MAy an Herauld find out a rich Coat of Armes vngiuen, then may a Diuine meet with a profi­table subiect vn­handled.Virtutum lauda­tissima &c. Sen. Gratitude, a vertue whose [Page 2] beautie so equally blazeth in the eyes of all, whose name sounds so pleasantly in the eares of all, whose contrary is so odiously cen­sured of all,Basil entitleth an Homily of giuing thanks, but the subiect matter is of bearing afflic­tions cheere­fully. to whom hath it been beholding for so much as a small Tract or Sermon? What Diuine hath bestowed so much cost vpon it, as to acquaint vs with the Na­ture, Kindes, Canons, and Mo­tiues of it? Men I confesse, had the vse of Logicke before the Art was penned; and so Dauid the King of all gratefull persons with other the seruants of God in all ages haue in abundant measure ex­pressed their thankfulnesse; yet no man will denie, but that rules, and directions orderly collected, and compiled, doe much conduce to a more liuely and certaine pra­ctise, then wilde and vnguided affections; and such helpes Gods Spirit in ordinary despiseth not.

[Page 3] All that I shall vpon this sudden and extraordinary cause of pub­lique thankes vndertake, is to bee as the Wheele to the Bird, which with its course noyse setts better Musicke on worke; and out of this short Text of Gratitude, indeuour to bring some light to the dutie enioyned, Giue thankes.

Secondly, to shew the extent of it's matter, In all things.

3. To inforce the practise frō this motiue of motiues, For this is the will of God in Christ Iesus our Lord.

Fourthly, to bring it home, and apply it, Towards you.

In handling whereof, if I shall procure any whit the more tribute of thankes and praise to God, I shall attaine that which is the Queene of all causes, the end of my labour; yea, that which is the Queene of all ends, Gods glory.

Giue thankes. The nature and [Page 4] grace of thankfulnesse consists in a kindly reflexion of Honour vpon the Benefactor for the benefit re­ceiued. Looke what perfection a solid Body giues to the Sunne beames, which hauing obscurely passed thorowe the translucent Ayre, are by it made to rebound with a spreading increase of their lustre and heate. Looke what such an Eccho as the seuen fold porch of Thebes is to the sound of a Trumpet, such is Thankefulnesse to the Benefactor. And therefore in reference to Parents is the summe of pietie; to Equals, of a­mitie and humanitie; to God, of Religion: yea, the very prime and summe of all Vertues and Duties, because it most directly and fully promotes & atchieues that which is the ende and scope of all the Creators workes and gifts,Psal. 50. His glorie: Hee that praiseth mee, honou­reth [Page 5] mee: and contrariwise,Rom. 1. they glorified not God, neither were thank­full.

To discusse here these Schoole-Quaeries, Vide Thomae se­cunda secundae quaestione cen­tesima sexia. whether it bee a part of commutatiue or distributiue Iu­stice, whether a generall vertue or speciall, distinct or confounded with Pietie and Iustice: whether voluntary or bounden; whether of debt and by Law, or meere hone­stie; whether the innocent or the penitent be more obliged; whether it may ad-equate or surpasse the benefite, were to trouble your heades with frigid subtilties, in stead of warming your hearts with profitable matter. A thankefull man had rather by tenne times learne how to discharge this bond of needfull dutie, then to vntye these knots of curious wit.

