A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

And after this manner must we show our thankfulness unto God: The object of our thanksgiving, or the cause and occasion of giving thanks, ¹is, all things, according to that of the Apostle, In every thing give thanks; And again, giving thanks always, for all things, unto God the Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is, we must give thanks for all good things, which are so in their own nature, or which through Gods wisdom, power, and goodness are made so unto us; for positive good things, as all Gods blessings and benefits, both temporal, spiritual, and eternal; or privative, when God in his love and mercy freeth us from those evils of punishment which our sins have deserved, or at least, doth not inflict them in that measure and degree which he might justly impose upon us: in which respect, the Church in her greatest afflictions ²took occasion of praising God, and acknowledging his mercies, in that they were not utterly consumed: And doth also turn these light and ³momentany afflictions to our good, as the mortification of our sins, the enriching of us with spiritual graces, the furthering of our salvation, and the increasing of our heavenly joy and happiness.

And after this manner must we shew our thankfulnesse vnto God: The obiect of our thanksgiuing, or the cause and occasion of giuing thankes,