poles one from the other; ſuch an enlargement She would find in Thanksgiving, but She is a poore ſtraitned hand-maid; yet ſo She would be enlarged to her God: For She hath all from Him, Blood to juſtifie, Water to ſanctifie; She can deſire no more, and all this She Records here; for all this She will Thanke and praiſe her God to all eternity. To conclude, She receives all from Him; She returnes all to Him; She Records all for Him, that He may have all the Glory. So we have the bottome and foundation whereon to raiſe the Pile of Mercies, and our Sacrafice of Thanks and Praiſe.