To such a one I content my selfe to giue the olde Tripartite [Page 6] rule,Corde, or [...], opere, Bradwer [...]. lib. 2. cap. 23. let him see that his Soule, his Tongue, and his Life beare their parts,Conscientia, lin­gua, vita. Aug. in Psal. 148. discharge their seuerall of­fices in glorifying God, that so his thankes being Cordiall, Orall, and Reall, they may bee compleat and accepted of God. And first let them make sure of the first, espe­cially when hee hath to doe with God, the Maker, Searcher, and Iudge of the Spirits, who in these kindes of Offerings loues the fat,Leuit. 3. and the inwards: the deeper and hollower the belly of the Lute or Violl is, the pleasanter is the sound; the fleeter, the more gra­ting and harsh in our eares:By how much spring water is better then plash water, by so much handy hearty, then wordy thanks. the voyce which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which comes from the depth of the breast. Sing with grace in your hearts is the best tune to all the Psalmes, without which if one could descant with the voyce of [Page 7] an Angell, hee were but as the sound of a tinckling Cymball. The very Alpha and Omega, the principall and totall of our thanks with God, is as Bernard ends his Epistles and Counsels to one that enquired of him what God requi­red of man, Giue mee thy heart, or keepe all to thy selfe. If Beniamin come not, all the rest may stay be­hind. Vnlesse therfore thou meane to offer the sacrifice of fooles,Tota estimatio ad animuns redit. Sen. and the lippes of calues, begin and end as Dauid his Psalmes,Psalm. 103. My soule praise thou the Lord. Take also Da­uids Commentary, And all that is within mee praise his holy name. The first worke is of the vnderstanding to iudge of the worth of the be­nefite, to consider the vnworthi­nesse of the receiuer, to studie a Quid retribuam. A foole cannot, and a proud man wil not be thank­full; the first, because hee cannot [Page 8] estimate and weigh in the ballance of Iudgement, the value of the fa­uour conferred vpon him, or through melancholly conceited­nesse will not see what God hath done for them. The second be­cause hee conceiues it no more, if not lesse then his due and desert, which is the reason that an Here­tique ouerweening the strength of his naturalls, or the merit of his works, cannot be thankfull; which taught Prosper wittily and wisely to entitle his Poems Contra ingra­tos, without further naming the aduersaries of Gods grace. A rash man cannot bee thankfull, who for a fit onely and brunt, sends vp an extemporary God bee thanked, whereas he ought fixedly, and se­riously to studie and deuise how hee might cast most honour vpon his good God for his bountie to him.

[Page 9] The second care must be had of the Memory, that a deepe impres­sion bee made, frequent refreshing and refrication bee vsed with Da­uids watchword, My soule, forget not all his benefits; which made him write downe his passions, and giue his Psalmes the title of Record, or Remembrance. Obliuion is so farre from excusing, that it selfe is the worst kinde of Ingratitude, exclu­ding all hopes of future thankes, and arguing a slight esteeme of fa­uours past, which so soone haue set them behind backe, and out of sight, in some blind corner of the mind. Our Memory is a naturall mother to iniuries, a stepmother to benefits, for the helpe whereof our gratefull forefathers were wont to erect Pillars and Monu­ments, stampe Coines, giue names to Places, dedicate Dayes, and keepe anniuersary Feastes, that so [Page 10] they might preserue a Vestall fire in their breasts, and not serue God with a flash of ioy and blaze of thankes. A third worke is the warmth of the affections, which if dead and cold, how can any fumes of Incense ascend? Excesse of ioy and gladnesse is in stead of thanks, which the neerer it comes to a rapture and extasie (such an one as Peter was in, when he wot not what hee said; or the Iewes comming out of captiuitie, faring as one in a dreame) the more plea­sing it is vnto God, though it ex­presse it selfe in abrupt and exorbi­tant passions and gestures, such as Dauids dauncing vnseemely in foolish Micholls, but most comely and kingly in Gods eies.

These actes of the soule are of­ten all that God requires, but al­waies the best fountaine and spring of thankes, which sets the price [Page 11] vpon the Offring; and makes the Turtle of the poore as welcome as the Oxe of the rich, the Cruse and Mite of the Widdow more worth then the Riuers of Oyle and treasures of the wicked.

All this is but intrinsicall and immanent thankes; but Gods fa­uours are too great for one mans heart to comprehend or requite: and therefore hee will not haue them die in the breast of one man, and lye buried in silent admirati­on, but requires a transitiue ex­pression and publication of them. How many aydes and witnesses doth Dauid summon to assist him in this worke, the Mountaines to leape, the Flouds to make a noise, the Hils to clap ther hands: and which of his musicall Instruments doth hee not call vpon? Sundry helpes and signes of thankefulnesse hath Nature and Art found out [Page 12] and vsed; ringing of bells, displaying of banners, pompe and feast­ing, lights and fires, which while some condemne, they come neere his fault that asked, What meaneth this wast? yet are all these but a poore and sencelesse kinde of sacri­fice performed by reasonlesse De­puties, if the thankes determine and end in these without more sig­nificant expression. Cheere of the countenance, gestures of the body, leaping and dauncing are but dumbe shewes, the best In­terpretour of the minde is the tongue, the glory of man, and glorifier of God. My tongue shall tell of thy wondrous actes▪ and my lips shall neuer cease to publish thy praise. This was all the fee Christ expected for his cures, Goe and tell what God hath done for thee: words seeme to bee a poore and sleight recompence. But Christ (saith [Page 13] Nazianzene) call'd himselfe the Word, and good words comming from a good heart are of great ac­compt and force with God and man.

