THe third, and last part of Prayer is Thanksgiving: This (according to the method proposed) may be connected with the former, by some fitting Transition, which for the matter of it, may consist of some such considerations as these.
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Our confidence of obtaining the things we petition for, by our experience of former mercies; though they are many and great things, which we are suiters for, yet when we reflect upon Gods continual bounty towards us, and how much we do every day receive from him, we have no reason to doubt of his favour, but still to depend upon him in every condition.
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The danger of ingratitude, in hindering the successe of our petitions: He that is not careful to pay his old debts, cannot expect so much credit, as to run upon a new score. Under the Law, when any one came before God, to make any special request for himself, he was to bring with him a peace-offering, that is, an offering of thanks for the favours he had already enjoyed, thereby to prepare himself for what he expected.
The matter of our Thanksgiving is reducible to these two general heads. 1. The Enumeration of mercies. 2. The Amplification, or heightning of them.
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In our Enumeration of mercies, those particulars before mentioned in our Confessions, Deprecations, Petitions, will each of them administer some help, both in respect of matter & expression, according as our conditions may be in respect of freedom, or deliverance from those evils which we confesse, or deprecate, or the enjoyment of those good things which we have petitioned for, and upon this account, I shall not need to be so large upon this head as the former.
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The Amplification or heightning of mercies may be either in General, by their multitude, greatnesse, continuance, which is capable of a distinct enlargement by its self. Or else in particular, by their circumstances, degrees, contraries, which are to be insisted upon in the mention of those particular mercies to which they belong.
In the Enumeration of mercies, we are to take notice of those that are either Ordinary. Occasional.
By Ordinary I understand such as we enjoy in our common course, without relation to any particular necessity, or deliverance; these again are either Temporal. Spiritual. Temporal, are those which concern our well-beings in this life, as we are men, whether in our Private Publick capacities.
The Private, or personal favours, which we are to acknowledge, do belong, either Generally to the whole man, in respect of his being, nature, birth, education, preservation; or more Particularly in regard of his Soul, Body, Friends, Name, Estate.
In the recital of the mercies which we enjoy, we are not to be unmindeful of those common favours which are bestowed upon us; in respect
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Of our Creation and Beings, that God did not suffer us to beswallow’d up in our primitive nothing
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Our noble Natures, that we were not made senslesse things, but endowed with living souls, Men, and not beasts. He might have made us wormes and no men; of a despicable, perishable condition, whereas he hath created us after his own image, but little lower then the Angels, (Ps. 8.5, 6) capable of injoying eternity with himself in the heavens; Crowning us with glory and honour, putting all things in subjection under our feet.
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Our Birth, that we are free-born, not slaves; of generous, not base and ignominious parentage; that we were brought forth in a place and time of Religion. He might have sent us into the world without the pale of the Church, in some place of idolatry, or ignorance; amongst the blaspheming Turks, or wilde Americans; We might have been born in those bloody times of persecution and martyrdom: And therefore we have reason to acknowledge it for a great mercy, that he hath brought us into this world, both when and where his Gospel hath been professed and flourished.
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Our Education, by honest, loving, careful Parents and Tutors; under good Magistrates, pious Ministers, in Religious families: We might have been forlorn, & exposed to the wide world, as many others are, following the dictates of our own corrupt natures, without any restraint upon us: We might have been put under the Tuition of such Governours, as by their Negligence, Example, Advice, would have encouraged us in evil courses; and therefore we ought to acknowledge it for a great mercy, that we have had such Religious, and ingenuous education.
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Our Preservation: God might have cut us off in the womb, and being children of wrath, he might from thence have cast us into hell, and therefore we have reason to praise him; in that he hath covered us in our mothers womb, (Psal. 139.13, 14) where we were fearfully and wonderfully made, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth: Being cloathed with skin, and flesh, fenced with bones and sinews:1 Where he granted us life and favour, and by his visitation hath preserved our spirits. He took us out of the womb, (Ps. 22.9, 10) and made us hope when we were yet on our mothers breasts; We were cast upon him from the womb, and he is our God from our mothers belly: He might many times since justly have snatched us out of this world, with our sins, and fears upon us: It is from the Lords mercies that we are not yet consumed, because his compassions faile not.2
There may be many now in hell, who have not been so great sinners as we, and therefore we are bound to magnifie his name for his good providence over us through the whole course of our lives: That he hath hitherto made us to dwell in safety; (Psal. 4.8) and watched over us in journeys, sicknesses, and common dangers, whereby so many others have been surprized and swept away round about us: For defending us under the shadow of his wings, (Ps. 91.4, 11) and protecting us by his blessed Angels; more particularly for his preservation of us the Night Day past.
