A SERMON Pressing to, and Directing in, that Great Duty of Praising God.  
Preached to the PARLIAMENT At Westminster, Octob: 8. 1656.  
BEING The day of their Solemn Thanksgiving to God for that late Success given to some part of the Fleet of this Commonwealth against the Spanish Fleet in its return from the West Indies.  
By JOSEPH CARYL, Minister of the Gospel at Magnus near London Bridge.  
LONDON: Printed by M. Simmons, and are to be sold by John Hancock at the first Shop in Popes-head-Alley next to Cornhill, 1657.   

Thursday, Octob: 9 1656.  
ORdered, That the thanks of this House be given to Mr. caryl for his great pains taken yesterday in his Sermon preached before this House in Margaret's Westminster, being a day set apart for public Thanksgiving, and that he be desired to Print his Sermon, and that he have the like privilege of Printing as hath been allowed to others in like Cases.  
And that the Lord Broghill be desired to give him the thanks of this house accordingly.  
Hen: Scobell Clerk of the Parliament.   

TO THE PARLIAMENT OF England, Scotland, & Ireland, AND The Dominions thereunto belonging.  
THese are times of Action, as well as of Consolation; and this hath been your happiness, that while you have been consulting how to settle and assure (as an earthly felicity may be called sure) peace and Government at home, God hath prospered those with a very signal success, who are acting in a war abroad. And though success be no infallible argument of a good cause, yet a good cause receives a very comfortable encouragement by success. And as a neglect to go on in doing good is not excusable, even while we find that the good we are doing, doth not go on; So when it doth, our neglect is altogether inexcusable. When God seems to stand still or (as the Scripture sometimes saith) to be a sleep, 'tis our duty to awake and work, how much more when he appears eminently awake and at work for us? 'Tis not good to outrun providence, and 'tis as bad to loiter and lag behind it. The Arm of the Lord (as the Prophet long since prayed hard it might, Isa: 51. 9) hath lately awakened for us (The occasion of this Sermon is his witness) it hath awakened and put on strength as in the ancient days, in the generations of old, it hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon in the Sea; It hath broken (some of) the heads of Leviathan in pieces, and given him to be meat to his people inhabiting the wilderness (Psal. 74. 14.) And is not all this bottom enough for me to cry, Awake, Awake O arm of man, O arm of the Parliament put on strength and be clothed with a holy care & courage for God and for his people, though as yet but in a wilderness condition, wherein we are much entangled with briars and thorns, and sometimes engaged in unbeaten paths? many thousands will bear this witness with me, that it is. And my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is, That your Counsels both in reference to this particular mercy for which you have so solemnly given thanks to God, as also in reference to all those important affairs of these Nations that are in your hands, may bear this witness also. Else I must take the boldness (with much submission) to say, That your own Thanksgivings will give witness against you.  
'Tis an act of high favour from God to bestow a mercy, and 'tis an act of much grace and faithfulness in man to improve it. 'Tis easier perishing for want of help from God, then for want of a heart for God. 'Tis better to be in such straits, that we know not what to do, then to make such little use of our enlargements, as not to do what we know. And what an Obligation is there upon these three Nations, and upon yourselves, especially, who are the representative of them, to be more than active, even very zealous for the public good, seeing we daily find Sons of belial rising up, who are active to the utmost against it? 'tis honourable to imitate their industry, whose undertake we abhor, and that their zeal in a bad matter should provoke ours in a good. As therefore the Nations have reason to pay you many thanks for your unwearied labours, and the issues of them to this day, So the Lord give you to increase more and more▪ A good man may be weary in well doing, but he shall never be weary of it. And it should mightily uphold our spirits not to be▪ (as the Apostle admonisheth the Galatians Chap: 6. 9) weary in well doing: because (as it follows there) we shall reap if we faint not. That you may sow without fainting, and reap with rejoicing, is the vote of  
SIRS, Your most humble Servant, in this work of the Lord, JOSEPH CARYL.   

A SERMON Pressing to, and Directing in, that great Duty OF Praising GOD.  PSALM 111. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 
Praise ye the Lord, I will praise the Lord with my whole heart in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.  