Dauid enuied the Birdes that might in their kinds sing Gods praise in his Courts, and in imi­tation of them, who set them­selues on the highest tops of Trees whence their notes may bee fur­thest heard, he laboured to spread Gods prayses in the greatest Con­gregations in Sauls Court, in all Companies hee came in, in the Temple it selfe. By speech one mans heart conueies into another the cheerely conceptions and pas­sions of his soule, and so multi­plies praise, and sets others on worke to blesse God wit him, & the more the merrier, & the more mirth the more thankes; the grea­ter the flocke, the cheerelier noise; [Page 14] the fuller the Quire, the lowder the Musicke, and one cheerely Bird often sets all the flock a chir­ping; one man showts, and the whole Hoste followes. Iohn heard a voyce from the Throne, saying, Praise yee our God, all his Ser­uants small and great; and imme­diatly a noyse as of many waters, and mightie Thunderings, say­ing, Hallelu-iah, for the Almightie reigneth.

Yet because speech is transient, and of life for the present onely, the Pennes and writings of thank­full men haue beene of singular vse to transmit and conuey vnto Posteritie the noble Acts of God: one generation teaching another to keepe like praises in store, that Gods thankes may bee immortall in Succession, and Propagation. Such fruite may our Statute haue in after ages, penned for the per­petuation [Page 15] of Gods inualuable de­liuerance from that Hellish-Pow­der-plott, were it as duely read as it was prouidently enacted.

When we haue giuen God good words,Gregorius mora­lium vltimo, e 12. it remaines that wee giue him not words alone,Per victimas caro aliena, per obedientiam pro­pria voluntas mactatur. but our re­all obedience, preferred by God to all our sacrifices: slay not our beasts, but our beastly lusts; giue him not our goods, but our selues; not any dead, but a liuing and reasonable sacrifice. Hee that in way of thankefulnesse vowes and performes the mortification of one dareling sinne, the addition of one good dutie, pleaseth God bet­ter then Salomon with his twentie thousand Beeues and Sheepe. Would wee know then how wee should perfect our thankes, walke wee with God, let vs doe righte­ousnesse, abound in Almes and Prayer; better our Pietie and [Page 16] Charitie, increase the workes of our callings, bring foorth more fruit in our kindes: for with such sacrifices God is most honoured and best pleased. The Auncient and wonted thankes after victories & blessings, were reformation of vices, remouall of Idols, sanctions and executions of good Lawes, release of debts, bounty to the poore. The life of thankefulnesse consists in the liues of the thanke­full;Non sola vox so­net, sed & ma­nus consonet, verbis facta con­cordent, quando cantas Hallelu­iah manum por­rigas esurienti. Aug in Psal. 149 otherwise it is but as one should sing a good song with his Voyce, and play a bad one on his Instrumēt, which would make but a blacke Sanctis, and become such Saints. He that saith, God be than­ked with his mouth, and in his life remaines reprobate to euery good worke, hath the shew of thankes, but the power of ingratitude, and is neere the curse of the Fig-tree, full of leaues, aud emptie of fruit; [Page 17] for God is not mocked with words. Wherefore, O thou vaine man, iustifie thy wordes by thy workes, and thou shalt bee blessed in thy deedes, and God, by the poore, blessed for them, who hath him­selfe no neede or profit of our workes: but as great men turnes ouer his fees and thankes to his poore Followers & Seruants, and els vs in plaine termes, he reckons that done to himself which is done to the least of his; & smels as sweet a sauor of Cornelius his almes, as of his prayers, and counts himselfe as much honoured by a good house­keekeeper as by a Church-fre­quenter: but best by him that is both in truth, and from faith. A Canticum nou [...] & vetus homo male concordāt, cantet canticum nouum, qui noua est creatu a qui nouam praestat obedientiā. Aug. in Psal. 149. cui lingua tua lau­des Dei cantillat cuius vita sacri­legium exhalat. Idem in Psa. 23. new Song becomes not the olde mans mouth, & let him sing a new song that leads a new life, and thats the best harmony and makes the best Musicke in Gods eare.

