The churches thank-offering to God her King, and the Parliament, for rich and ancient mercies; her yeares of captivity; her first yeare of iubile; that is, for the marvelous deliverances wrought with God the first wonderfull yeare (since the yeare 88) beginning at September 1640. and ending the ninth of the same moneth following: in all which time, the Lord appeared for his church, as in the dayes of old, out of the middest of the bush, so the church burn'd with fire, and was not consumed. In the preface, the thank-offering is vindicated, and set free, from all the cavills and charges against it; where also it is cleared to be, as every mans duty, so every mans purpose, to offer willingly now, who doth not make full proofe, that he falls short of pagan, papist or atheist; and is wilfully resolved to walk crosse to the most supreme law, the highest reason, and the unquestionable will of God.

SECT. IV.

The Church returneth Praise and Thanks for all the good She received from That, The World cals evill.

IT is not possible to reckon up the heads and particulars of the Chur∣ches accounts; nor how She hath gained by her losses; nor what ••ea∣lings She hath had from her stripes; nor how enriched by her poverties; nor how enlarged by her straights. But abundantly thankfull She is for former yeares, and for all that which happened to her then, and was, as She thought, against her, being evill dayes, and the yeares of her captivity: for all that which happened to her then, helped marvellously to cleare her vessell; and She is as thankfull for that, as for filling the same with Glory. All that fitted, made her meet ^a for after Glory. All that their Adversary did against them then, his madnesse and rage, his breathing out threatenings, all tended much to their advantage. These smitings of the hand and tongue, hewed them, polished them, as the stone•• of the Temple in the out-Court, so making them as lively stones built up a spirituall house: These preparations; These fit∣tings; This making meet for glory, are more to the Church, though these are blowes, prisons, inquisitions, fire, faggot, sword and the like; These, I say, are more, and of more account with the Church then. Glory it selfe. Their way thither, to Glory, I meane, sometimes hedged about with thornes, and blocked up against them, as with hewn

stone: This way is as pleasant to thinke on (when it is passed over) as is the Crowne at the end. The Summe is; The Church gives thanks unto the Father, Who hath strengthened Her with all might, accor∣ding to His Glorious Power unto all patience, and long-suffering with joyfulnesse, and so hath made her meet, hath fitted, hath prepared her to be partaker of the inheritance of her Brethren and Sisters, the Pa∣tri••••kes, Prophets, Apostles, Disciples, Martyrs, of all the Saints by Calling, while here below in this darke world, now Saints in light.

And so the Church hath after her measure, offered to her God the sacrifice of Praise and Thanks for His good and gracious dealing with her in former times, the dayes of her captivity. O what her enlarge∣ments then! Their straights helpt to set their feet in a large place; Their bonds made them free indeed; Their wounds healed them; Their distractions united them; Their unquiet motions setled them; Their ••eaths quickned them; Their sorrowes comforted them; The sh••me for Christ is their Glory; Their reproach for Him their Crowne. Who would not serve this God? Who would not feare Him? He turneth sicknesse into health; weaknesse into strength; mourning in∣to Songs of rejoyc••ng; The shadow of Death into the Morning Who would not seeke this Lord? Who would not feare Him? This by the way, we goe on.

This is written for our instruction, whose minds are taken up with present things, which fill us with so much hope as that we cast away feare; o•• with so much feare, that we cast away hope. We are in an extreame about them still, either over-grieving or overjoying; full of stirres we are, a tumultuous people the Lord knowes. A Gracious heart not so, he can indite Psalmes not onely when out of ••fflictions, but in the night of his sorrow, even the deepest afflictions; When flying before the enemy; When persecuted and distressed; When in darknesse of spirit, yet then he can indite a Psalme: Heman did so, for he was the wisest man upon earth, next unto King Salomon b; but so sorely ••fflicted, and suffering such terrours, that (in his sence) he was distracted c A Good heart can make the greatest sorrowes that he hath felt, or doth feele, matter of blessing and praise, alwayes an hint for prayer. How-ever it is to sense, yet God is good to Israel still, and doth good; Therefore all the worke he hath to doe with his owne spirit is this, To serve His God heartily, and to submit to Hi•• will patiently, yea comfortably; for many experiences have told him, That the end will be good. The Righteous know well, That no Con∣dition here below is like the Hill Olympu•• (some say) wholly cleare a, without clouds. No, They expect windes and stormes both, which when blowne over, The aire is the clearer and wholsomer for it; They have made application, and counted their Cost, and those happy who endure, and so can wait patiently, having seene the end of the Lord b.

Notes

• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Col. 1. 12.
• Amos 5. ••.
• b

  1 King. 5. 4, 31.
• c

  Psal. 88. 15.
• a

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• b

  Iam. 5. 1••.