The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.  
His work is honourable and glorious, and his righteousness endureth for ever.  
He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered, the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.  
He hath given meat unto them that fear him, he will ever be mindful of his Covenant.  
THIS Psalm is King David's order for a day of Thanksgiving. In which we may consider four things.  
First, the matter of the duty.  
Secondly, the encouragement to the duty.  
Thirdly, the manner and qualifications of the duty.  
Fourthly, the grounds of the duty.  
The matter of the duty is laid down in the first words of the first verse, Hallelujah, praise ye the Lord.  
And lest any should think that their chief Magistrate invited them to a duty which he had no mind to himself, he adds  
Secondly, his own leading example in the next words for their encouragement, I will praise the Lord. As if he had said, I will not call you to this duty, and withdraw from it myself; my purpose is to bear a part and join with you in it. 'Tis a beautiful and blessed thing, to see those who give the rule, to be the example of it; Praise ye the Lord (saith David to the people) I will praise the Lord.  
As he gives both the rule, and the example of the duty, so  
Thirdly, the manner of it, in a twofold qualification, and that also from his own example in the same verse. First, He would praise the Lord, not formally, not because it was a custom to do so when fresh mercies came in; But because he loved to do so, for (saith he) I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, that is, I will praise him hearty and most affectionately: There's the first point in the manner. Secondly, he tells us that he would do it very openly, he would not be ashamed to praise God, he would not do it in a corner; Though he would do it with all his heart, yet he would not do it only in his heart, but (saith he) I will praise him in the assembly of the upright. Nor is that all, he would do it yet more openly, I will praise him in the congregation, I will praise him not only in the assembly of the upright, or in a meeting of some choice & select ones, but among good and bad, even in the mixed multitude. As if he had said, As the Lord hath owned me and my cause, and my people, in the eye of all the world, by his signal mercies, so also will I own the Lord with signal praises.  
Fourthly, we have here the grounds of the duty. And these are twofold, or of two sorts.  
First, his experience of what the Lord had already done for him, and his people.  
Secondly, his assurance of what the Lord was to them, and would further be to and do for them.  
The first sort of grounds, upon which David gave order for a day of thanksgiving, or the experience of what God had done, is set down under four distinct adjuncts, or attributes of his works.  
1. The Lord had not done small matters for them. The works of the Lord are great, at the second verse.  
2. The Lord had not done some obscure thing for them. His work is honourable and glorious, at the third verse.  
3. The Lord had not done some ordinary and common work for them. His works are wonderful, at the fourth verse.  
4. The Lord had not done some unprofitable wonders for them, his work was beneficial and advantageous. He hath given meat to them that fear him, at the fifth verse.  
These are the four characters of the Lords works▪ He had done great, and honourable, and wonderful, & beneficial things for them; and were not all these enough to call up their hearts to the high, to the highest praises of God? All these make the first ground of David's order for Thanksgiving.  
The second ground of his order ariseth from the assurance of what God was to them, and would further be to and do for them. This is set forrh in three particulars.  
1. Praise the Lord, for we have this assurance of him, he is righteous and will be righteous, His righteousness endureth for ever, (v. 3.)  
2. Praise the Lord, for we have this assurance of him, He is gracious and full of compassion, (v. 4.)  
3. Praise the Lord, for we have this assurance of him, He is faithful and will be faithful always. He will ever be mindful of his Covenant, (v. 5:)  
I am fallen upon a very rich mine of holy truths, here's that which is precious, and here's plenty of it, greater plenty of precious and golden Oar, than I shall be able to mint and stamp out into particulars at this time; and therefore I purpose to propose but one general point of duty from this large text, and draw all the particulars of it together in a way of application for our better improvement of the occasion of this great and Holy Solemnity.  
The point is plainly this:  It is our duty to pay the Lord special praises, when he is pleased to bestow upon us special and remarkable mercies; or, special praises are due to the Lord for special mercies. 