[Page 18] In all things. Now I haue shew­ed how thou mayest and must bee thankefull; if thou aske me where­in, or for what, I will aske thee, what thou hast of thine owne, and what of right and desert? If no­thing, then In all things giue thanks. Wee haue heard that a thankefull man needes a good iudgement: but wee shall see that he needs no inuention, if his heart bee in tune, all things will bring matter to hand. Gratitude, is as large as Logicke, that hath for his obiect things that are, and that are not. There bee fauours Priuatiue, and fauours Positiue; there bee good things bestowed, and euils kept from vs; yea, the very euils that doe betide vs are turned to our good, and therefore we are bound to giue thankes in all, and for All. Not with a Collectiue thankes by lumpe and whole sale, with a God [Page 19] bee thanked for all his benefits, but distrioutiuely keeping a Bill of the particulars, and duely thanking as we dayly receiue them. This di­stribution is best made by a iust gradation and Scale of discretion, ascending in our thankes accor­ding to the degrees of his fa­uours.

First, hee will bee praised in all his creatures, whereof wee haue the sight or the vse, euen as if we had a proprietie in them: for eue­ry one of vs haue no lesse benefit by the Sunne and Ayre, then if we sawe and breathed alone. The Hebrewes haue a Canon, that God would be praised in the least Em­met or Gnat, but magnified in the Elephant and Leuiathan; admired in the Sunne, Moone, Starres, Co­mets, Earthquakes, Thunders, and such extraordinary workes: the praise of his wisedome and power [Page 20] lyes asleepe,Ra [...]mundus in Theologia na­turali. and dead in euery Creature, till man actuate and en­liues it. The Heauens and the Earth, and all things therein are sayd to praise God; that is, (sayth Augustine) when thou conside­rest their order and beautie,August in Psal. 48. tua voce clamat, &c. and praisest the inuisible Creator, they praise him with thy vnderstan­ding and thy voyce, which haue none of their owne, but are dumbe and sencelesse.

In all the workes of his proui­dent administration: and here let publique blessings haue the prece­dency in thy thankes. It's not one­ly selfe-loue, but want of Iudge­ment that makes fooles prize a do­mesticall and priuate welfare be­fore the Commonwealth, and the good of the Kingdome, which is in it selfe the greater, and would in the long runne be greater to the particular man. Is any cost be­stowed [Page 21] on the priuate cabbin, com­parable to the sauing of the whole Ship? The very Heathens reioy­ced more in their countries good, then in their owne. Let Christians much more praise God for their Kings, Princes, and Rulers, by whose wise gouernment they may liue a quiet life vnder their Vines and Figtrees, and in all honesty and godlinesse worship God in their Chappels and Churches.

In all thy personall fauours: a­mong which the priuatiue chal­lenge a place; that is, such euils as passe by ouer thee. Famous is the Story of the good Bishop, that seeing a Toad by the way, lift vp his heart vnto God, that made him not such a creature. And Chry­sostome wills vs to walke into Hos­pitalls and Lazar-houses,Chrysost. ad Sta­gerium. Epist. 3. that by the sight of others miseries, wee may bee occasioned to thanks for [Page 22] our owne freedome. Euery man that seees another stricken, and himselfe spared, is to keepe a Passe­ouer for himselfe.

In all the crosses that doe befall vs; yea, happily more then in them we count and call blessings; to call for afflictions wee haue no Presi­dent, or Precept in Scripture; but to praise God for them, store of both: To count it exceeding ioy, because of the exceeding gaine; to count it an honour that wee are counted worthy to suffer, as the Disciples that leaped and sung af­ter their scourgings; and in this theme Basil spends all his Sermon, which he entitles giuing of thanks in all things.

In all the gifts of God, whether for necessitie or pleasure, of Na­ture or of Grace, temporall or eternall, more for necessities, then for delicacies, more for thy [Page 23] bread and water then for thy wine and oyle, for thy clothes then for thy lace and ornaments▪ for thy health more then thy wealth, for thy good name aboue thy Iewels, the goods of thy soule aboue all goods. Plato obserued this order in this thankes, that hee was a man, a Grecian, an Athenian, and So­crates his Scholler. Alphonsus▪ that he was a King, a Philosopher, and a Christian: Theodosius, more that hee was a member of Christ in his Church, then head of the Empire: Paul best of all, Blessed be God that hath blessed vs with spi­rituall blessings in heauenly things. One spiritual is better then all cor­porall, and one eternall then all temporall.

In all thy spirituall blessings, preparations, preuentions, excita­tions, motions, actes, confirmati­ons, consummations, giue all to the [Page 24] praise of his grace by which thou art that thou art; chiefly in those thou hast most wanted, and ear­nestly begged, in these let thy prai­ses answere thy prayers. Samuel and Augustine, children of many prayers and feares, were also chil­dren of many praises and thanks.