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The Night past, for refreshing our bodies with rest and sleep: For lightening our eyes, that we slept not to death: (Psal. 13.3) For bringing us to the light of another day; and that notwithstanding those many opportunities which we have formerly abused. It is a good thing to give thanks unto thee, (Psal. 92.1) O Lord, and to sing praises unto thy Name, O thou most high: to shew forth thy, loving kindnesse in the morning, and thy faithfulnesse every night. He might have made our beds to be our graves, & surprized us with our last sleep. He might appoint wearisome nights for us; (Job 7.3, 4) so that when we lie down, we should say, When shall we arise, and the night be gone? and should be full of tossings to and fro, unto the dawning of the day: When we expect that our bed should comfort us & our couch ease our complaint, (Ver. 13, 14) then he might scare us with dreams, and terrifie us through visions; and therefore we have very great reason to praise him for our freedome in this kinde, that when we lie down, (Prov. 3.24) he makes our sleep sweet unto us.
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The Day past, that he hath not given us over to the sinfulnesse of our own natures, the subtiltie and malice of the Devil, the temptations of the world; but hath by his good providence with-held us from many of those sins and dangers, to which of our selves we were exposed: There are many others in the world, who have this day (perhaps) been surprized by some mischief, or have fallen into some great sin, and the same might have been our condition: and therefore we have reason to be sensible of his favour in exempting us from it; that he hath in any measure afforded us direction, and successe in our affaires, and not blasted our endeavours; accompanying us in our goings out and comings in.3 Because the Lord hath commanded his loving kindnesse in the day, therefore in the night shall my song be unto him, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
Next to these, we may recite those temporal favours which do more particularly concern us, either in our Soules. Bodies. Friends. Names. Estates.
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Our Souls, in respect of our Vnderstandings, Memories, Consciences, Affections; that we were not made idiots or blockish; (Deut. 28, 28) we might have been possessed with stupidity, and forgetfulnesse; with madnesse and astonishment of heart: with wilde and raving passions. And therefore we have reason to be sensible of that great favour we enjoy, in respect of the clearness of our understandings, strength of our memories, peace in our consciences, moderatnes in our affections, &c.
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Our Bodies, in regard of Health, Senses, Limbs; That he doth not send upon us sore sicknesses,4 and of a long continuance, and make us Prisoners to the bed of languishing. That he does not chasten us with strong, pain upon our beds, so that our life should abhor bread, and our soul dainty meat. That we are not tormented with grievous aches, with loathsome diseases, and sores, that we have the free use of our senses; not blinde, or deaf, or dumb, &c. that we are sound and perfect in our limbs, not maimed or deformed, as many others are, whereby their condition is made very uncomfortable, in comparison to ours.
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Our Friends, that God hath inclined the hearts of others to shew us any favour; that we do enjoy the acquaintance of such, in whose society and converse we may relieve and refresh our selves, amidst the many perplexities that we shall meet with. ‘Tis the case of many others, to be left in a forlorn, and friendlesse condition, with Ishmael to have every mans hand against them; and therefore we have great reason to blesse God for raising us up friends and benefactors, and continuing them to us.