Here is special and special, I express it so, because to praise God is every days duty; Thus the Apostle directs (Heb. 13. 15) By him therefore let us offer the Sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But though praise be an every days work, yet there is a day of specialty in prasing God. For as it is our duty to pray continually, to continue in prayer (Col. 4. 2.) yea, to pray without ceasing (1 Thes. 5. 17.) yet there are some special seasons for prayer, or peculiar praying times. Call upon me in the day of trouble (Psal. 50. 15.) And we have the same rule (James 5. 13.) Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. 'tis both our duty and our interest to pray though we are not afflicted; but the duty of prayer is most incumbent upon us in affliction. Trouble drives us to God; and God only can drive away our troubles. Again, it is our duty to repent continually, yet there are some special seasons for repentance, as when we have fallen into great sin● or when we are under the fear of great calamities (Isa 22. 12.) And in that day (a day of common danger) did the Lord God o● Hosts call to weeping and mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sack cloth, all which are the most significant acts of repentance and soul humilition before the Lord. So (I say) though to give thanks be every days duty, and that upon a threefold consideration. First, because every day we receive new mercies, and have our former mercies renewed. Secondly, because every mercy is a witness of the goodness of God to us, and of his power put out for us. Thirdly, because every the least mercy is more than we have either deserved at God's hand, or could get alone with our own hand; and therefore we are bound by this threefold cord, to praise the Lord every day, yet upon some days we are bound more to praise him, and that upon a fourfold consideration.  
First, Some special mercies show forth more of God than our every days mercies do; more of the power, more of the wisdom, more of the love, more of the mercy and goodness of God is stamped and impressed upon them, then upon many other mercies. Now the more of God appears in any mercy, the more and the louder it calls us to this duty of praising him. The least appearance of God is praise worthy; His great appearances are infinitely more than worthy of our greatest praises.  
Secondly, We have more urgent need of some mercies then of others; Some are only accessary mercies, others are extremely necessary; Some concern only the well being or bettering of our estate, others the very being of it; Some are only ornamental mercies, others are substantial; some respect only the honour and flourishing condition of our affairs, others the very life and subsistence of them; they are such as we know not how to spare, nor what to do without them: such special mercies urge us avoidable to special praises.  
Thirdly, For some mercies the Lord hath been more then ordinarily sought to in prayer, and with a greater exercise of faith and patience, then ordinary, waited upon for the receiving of them. They that know the Lord and have acquaintance with him, would not have any mercy without ask, they pray for every morsel of bread they eat, they love to see all come in a way of prayer, through the promise. But there are some mercies for which there hath been abundance of striving in our own hearts, and much striving and tugging with God that we might attain them: we for some mercies have wrestled all night, like Jacob, before we could prevail, and be Israel's, Princes with God. Now when such a mercy comes in, as hath been thus specially prayed for, and of which we may say, when we receive it, (as Hanna said to Eli about her son Samuel) for this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him (1 Sam. 1. 27.) So for this success I prayed, for this mercy I fasted, and mourned, I wept and made supplication before the Lord, and he hath given me my petition which I asked of him, when a mercy hath been thus gained by prayer, it ought and will be worn and enjoyed with praise and thankfulness. Every answer or return of prayer, calls for a return of praises, much more when it is an answer to many prayers, to much prayer. Then, if ever, praise waits for God in Zion, (Psal. 76. 3.) when in Zion, that is, in answer to the supplications made in Zion, the Lord breaketh the arrows of the bow, the shield, the sword, and the battle. I grant, those mercies which have stood us in little pains, in few prayers, which have come in for little ask, yea without ask, oblige us to praise God most, because of his readiness to hear and speediness in granting, when God answers before we call, how great a call have we to praise him after such an answer? yet those mercies which have been most costly to us, as to the duty of prayer, are most sensibly constraining upon us as to the duty of praise. And although, when through the free grace of God we find our prayers even prevented by our mercies, the heart cannot but be stirred up mightily to the duty of praise, yet when, through our own sloth we have neglected to fetch in our mercies by prayer, we usually find our hearts little pressed unto praise.  