In all and aboue all, for him that is All in all, thankes and praises. For he is worthy who hath redee­med vs, and made vs Kings and Priestes vnto himselfe: and if thanks be the will of God in Iesus Christ towards vs, then sure I am it is his will, that all thankes bee giuen him for Iesus Christ, in whom all the promises are Yea, and Amen.

In all things, in all times, and in all places; so the very Context implies; pray alwaies, in all things giue thanks. Wish with Epictetus, thou wert of the Nightingales vn­wearied [Page 25] spirit, euer to bee singing day and night, at least with Ber­nard imitate the other Birds, which morning and euening, at the rise and setting of the Sunne omit not to praise their Creator. These must bee constant, set, and inuiola­ble times. Occasionall times are when benefits are newly receiued, which otherwise soone waxe stale, and putrifie as Fish: no part of the Thankes-offering might bee kept vnspent till the third day. Hezekiah wrote his Song the third day after his recouery: The liuing shall praise thee as I doe this day. And if hee had been as speedy in his thankes after his deliuerance from Ashur, It may bee (sayeth Lauater) his Plate had neuer been carryed into Babylon. All dayes of prosperitie & mirth are seasonable for thanks, as Birds sing more in cleare dayes then in gloomy. Let him that is [Page 26] sad, pray; and hee that is merrie,Isodor. in Leuit. Theodoret. giue thanks. The Iewes three so­lemne Feastes were to bee kept in three cheerefull sensons▪ he Passe­ouer, at the first riping of corne; Whitsontide, at the first reaping; Tabernacles, at the ende of Har­uest. God loues a cheerfull giuer. Christ willed his Passion should bee remembred when our spirits are refreshed with bread and wine. I will take the cup of Saluation, &c. Our ioy which otherwise is a slip­pery passion, is then safe and fanc­tified, when it brings forth thanks­giuing.

Were it hot now superfluous to say, to whom this thankes ought to bee giuen? To whom but to him of whom we haue all things? Yet wee had rather change the name, and shift the debt to any saue the right Creditor, ascribing euents to Nature, Destiny, and [Page 27] Fortune,Vide Senec. lib. 3. rather then to the liuing God; which is as if one should say, he ought no money to Seneca, but to Lucius Annius, which are but blinde names of the same man. What is more common thē to rob God to pay the Instrument? The Fisher sacrificeth to his Net, the Husbandman will thank his dung­hill for his crop, rather then him that giues the increase. God al­lowes some praise to the Instru­ment. The sword of God, and the sword of Gideon: but when hee heares vs giue more to the meanes then to the Author, hee is iealous, and offended more iustly then Saul with the people for singing of Da­uids ten thousand, and Sauls thou­sand.Gant. 3. Let Saloman haue his thou­sand, and the keeper of the Vine two hundred. Adrian and Verus, Emperors of old, Selimus and Fer­dinand of late are taxed in History [Page 28] for erecting monuments of victory to their horses, forgetting the Lord of Hostes. Let vs learne of Paul in right downe termes in all things to blesse the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ.

Thus all things inuite vs to thanks; and yet Paul foreseeing our backwardnesse and excuses, oppo­seth to them all the will of God in Iesus Christ: For this is the will of God. The vngratefull like vnto the sluggard, is wittie in finding out pretexts and pretences, making a clogge to hinder, of that which should bee his goad to quicken him. Gods name he will tell you, excels all thankesgiuing, his bles­sings are innumerable, and why should he attempt impossibilities? and yet the same man in seeking of wealth and honour, will shoot at the fayrest mark, though he take vp his arrow short. Heere vnlesse [Page 29] hee may doe all, hee will doe no­thing at all: but Gods will is thou shouldest doe thy good will, and hee will accept thy will for the deed.Nec deterior si vituperatur, nec malior si lauda­tur. Bernard. And if thou shouldest say in thy heart, What addition shall my praise make to his honour, that is infinite and selfe-sufficient? was he not as happy before there was a man or Angell to praise him, as since? I might answere with a Schooleman,Raymundus de naturali Theolog. hee counts it an in­crease ad extra, in the notice and glory of his attributes, though ad intra, in the perfection and excel­lency of them he cannot increase. But I had rather answere with our Apostle, It is his will. But we haue need of his benefits; if hee will al­low vs the profit, we may well al­low him the praise; our emptinesse cals for the one, and to his fulnesse belongs the other. Bradwardine as thankfull an English heart as euer [Page 30] wrote, knits and vntyes the knot thus, Why should I goe about to pay that debt which is vnpayable, and by paying whereof I runne further in debt; for the grace and heart, the will and abilitie to bee thankfull is his gift, and for that I must bee further obliged, as Da­uid when hee built the Temple. But GOD forbid, sayeth hee, that I should intangle mine heart in this chaine of Ingratitude, and breake asunder this my bond of thankes, because I cannot vnloose it: let mee rather knowe this to bee my happinesse, to whom I owe much, to owe more; to bee as deepe in his Bookes as I can,Bradvvard. de causa Dei, lib. 3. cap. 23. Gra [...]issi­mis gratitudinis vinculis alliger vt gratior & gratior fiam tan­dem (que) in gratias gratissimè trans­former. who loues to water where hee plants, to heape fauour vpon fauour, till he ouer­come vs with fauour; to him let mee be euer owing, and euer pay­ing, neuer discharged, but euer be­comming more and more thanke­full, [Page 31] till I bee wholly transformed into thankfulnesse, and when all is done, account my selfe indebted and vnprofitable.

