3. Thankfully remember former deliverances. If we have not some praise for God, we may suspect our selves.* 'Tis observed that the City Shushan, the Royal seat of the Persian Monarchy, was portrayed upon the east gate of the temple, not because of the Persian command, or because of their fear of that King, as some think; but to have a thankful remembrance of the wonderful deliverance of Purim, which was wrought in Shushan, Esth. 9.26. If it had been only by the Persians command, it would have been defaced after the fall of that Monarchy, which held but thirty four years after the building of the second Temple. The 136. Psalm is a good Copy, where is a threefold exhortation to thankfulness, in the beginning, and one at the end, and in the record of every mercy the burden of every verse is, his mercy endureth for ever. How should we imitate the Psalmist? He broke the teeth of the invincible Leviathan in 88, and sent a strong wind to disperse the Fleet, for his mercy endureth for ever; God prevented the dreadful blast of Gun-powder, for his mercy endureth for ever. God sent the light of the Gospel into England, and freed it from the yoke of Antichrists tyranny, for his mercy endures for ever. God hath been a wall of fire about Ireland in the protection of it, for his mercy endureth for ever. Let mercy receive the praise of what our own wisdom and power could not effect. The way to overcome the same Enemies we fear, is to praise God for what he hath before acted against them. The strength of a people consists in praises, as well as praying, Psa. 8.2. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained ⟨p. 53⟩strength. In the Evangelist, thou hast perfected praise, Mat. 21.16. The more Hallelujahs we put up, the more occasion God may give us for them. If we have any fears of the overflowing deluge, God formerly delivered us from, our non-improvement of those deliverances, the fruits whereof we enjoy this day, may strengthen our fears. When Israel was Idolatrous in Jeroboam's reign, yet God delivered them from the Syrians, because he saw their affliction was bitter, and there was no helper, yet when they did not thankfully improve it to a reformation, God denounced judgments against them for their Idolatry, 2 Kings 14.26, 27. The Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel;
3. Thankfully remember former deliverances. If we have not some praise for God, we may suspect our selves.* 'Tis observed that the City Shushan, the Royal seat of the Persian Monarchy, was pourtrayed upon the east gate of the temple, not because of the Persian command, or because of their fear of that King, as some think; but to have a thankful remembrance of the wonderful deliverance of Purim, which was wrought in Shushan, Esth. 9.26. If it had been only by the Persians command, it would have been defaced after the fall of that Monarchy, which held but thirty four years after the building of the second Temple. The 136. Psalm is a good Copy, where is a threefold exhortation to thankfulness, in the beginning, and one at the end, and in the record of every mercy the burden of every verse is, his mercy endureth for ever. How should we imitate the Psalmist? He broke the teeth of the invincible Leviathan in 88, and sent a strong wind to disperse the Fleet, for his mercy endureth for ever; God prevented the dreadful blast of Gun-powder, for his mercy endureth for ever. God sent the light of the Gospel into England, and freed it from the yoke of Antichrists tyranny, for his mercy endures for ever. God hath been a wall of fire about Ireland in the protection of it, for his mercy endureth for ever. Let mercy receive the praise of what our own wisdom and power could not effect. The way to overcome the same Enemies we fear, is to praise God for what he hath before acted against them. The strength of a people consists in praises, as well as praying, Psa. 8.2. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained ⟨p. 53⟩strength. In the Evangelist, thou hast perfected praise, Mat. 21.16. The more Hallelujahs we put up, the more occasion God may give us for them. If we have any fears of the overflowing deluge, God formerly delivered us from, our non-improvement of those deliverances, the fruits whereof we enjoy this day, may strengthen our fears. When Israel was Idolatrous in Jeroboams reign, yet God delivered them from the Syrians, because he saw their affliction was bitter, and there was no helper, yet when they did not thankfully improve it to a reformation, God denounced judgments against them for their Idolatry, 2 Kings 14.26, 27. The Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel;
- *Lightfoot Temple, cap. 3. p. 9.