Fourthly, Because when we pray much and wait long for eminent mercies, we always implicitly and sometimes explicitly vow praises to the Lord, and so bind ourselves by vow to praise him. And hence we find often in Scripture that praising God is expressed by paying vows to God, (Psal. 50. 14.) Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the most high, that is, offer that thanksgiving unto God, which thou hastvowed to pay unto him. And as we have it in that Psalm laid down in a proposition, so in another Psalm we have it laid down in practice, I will offer to th●e the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will 〈◊〉 upon the name of the Lord, I will pay my vows unto the Lord, now in the presence of all his people, (Psal. 116. 17, 18.) Our praises are debts, and Solomon tells us it is very dangerous being in this debt, When thou v●west a vow unto God, defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleasure in fools, pay that which thou hast vowed (Eccl. 5. 4.) Own no man any thing, but to love one another (saith the Apostle, Rom. 13. 8.) that is, Own no man any thing to his prejudice, or in his wrong. And though we can never come out of God's debt, and therefore must be always paying, yet when he finds us to our utmost paying, he looks upon us as if w● owed him nothing. Mercy received brings us in debt, and praise returned brings us (in God's account) out of debt; The Lord (through mercy) takes praise, as payment for his mercies. We have reason to be very careful in making this payment, not only because we own so much, but because we can pay no more.  
So then, if special mercies have the clearest manifestations of God in them, if we have an urgent necessity to receive them, if God hath been more sought that we might obtain them, if the vows of God are upon us to praise him, when ever they should be obtained? who can be unconvinced, That special praises are due, and to be paid, for special received mercies. And if so,  
Then consider,  
First, How sinful it is to with hold and imprison the praises of God in a day of eminent and special mercy. There are two things which we should take heed we do not imprison; First the Truths of God, Secondly the Praises of God. And I may freely say, It is as dangerous to imprison the Praises of God, as it is to imprison the Truths of God. To imprison or hold the Praises of God in unthankfulness, as it is to imprison or hold the Truths of God in unrighteousness. There are many that hold the Truths of God in unrighteousness; O take heed, take heed, that no such prisoners be found among you! For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against those that do so (Rom. 1. 18.) Now as it is dangerous to imprison the truths of God, so it is as dangerous to imprison the mercies and the praises of God. To hold them in unthankfulness hath not only this danger in it, that God will give us no more mercies, seeing we use those he hath given us so hardly and unworthily, but it hath this danger in it also, that it may provoke the Lord to pour out wrath upon us. Eliphaz chargeth Job with imprisoning prayer, Thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer before God (Chap. 15. 4.) That's a sad frame of heart, if when the spirit moves and urgeth to pray, and there are workings of conscience which provoke to prayer (even a natural conscience may do it) then to restrain prayer notes a very ill habit of the soul; for such give witness against themselves that they have cast off the fear of the Lord. Now as to restrain prayer, so to restrain praise, is an argument that men have cast off the fear of the Lord. And when once 'tis so with man, his heart is at worst and his sin at full. Therefore the Apostle Paul (2 Tim. 3. 2) gives this as one of the blackest characters of those perilous times, of which he there prophesyeth, Men shall be lovers of their own selves, etc. unthankful, unholy, without natural affection. They who have no spiritual affections to perform duty to God, are often punished with a want of natural affection towards one another. We have cause to fear that this Prophecy is fulfilled upon this Generation; that for unthankfulness many are given up, not only to unholiness towards God, but unnaturalness towards men. O how are the mercies of God swallowed up in unthankfulness! yea not only swallowed up in unthankfulness, but murdered in our murmur and discontents; to what a height than is the sinfulness of this age like to increase? seeing they who with hold from God the glory of his mercies are in a readiness to with hold obedience to his commands, yea, in that, they with hold obedience to his greatest and most comprehensive commands. How can it be but the unthankful must needs be unholy, seeing unthankfulness is the sum of all unholiness? A heathen could say, Call a man unthankful, and you have called him all that's bad or nought; or (as we speak) you have Called him all to nought.  
