Consolations for the Afflicted
Now this thankfulness whereby we glorify God, for his gracious deliverance of us out of trouble and affliction, is not to be only formal and external, but is first and principally to be seated in our minds and hearts, wherein we are perpetually to retain a grateful remembrance of God's mercy towards us, with a resolved purpose and intention in all things to glorify his holy name, when as any occasion is offered or may be taken by us. For the Prophet Malachi threateneth a curse against the Priests which was to fall upon them, if they did not consider, or put it in their heart to give glory unto the Lord. And the Apostle exhorteth us in all things to intend and aim at God's glory, Whether (saith he) ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. But yet this thankfulness is not wholly to be reserved (as it were) in the close prison of our own breasts, for so God should lose the glory, our neighbors a good example, and we fail in the performance of our duty, but it is also to be professed with our mouths, and our profession to be approved by our works and actions. In our speeches we are to declare what great things the Lord hath done for us, to magnify his mercies for our deliverances out of trouble, and to praise his holy name in Psalms, Hymns and spiritual songs, sweetening the music of the voice with the harmonious melody of our hearts. And because the Lord is glorified, not only in his praises, according to the saying in the Psalms, He that sacrificeth praise, doth glorify me; but also in all our holy communications, and in our religious, honest and savory speeches; therefore we must acquaint our tongues with the language of Canaan, and avoiding all corrupt and unprofitable words, we must set a watch before the door of our lips, and carefully take heed that our speeches be so powdered with the salt of wisdom and holiness, that they may not only glorify God, but also tend to the edification of those that hear us. Finally, because thankfulness professed is not sufficient, unless it be also approved by our works of godliness and sanctification; therefore we must endeavor also that our lights may so shine before men, that seeing our good works, they may glorify our father in heaven. And to this end let us take heed that we do not dim or dazzle this light, by ouershadowing it with the black cloud of sin and wickedness; but especially let us labor to mortify those corruptions, and to forsake those sins, which our own consciences do condemn to be the likeliest causes of our late afflictions, lest lying and living still in our sins, and impenitently going forward in our former evil courses, we fall into a relapse of God's escaped judgments, and after our deliverance from lesser afflictions, have (as our Savior speaketh) some worser punishment inflicted upon us. And withal, let us labor in the contrary works of holiness and righteousness, endeavoring by our abundant fruits of an holy & sanctified life, that our heavenly father may be glorified; & so may we be assured that the Lord will for the time to come, either preserve us out of such afflictions, as we have formerly suffered, or will inflict them only for our trial, and the manifestation of his gifts and graces in us; bringing us as his most approved soldiers into this conflict of temptations, that we may obtain victory over all our spiritual enemies, and afterwards be crowned with all glory and happiness in his heavenly kingdom, which he grant unto us that hath dearly bought it for us, Jesus Christ the righteous, to whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit, be rendered of us, and his whole Church, all honor and praise, power, majesty and dominion both now and for evermore. Amen.