The sum of all is this; unthankfulness is even forgetful. This is the first degree of apostasy.q They forgot his works, and remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from their enemies. Nathan taxed David with this forgetfulness, 2 Sam. 12.8. How much hath God done for thee, yet hast thou forgotten it, and despised his Commandment? So Pharaohs officer forgot Joseph, when he came to his preferment.r Joash the King remembered not the kindness of Jehojada, but slew his son. Hath God delivered, purged, blessed us, and can we forget it?s Beware lest thou lift up thine heart, and forget the Lord. David would not suffer the blessings of God to lye in tenebris, unseen of men, unremembered of his own heart, but he proclaims them, Psal. 66.16. Come all ye that fear the Lord, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul. Let others write the kindnesses of their friends, I will relate to you the mercies of my God, Psal. 40.10. and 71.15. Of all faculties of the soul, the memory is most delicate, tender and brittle, and soonest decayeth: and of all objects of memory, Primum senescit beneficium, a benefit soonest grows old. Yet it is an easy work of memory, to think on him that made us: here is no over-charging it with numerous objects; to remember only one thing, the mercy of thy God. It is no weakening to thy body, no decay to thy store, no emptying to thy purse; O then be thankful! And yet all thy riches, thy fatlings, thy first fruits, thy best oblations are not so acceptable: it is more welcome than the Bullock that hath horn and hoof, Psal. 77.9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? He hath then left his old wont: No, David had forgotten the richness of his mercy; therefore he recollects himself, vers. 10. This is mine infirmity; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. Not the moments, nor the hours, nor days of a few short afflictions; that his left-hand hath dealt to me: but the years of his right hand; those long, large, and boundless mercies wherewith he hath comforted me.t When they forgot the Lord, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, and to the Philistines- They that forget the Lord, shall be delivered into the hand of Sisera, Captain of ⟨p. 202⟩the enemies host, that is, Satan; or to the Philistines, the Lusts of the Flesh; or to Moab, that's the world. uConsider this ye that forget God:
The summe of all is this; unthankfulnesse is even forgetfull. This is the first degree of apostacie.q They forgate his workes, and remembred not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from their enemies. Nathan taxed David with this forgetfulnesse, 2 Sam. 12.8. How much hath God done for thee, yet hast thou forgotten it, and despised his Commandement? So Pharaohs officer forgate Ioseph, when he came to his preferment.r Ioash the King remembred not the kindnesse of Iehojada, but slew his sonne. Hath God delivered, purged, blessed us, and can we forget it?s Beware lest thou lift up thine heart, and forget the Lord. David would not suffer the blessings of God to lye in tenebris, unseene of men, unremembred of his owne heart, but he proclaimes them, Psal. 66.16. Come all yee that feare the Lord, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soule. Let others write the kindnesses of their friends, I will relate to you the mercies of my God, Psal. 40.10. and 71.15. Of all faculties of the soule, the memory is most delicate, tender and brittle, and soonest decayeth: and of all objects of memroy, Primum senescit beneficium, a benefit soonest growes old. Yet it is an easie worke of memory, to thinke on him that made us: here is no over-charging it with numerous objects; to remember onely one thing, the mercy of thy God. It is no weakening to thy body, no decay to thy store, no emptying to thy purse; O then be thankfull! And yet all thy riches, thy fatlings, thy first fruits, thy best oblations are not so acceptable: it is more welcome than the Bullocke that hath horne and hoofe, Psal. 77.9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? He hath then left his old wont: No, David had forgotten the richnesse of his mercy; therefore hee recollects himselfe, vers. 10. This is mine infirmitie; but I will remember the yeeres of the right hand of the most High. Not the moments, nor the houres, nor dayes of a few short afflictions; that his left-hand hath dealt to me: but the yeeres of his right hand; those long, large, and boundlesse mercies wherewith he hath comforted me.t
- qPsal. 78.11.42
- r2 Chron. 24.22.
- sDeut. 8.14.
- t1 Sam. 12.9.
- uPsal. 50.22.