Let the unthankful remember, That the inanimate creatures will rise up in judgement against them; for they praise God continually after their manner, or as well as they can. The Sun Moon and stars, fire, and hail, snow, and vapour, stormy winds, fulfilling his word, mountains, and all hills, fruitful trees and Cedars, beasts and all cattle, creeping things, and flying fowl, Dragons, and all deeps, are commanded to praise the Lord, and they do it; And are not all men, Kings of the earth, and all people, Princes, and all the Judges of the earth, both young men and maidens, old men and children, more, commanded to praise the Lord? and are not Saints commanded and bound to praise the Lord more than all other men? And are not those Saints that have prayed for such a mercy, and who have personally tasted the sweetness of such a mercy, and whose interest is much advanced and strengthened by the mercy obtained, have not they more cause to Praise God for it then all other Saints? And is not this the case of many here present, and of many more absent in the several parts of these Dominions?  
Therefore (to close this point) Let not us with hold praise from God, either in whole or in part. Ananias and Saphira were strucken dead for with holding part of the price; they brought something of their vow, and laid it down at the Apostles feet, but not all, and died for't. If we keep a part of our Praises to ourselves, or give part of our Praises to instruments, we deal with God like Ananias and Saphira, who brought their gift indeed, but kept part of the price to themselves, whereas it was all dedicated to God; we may quickly run into a parallel sin in this day and duty of thanksgiving, and when the whole was dedicated to God, keep a part to ourselves. It is not enough for us to say, Praised be God, but we must say (as Psal. 115. 1.) Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory: we must deny our own Praise perfectly, or else all our Praises of God are imperfect; we must doubly deny, twice deny all our own Praises, else we do not so much as give God one single Praise, that is, not one single-hearted Praise.  
And that we may come forth freely in our Praises of the Lord, and sing Halalujahs to his name alone; give me leave to set the stamp or character of those works of God which are instanced in this text, upon those works of God, which are the occasion and matter of our Praise this day, and to show how all those grounds which that sweet singer of Israel laid as the foundation of his own and his people's Praises, meet and centre in ours.  
First, (saith David) The works of the Lord are great. And surely, we are not called this day to Praise the Lord for some small or little work; indeed, all the works of the Lord are great, great as done by him, for he leaves the impression of his own greatness upon all that he doth: as every sin, the least sin is a great sin, because committed against the great God; so every mercy is a great mercy, as it comes forth from the hand of the great God; but I speak not of the greatness of the works of God here in this notion, but as they are great both in themselves and comparatively with others. And as for the work of this day we may affirm the greatness of it in a threefold consideration.  
1. It is great materially, or in the substance of it: A great force of the enemy was beaten and broken, a great treasure was taken from the enemy, is not this a great work? The Prophet's prediction well may be our report concerning the work of this day, and he spoke it in the stile of a Naval victory (Isa. 33. 23.) For having said of Zion (v. 21.) there The glorious Lord will be to us a place of broad rivers and streams, wherein shall go no Galley with oars, neither shall gallant Ship pass thereby (that is, to annoy or hurt us) He presently subjoins the reason (v. 22.) For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our law giver, the Lord is our King he will save us; This salvation of Zion is the destruction of Babylon (as is showed in the next verse by an elegant▪ Apostrophe to the enemy) Thy tackle are loosed, they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail; then is the prey of a great spoil divided, the lame take the prey: And when he saith, The lame take the prey, he doth not mean that it shall be taken by a company of cripples, but by some smaller power. And may we not say, That now the prey of a great spoil is divided? yea may we not say, The lame have taken the prey? Was it not taken by so small a part of the forces sent upon that design, as may not improperly be called a lame or weak limb, in comparison of the whole body? and did not the enemy look upon our six Frigates which engaged them, as a company of Fisher-boats? Therefore great is the work of the Lord in the matter of it.  
2. It is yet greater in the circumstances of it. The greatness of actions whether civil or moral, good or evil, ariseth much, if not chief from circumstantials; from the way and manner, from the time and season in which they are done. And was not this done, first, in a time when our need was great? Was it not done, secondly, in a time when our faith was little? Was it not done, thirdly, in a time when the spirits of some were high in wrath, and the spirits of others higher in scorn at this undertaking? And as this work was great both in the substance and concomitant circumstances of it: so  
3. It may prove yet greater in the consequences of it: Who knows what effects this work may have, or how far it may reach? this may prove a long handed mercy. The Apostle James speaks admiringly, Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth! the fire is not much at present but it may do much, so much that possibly we and others may have cause to admire the greatness of that matter which shall be kindled with this little fire; Therefore let us go forth in praises, for as in david's, so in our experience, The work of the Lord is Great.  