For this is Gods will in Iesus Christ. Gods will hath binding authoritie enough, but hee addes a winning word, his will in Christ, commending the dutie to vs from God by that louely Name. The force of the perswasion is, as if God should say to vs, Behold, I haue so loued you, as to giue you my Sonne, and with him all things; and what returne doe I expect? what is my will, but that in all things you giue mee thankes in his Name. Thanks is my will, and pleaseth my will, as sweet o­dours doe mans nostrills. Grati­tude needes not, as other Vertues, Letters testimoniall, or commen­datory. Dauid often telles vs, it's comely and louely enough of it [Page 32] selfe.Molestissimum Istud verbum Rogo. Sen. Prayer is profitable, but praise is honourable: to Aske is a troublesome thing, and a mendi­cant word implying want, and therefore comes hardly and harsh­ly from vs; but praise becomes the Angels, yea the Sonne of God, and therefore should be welcome to vs. It is a grace and praise to him that giues, as well as to him to whom it is giuen. How renowned in all Story hath been the practise of this vertue in Dauid to Iona­thans, Abimelechs, and Barzilla's posteritie; in Ioseph to his parents; in Hannah (more honoured for be­ing the Authour of a Song, then the mother of a sonne) in Crom­wels to Frescobald, Agrippa to Thaumastus seruant for a cup of cold water in his troubles,Fox Tom 1. Egelred to a Swine-heard: yea, in bruite beasts,Agell. li. 10. c. 5. in Lyons,Pierius lib. 19. Strabo lib 5. Dragons,Philarchus apud Athenaeum. Gesnerus, &c. Ea­gles, and Faulcons, in Elephants, [Page 33] Fishes, Dogs: the contrary, most hatefull in Iudas, Achitophel, Pha­raohs Butler, &c. not actionable, or finable by any legall or set mulct, as sufficiently censurable, but de­seruing, and left to excesse of ha­tred by Gods Iudgement, and so generally reputed of al, the summe of all disgrace; the worst, yea all that can bee said of a man; say this and say all; the maine sinne of the apostate Angels, and damned Spi­rits. Thanks the chiefe,Sit illud medi­tatio frequens in hoc saeculo quod epus erit in futu­ro. Aug. Psa. 148. if not the whole worke of the glorified Se­raphims, who vent and spend all their burning fire in the flames of GODS praise. How cheerefully should wee redeeme time to this blessed worke? which because it is too large to be done in this span­long life, it shall euer bee doing in that eternitie. What like euidence hath a Saint of GODS free and princely Spirit residing in his heart [Page 34] and tongue to this Frankincense, and free worke, wherein our in­genuitie is best tryed, not extorted from vs by our owne necessities, as prayer, nor exacted by Lawe, or drawne by shame or penaltie from vs, but voluntary, and therefore best testifying vs to bee of Gods willing people: which grace, where he giues, surely he will con­fer more of all kindes. For where doe men delight to sowe, but in fertile soyles, where they reape most? Where doe Musitions de­light to sound their Instruments, but where the Eccho multiplies thē most in their returne? But our profit is too sordid a motiue for this liberall vertue. Thanks is not thanks, if bribing and eying future fauour, if any thing more then the praise of past bountie, though there should neuer bee need or re­ceipt of any more afterwards. [Page 35] But our dulnesse hath need of all spurres. Dauid the Nightingale of Israel sets many a thorne to his breast, that vigilant cocke clap­peth oft his owne wings. An inge­nuous childe desires no more but to know what his father loues. I­saak, if his dyet bee knowen, shall bee sure of Venison enough: and if Saul take delight in Dauids Harpe, he shall not want Musicke. A grateful Courtier desires but to know what the will and pleasure of his Soueraigne is: and this is enough, and aboue all other bonds to a man sensible of the benefits of Creation and Redemption. What else is the difference and prehemi­nence of the Gospell aboue the Lawe, but Thankes the one, and Debt the other? Which made Vr­sinus iudiciously giue his Booke of Obedience and Good workes the title of Gratitude: which who so [Page 36] sleights or neglects, vndoes and dissolues the whole bond of per­fection, not of Humanitie alone, but of all Christianitie. God ab­horring all that wee can doe with other respect or end, bidding the proud man and his merits perish, done in way of desert or pay, one­ly accepting that which is done in the name of Christ, in way of thankfulnesse for him and his me­rit, who is the Altar which sancti­fies and graceth the gold and the gift to the hornes whereof it is best binding with the cordes of thankes all our offerings: who is the great Master of Requests, ha­uing a golden Viall ready to offer vp, and commend to his Father all the Incense of his Saints, and to giue a sweete odour and perfume vnto them, making the least Cup of water tendered in his name of precious account, without which [Page 37] all is abominable: And therefore hee that would set a speciall glosse vpon his sacrifice of thankes, let him with the acknowledgement of his vilenesse (as Dauid, Who am I and my people?) craue acceptance in his name, in whom God is well pleased: for this is his will in Christ Iesus our Lord, &c.