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Our Names, that he hath bestowed upon us any reputation in the hearts, and reports of others, and not given us over to such scandalous sins, as would have made us a proverb and reproach; that we are not Cains to kill our Brethren; nor Amnons, to commit incest; nor Absaloms, to attempt the ruine of our Parents; nor Judases to murder our selves. The seeds and principles of all these abominations being in our natures, it must needs be acknowledged for a great mercy to be withheld from them. That he hath in any measure restrained the malicious tongues of others from aspersing of us
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Our Estates; and therein for plenty, liberty, quietnesse, suitablenesse. God might have placed us in some needy, slavish· unquiet condition; in some calling disproportionable to our inclinations, and gifts; and therefore we have reason to acknowledge his mercy, in bestowing upon us competency of means, freedom, and seemlines of condition, wherin we are not forced to flatter, or borrow fitnes of calling, &c. That we have opportunity to serve the Lord our God, with joyfulnesse and with gladnesse of heart in the abundance of all things; (Deut. 28.48) Whereas ‘tis the case of many others that they are forced to serve their enemies in hunger, & in thirst, & in nakednes, and in want of all things. There may be some poor Christians perhaps at this time under cruel restraint, and imprisonment; others it may be wallowing in their blood, by reason of bitter and fierce persecutions for their bearing witnesse unto the truth of Jesus.5 Other precious Saints, of whom the world is not worthy, may be now under great necessities, wandering up and down, in deserts, and mountains, being destitute, afflicted tormented; having not a place whereon to rest their heads. Whereas ‘tis our happinesse, that we are supplied with all things convenient for us; having bread to eate, and clothes to put on, (Gen. 1.20) and many other particular favours, which are renewed to us every moment; the very continuance, and commonnesse of which doth take away their observation.
And as we are thus to remember private mercies, so likewise should we take notice of those temporal favours, which concern the publike, the peace, plenty, strength, safety of the Nation wherein we live. For that every one may sit under his own vine and fig-tree, there being none to make us afraid.6 That he hath not delivered us to trouble and astonishment, and to hissing. (Jer. 7.20) That whereas his anger and his fury hath been poured out upon other places, upon man and upon beast; upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; yet the overflowing scourge hath not come near us. He might make us a reproach, and a taunt, and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about us: (Isa. 28.15) Executing upon us judgment in anger, (Ez. 5.15) and in fury, & in furious rebukes. He might infatuate our Governours, and mingle a perverse spirit in the midst of them. (Is. 19.13.14) This is the condition of other places, and we have reason to praise him if it be not so with us.
In a more especial manner we ought to take notice of our freedom or deliverance from those sore judgements, (Ez. 14.21) the sword, the famine, and the pestilence.
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For our Peace, for delivering us from the hurtful sword,7 that there is no breaking in, nor going out, nor any complaining in our street; whereas he might whet his glittering sword, and make his hand take hold of judgement, till his arrows he drunk with blood, and his sword to devoure flesh: (Ps. 147.14) Yet he hath made peace in our borders; so that violence is not heard in our land, nor wasting or destruction within our borders.8 Whereas other countreys are made desolate, so that their high wayes are untrodden and the travellers walk through by-ways, & the inhabitants of the villages cease: Yet he hath been pleased to make us like the garden of Eden, (Eze. 36.35) our Cities being fenced and inhabited; and hath not taken away our peace from us, (Jer. 16.5) his loving kindnesse and mercies.
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For our Plenty, that he hath (according to his promise) called for the corne and wine, (Ez. 36.29) and increased it, and layed no famine upon us, multiplying the fruit of the trees, and the increase of the field, that we do not receive the reproach of the famine amongst the heathen. For crowning the year with goodnesse, (Ps. 65.11) and making his paths to drop fatnesse.
91. For bestowing upon us the former and the later raine moderately, and in his season; that he does not persecute us with his tempests, and make us afraid with his stormes; (Psal. 83.15) nor sweep us away with a generall deluge, as he did the old world.
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For visiting the earth, and watering it, (Psal. 65.9) and greatly enriching it with the river of God, providing for the corn, setling the furrows thereof, and making it soft with showers, and blessing the springing thereof; so that the pastures are cloathed with flocks, and the vallies are covered over with corn; for that he hath sent us a plentiful rain, whereby he hath confirmed, (Psal. 68.9) and refreshed his inheritance when it was weary.
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For healthful seasons; that he hath delivered us from the noysome Pestilence, that walketh in darkness; and from the destruction that walketh at noon-day, (Psal. 91.3) so that no evil doth befall us,10 nor any plague come nigh our dwellings, but hath satisfied us with long life, and shewed us his salvation;11 That he hath not made the Land to spue out her inhabitants.
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