AT the last time which I spake of these words, In all things give thanks, & Quench not the Spirit: Touching the first, I showed you that it is an easier thing to obtain of God, than to be thankful to him:1 for moe have gone away speeders, than have gone away thankers. Then how the wicked are beholding to God, as well as the just: and therefore it is said,2 that the Sun doth shine upon the just and the unjust. Then how Jacob came ⟨p. 291⟩not so barely to Laban,3 when he brought nothing with him, but his staff in his hand: as man cometh into this world without strength or staff to sustain him, which made the Apostle to ask,4 What have you which you have not received? Therefore, to teach man to be thankful unto his maker, he was not made in Paradise the place of joy and happiness,5 but being made out of Paradise, he was brought into Paradise, to show how all his joy and happiness came from God, and not from nature, that he might know where to bestow his thanks. Therefore David to persuade all men unto thankfulness, saith, It is a good and pleasant thing to be thankful.6 If he had said no more but good, all which love goodness were bound to be thankful, but when he saith not only good but pleasant too, all which love pleasure are bound to be thankful, and therefore as Peters mother in law, so soon as Christ healed her of a fever, rose up immediately to minister unto him,7 so we so soon as Christ hath done any thing for us, should rise up immediately to serve him.8 And as Annah when she had received a son from God, did consecrate him to God again: so whatsoever we receive of God, we must give it to God again, that is, use it to his glory, and make it one of our means to serve him, for ⟨p. 292⟩all things which we receive in this life, are given unto us, lest we should want any means to serve God. Then because the Apostle requireth Thanks for all things, I showed you that he is not thankful before God, which thanks him only for his benefits, but he is thankful indeed, which thanks him for his chastisement. It may be, while the Lord giveth, many will say, Blessed be the name of the Lord. But when the Lord taketh, who will say, Blessed be the name of the Lord? When the Lord did take,9 Job said, Blessed be the name of the Lord. There is one example then of Pauls doctrine, which in all things gave thanks.
AT the last time which I spake of these wordes, In all things giue thanks, & Quench not the Spirit: Touching the first, I shewed you that it is an easier thing to obtaine of God, than to bee thankfull to him:1 for moe haue gone away speeders, than haue gone away thankers. Then how the wicked are beholding to God, as well as the iust: and therfore it is sayd,2 that the Sunne doth shine vpon the iust and the vniust. Then how Iacob came ⟨p. 291⟩not so barely to Laban,3 when he brought nothing with him, but his staffe in his hand: as man commeth into this worlde without strength or staffe to sustaine him, which made the Apostle to aske,4 What haue you which you haue not receiued? Therefore, to teach man to be thankfull vnto his maker, hee was not made in Paradise the place of ioy and happines,5 but being made out of Paradise, hee was brought into Paradise, to shew how all his ioy and happines came from God, and not from nature, that he might know where to bestow his thankes. Therefore Dauid to perswade all men vnto thankfulnesse, saith, It is a good and pleasant thing to be thankfull.6 If he had sayd no more but good, all which loue goodnesse were bound to be thankful, but when he saith not onely good but pleasant too, all which loue pleasure are bounde to be thankfull, and therefore as Peters mother in lawe, so soone as Christ healed her of a feauer, rose vp immediatly to minister vnto him,7 so we so soone as Christ hath done any thing for vs, should rise vp immediatly to serue him.8 And as Annah when she had receiued a sonne from God, did consecrate him to God againe: so whatsoeuer wee receiue of God, wee must giue it to God againe, that is, vse it to his glorie, and make it one of our meanes to serue him, for ⟨p. 292⟩all things which wee receiue in this life, are giuen vnto vs, lest we should want any means to serue God. Then because the Apostle requireth Thankes for all things, I shewed you that hee is not thankfull before God, which thankes him onely for his benefites, but he is thankfull indeede, which thankes him for his chastisement. It may be, while the Lord giueth, many will say, Blessed be the name of the Lord. But when the Lord taketh, who wil say, Blessed bee the name of the Lorde? When the Lord did take,
- 1Luk. 17. 17.
- 2Mat. 5. 45.
- 3Gen. 19. 13.
- 41. Cor. 4. 4.
- 5Gen. 2 8.
- 6Psal. 147. 1
- 7Matth. 8.
- 81. Sam. 1.
- 9Job. 1.Iob. 1.