That Thankes in Thesi and gene­rall is Gods will, it is now out of question: but there is yet another clause in my Text, Towards you, which bidds vs search, what is Gods will in Hypothesi, in particu­lar. Towards vs: euen to vswards of this Nation, this Assembly, to­wards thee and mee, all and euery one of vs ioyntly and seuerally. First, it is requisite that wee take good notice of our Receipts, and then balance them well with our Returnes; and so shall wee see our Arrerages best, and what remaines [Page 38] for vs to doe. Marke we aduised­ly what our owne Writers, Histo­rians, Poets vsually applaud in our Nation; how they extoll our Cli­mate, our Soyle, our natiue Com­modities, our Policies, Lawes, Or­ders, Peace, Plentie, Prosperitie, terming vs Albion, quasi Olbion; An­gli, quasi Angeli. Can too much in truth bee spoken to the praise of Gods bountie, and blot of our In­gratitude? How hath he lifted vs vp to Heauen, seuered this Iland with the seas of his mercies from all the world besides, and borde­ring kingdomes round about, set­ting it as a Queene in the middest of them, to heare newes of warres, pestilence, bloodshed, and desola­tions, not to feele the least distur­bance from within or without, scarce to heare a dog barke against it's long cōtinued peace, vnmatch­able in present or past examples. [Page 39] Aboue all, what a golden Candle­stick hath he placed in it, furnished with oyle and lampes, I would I could say in euery shaft and pipe of it; but so as I may well resemble it to a bright skie in a cleare euening sparkling with Starres, though not in euery part, yet in euery Zone and quarter of it. What times can tell of the like light, learning, preach­ing, knowledge? Oh that I could say practise and thankfulnesse an­swerable. What an hedge or wall of fire and protection hath God made about vs? what glorious sal­uations from forreigne inuasions,1588. from domesticall treasons,1605. such as wilscarse be credible to after ages.Factum est hoe à Domino miri­fico in consilijs, magnifico in operibus, & est mirabile in o­culis nostris. Was Israel it selfe euer honoured with more? To all these, when for a while of late we were in a damp of griefe & feare in the absence of our Prince for a season, how sud­denly hath hee blowne ouer that [Page 40] cloud? how speedily and happily hath he returned him, that we fare as people in a dreame, can scarse tell how to beleeue our selues, or how to expresse our ioyes enough; how hath he filled our hearts with gladnesse! Oh that I may bee able truly to say, our tongus with praise, and our liues with duties. In this fresh & last fauour of his, he deales mee thinkes with vs as Creditors with slow Debtors, where they haue aduentured much, they will sometimes shoot another arrow in hope to finde and make good their former losses; as Seneca counsells his Ebutius to imitate the husband­man, who neuer leaues husbanding and manuring the barren ground, till he make it fertil, to heape bene­fit on benefit, till hee awaken his vnthankfull friend, ouercome him with kindnesse, and in the end by some welcome good turne excite [Page 41] his dulnesse, and extort thankes by that for all the former from him. I would I were as sure God should speed of his end, as I am sure this is his end, to put vs to the blush for our former ingratitude, to winne vs at length to pay our debts and vowes vnto him. Some, and sun­dry of all sorts great and meane he hath, I doubt not, among vs, grate­full obseruers and receiuers of his blessings. like a few berries after the shaking of a tree, which makes him forbeare to lay the Axe to the root for a while: but the common thankes which hee reapes at the hand of the multitude, is luke­warmnesse and Newtralitie at the best; in many lingrings after Su­perstition and idolatry; in the wor­ser sort, desperate swearing, disso­lute sabbath keeping, brutish drun­kennes, and vncleannesse, falshood in dealings till all burst againe, va­nitie [Page 42] in fashion following, without shame or modesty. These are the dregs of