The Godly Man's Picture

17 A Godly man is a thankful man; praise and thanksgiving,¹ is the work of heaven, and he begins that work here, which he shall be ⟨p. 179⟩always doing in heaven. The Jews have a saying, the world subsists by three things; the Law, the worship of God, and^* thankfulness; as if where thankfulness were wanting, one of the Pillars of the world were taken away, and it were ready to fall. The Hebrew word for praise, comes from a radix, that signifies to shoot^† up; the Godly man sends up his praises, as a volley of shot towards heaven. David who was modelled after Gods heart, how melodiously did he warble out Gods praises? therefore was called the sweet singer of Israel, 1 Sam. 23. 1. Take a Christian at the worst, yet he is thankful: The Prophet Jonah, who was homo [Greek or Hebrew], a man of a waspish spirit; the sea did not so work with the tempest,^* as Jonahs heart wrought with passion; yet, through this cloud you might see grace appear; he had a thankful heart, Jonah 2. 9. I will Sacrifice to thee with the voice of thanksgiving, I will pay that which I have vowed. For the clearer illustrating of this, I shall lay down these four particulars.

17 A Godly man is a thankful man; praise and thanksgiving,¹ is the work of heaven, and he begins that work here, which he shall bee ⟨p. 179⟩alwaies doing in heaven. The Iews have a saying, the world subsists by three things; the Law, the worship of God, and^* thankfulness; as if where thankfulness were wanting, one of the Pillars of the world were taken away, and it were ready to fall. The Hebrew word for praise, comes from a radix, that signifies to shoot