Many mens prayers consist of suite and request making to God, without any thanks either adjoined or following, as in the nine lepers is to be seen; others give thanks in words, but they want wings to lift them up to heaven, I mean, faith, fervency and love. And the best think it enough to mumble a little inward thanks, and that sometimes, for some blessings: but who is the man ⟨p. 230⟩of many, that makes his thanks break out into songs? Songs are more then common praises. Christians should have two books, in the one to record their faults and falls; in the other to register Gods benefits: both should serve to set them a work in confession and thanks. For thanks never go alone without other graces: A thankful heart is patient also, humble, faithful, 1conscionable, dutiful: by thanksgiving we quicken up our faith, zeal, fear of God, and renew our covenants daily: for how can we dishonour him, when we profess our selves to be infinitely beholding to? This, besides that it justleth out jangling, contention, and ill spending the time; so it drieth up the froth of our evil hearts, fretting, discontentment, impatience, hardness of heart, and all of the same kind, as I have said. In a word, he that praiseth God aright, worships him aright, as we see in the Psalm: and so to 2say much in one word, he that is thankful is a good Christian. Oh then let us look better to this, and make amends for our arrearages herein. For he that looks we should be thankful for affliction, as that holy man Job was, much more (a man would think) looks that it should be so for blessings, which most justly by many degrees do more challenge it. Let every one that of the Israel of God say, The mercies of the Lord continue for ever. Let it not seem tedious to recount old mercies, both the greatest of redemption, and the lesser of preservation: yea help we our selves forward mutually, as Barak and Debora here did sing in consort. Doubtless an unthankful life, is 3a sottish, hellish life, overgrown with all that naught is, and therefore loathsome to a Christian. He that saith, I would I could do every duty as well as this of thanks, is a fool, not knowing what he saith, he prates like a Parrot. Thankfulness is not without godliness. But I cannot well proceed further as this time.
Many mens prayers consist of suite and request making to God, without any thankes either adioyned or following, as in the nine lepers is to be seene; others giue thankes in words, but they want wings to lift them vp to heauen, I meane, faith, feruencie and loue. And the best thinke it enough to mumble a little inward thankes, and that sometimes, for some blessings: but who is the man ⟨p. 230⟩of many, that makes his thankes breake out into songs? Songs are more then common praises. Christians should haue two bookes, in the one to record their faults and falles; in the other to register Gods benefits: both should serue to set them a worke in confession and thankes. For thankes neuer goe alone without other graces: A thankfull heart is patient also, humble, faithfull, 1conscionable, dutifull: by thanksgiuing we quicken vp our faith, zeale, feare of God, and renue our couenants daily: for how can wee dishonour him, when we professe our selues to be infinitly beholding to? This, besides that it iustleth out iangling, contention, and ill spending the time; so it drieth vp the froth of our euill hearts, fretting, discontentment, impatience, hardnesse of heart, and all of the same kinde, as I haue said. In a word, he that praiseth God aright, worships him aright, as we see in the Psalme: and so to 2say much in one word, he that is thankfull is a good Christian. Oh then let vs looke better to this, and make amends for our arrearages herein. For hee that lookes wee should bee thankfull for affliction, as that holy man Iob was, much more (a man would thinke) lookes that it should be so for blessings, which most iustly by many degrees do more chalenge it. Let euery one that of the Israel of God say, The mercies of the Lord continue for euer. Let it not seeme tedious to recount old mercies, both the greatest of redemption, and the lesser of preseruation: yea helpe we our selues forward mutually, as Barak and Debora here did sing in consort. Doubtlesse an vnthankfull life, is 3a sottish, hellish life, ouergrowne with all that naught is, and therefore lothsome to a Christian. He that saith, I would I could doe euery duty as well as this of thankes, is a foole, not knowing what he saith, he prates like a Parrot. Thankfulnesse is not without godlinesse. But I cannot well proceed further as this time.
- 1Note.
- 2Psal. 50. 23.
- 3Note.