our times, & blots of our feasts, which if not amended, may not a withdraught of all Gods fa­uours, a remoouall of his Candle­stick, the worst of all plagues, be as certainly foreseen, and foretold, as if Visions and Letters were sent vs from heauen, as to the 7. Churches of Asia? But I hope better things of our better sort, and loue as little as may be to haue mine eye & finger vpon these sores, wishing we might see such a Book-fire as wee read of Act. 17. made of all our clandestine Libels, seditious & male contented Pamphlets. I speak not against the pretious balme of reproofe, no not oyle of Scorpions: let the righte­ous smite vs with plain & faithfull rebukes, and such smitings shal not woūd the body, or break the head, but shewe vs our defects without [Page 43] rancor and malice, powring in no poyson and venome, but oyle and wine to heale our wounds, to ex­cite vs to thankfulnes worthy the blessings heaped & renewed daily vpon vs; and what is the best thāks, but nationall and personal amend­ment of life? and what thankes is enough, what Hecatombs of sacri­fices are sufficient for a God that hath done so much for vs, and yet ceaseth not to doe vs good? I would know of the most ingrate­full man what he can require of vs more then he hath richly & abun­danly deserued, were it to halfe, yea to all the wealth of the king­dome? I take not vpon me to pre­scribe particulars. But suppose he should exact of vs this particular, which I dare say would highly please him, and would I am sure bee a most worthy and needfull fruit of our gratitude to him. I will [Page 44] not mention a Ceremoniall, cir­cumstantiall, superfluous matter of forme and order, but a necessary substantiall amendes of what all confesse to be amisse: a prouision I mean, of a sufficient maintenance and Minister in euery Parish of the Kingdome, a righting of what Po­pery hath wronged, a Restitution of what Religion first consecrated, Superstition misplaced, couetous­nesse wholly alienated and impro­priated. This could not in likeli­hood but prooue a cure of all the maladies spirituall and temporall, a dispelling of our Egyptian fogs, a dispersing of the Frogs that yet remaine as thornes in our sides, a quickening to all good workes of pietie and charity, a goad and spur to all kinds & fruits of thankfulnes that God can require of vs. Haue I spoken of more then he requires, or we need, or of that which is im­possible? [Page 45] the last will be the onely plea, but withall the plea onely of our ingratitude and infidelitie, not disability. Is it harder now to re­store, then at first to giue? When God stirred vp his peoples affecti­ons, their Princes and Priests were faine to set mortmaines & bounds to their bountie, and stay their hands from giuing more. What were a Subsidy or two for God & his church? If God giue vs hearts, wood and the sacrifice will soone be found, & brought to hand; and till this be done, a iust brand of In­gratitude lies vpon vs. It's impos­sible for any application to extend to euery particular. If euery Soule would study thankfulnesse, God would direct to the best duties. If euery English man would kindle a Bone-fire in his owne heart, how would the flame break out, & shine abroad, and the smoke ascend vp to [Page 46] the heauens? If euery thankfull man would take vp his harpe, and sing and play with his tongue and hand a new Song of thankes, how lowd and full melody would it make, what ioy would bee on the earth, yea in the heauens to see our thankfulnes and amendment. It is but euery mans labour to sweepe before his owne doore, and euery mans Fagot to this fire, and the worke were done, & God pleased. Giue vnto the Lord, you Potentates, glory and strength: giue vnto the Lord ye sonns of the mighty, wor­ship and praise due to his Name! You house of Aaron, and you that serue him in his Courts, praise yee the Lord, and stirre vp others to praise him. Let Israel and all that feare him say, his mercies en­dureth for euer. What euer others shall doe, My soule, praise thou the Lord.