The second attribute of the work of the Lord is laid down in the third verse, His work is honourable and glorious, or (as the Original text hath it) His work is honour and glory. When abstracts are put in Scripture for concreetes, the sense is increased; To say, the work of the Lord is honour and glory, is more than to say it is honourable and glorious; much is said in this, but more in that: 'tis good for us when God declares his mercy, but 'tis better when he declares his glory; We should be thankful for favour, but our thanks should exceed for honour. The work of God before us is honourable and glorious, 'tis honour and glory.  
1. To God himself; He hath (in the eye of his people) made himself a glorious name, as the Prophet saith, he did of old by the conduct of his people Israel through the wilderness (Isa. 63. 14.)  
2. 'Tis honourable and glorious, honour and glory to his servants, even to all who had a hand or a heart in it, a good wish or a prayer going with it. As the with-drawing of God, as to the success of any undertaking, leave those who are engaged in it under clouds of disrespect, yea sometimes of contempt among men; So his appearances with them are a redemption of their esteems, and a reparation of their honour among men. For though we ought not to esteem actions by their events, but by their righteousness, yet success renders them honourable in their eyes (& such are the most of men) who judge actions more by their events, then by the rules and grounds of them. The Lord hath been tender of us, and remembered u● in this; Making this action which had (in the eyes of impartial and discerning men) an intrinsical honour and glory, as to the righteousness and justness of it, extrinsecally honourable and glorious, as to the success and prosperity of it: Therefore let me say with David (Psal. 66. 2.) O make his praise glorious.  
Thirdly, The text saith, His works are wonderful. This attribute also is very applicable, and but due to the present work of God, which is not only a mercy, but a marvel, not only a favour but a wonder. I do not say it is a miracle but a marvel it is, and there are wonders in it.  
1. This hath some what of a marvel and a wonder in it; that it should be done at the enemies own door, when they thought themselves beyond all hazard, and as it were in harbour, when they were ready to say, and probably said in effect with Agag, surely the bitterness of death is past, yea the fear of danger, yet than they were ensnared and taken, even in the face of their credit, their friends and country men looking on, but not able to relieve them.  
2. This work had somewhat of a wonder in it, because done by a small appearance of humane power, because done (as was touched before) by the lame or by little strength. That which is done without the concurrence of any visible means, is a miracle; And that which is done with the concurrence of little visible means, is a marvel. It was not surely any plot of man, but a plot of providence it seems to be, That the greatest part of our force was in that nick of time with-drawn upon necessary occasions far off. If a greater power had been there, the wonder had been the less. For though the greatest earthly strength is as weak to any work as the least, and as unable to effect it unless God be with them (and so they who are spiritual will confess, when they have most of an arm of flesh with them) yet then the conviction comes most clearly upon us, that God is much in any work when we see little of man in it. And that was the reason why the Lord took off all gideon's Army, except three hundred, in his undertaking against the Midianites: when Gideon had gathered a gallant army of thirty thousand, the Lord said unto him (Judg. 7. 2.) The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt himself against me, saying, mine own hand hath saved me. We may hear such words from God spoken aloud, though not formally, yet virtually, in this dispensation. And therefore let us say, as it is often said (Psal. 107.) O praise the Lord, for his goodness, and for his wonderful works, which he doth for the children of men, especially for that which he hath lately done for us upon the great waters, there many saw the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep (v. 23, 24.)  
Fourthly, The text saith, The works of the Lord are beneficial and profitable, that's expressed (v. 5.) He hath given meat to them that fear him. We may put this character also upon the present work of the Lord; we have reason to come forth in his praises and say, what the hand of God hath wrought, is not only an honour to us, but a benefit to us: there is not only credit in it but there is meat in it, yea (as we speak proverbially of such things as are very comfortable and beneficial) There is meat drink and cloth in it. He hath given meat to them that fear him: We fight sometimes and get nothing but blows; we fight many times and get nothing but bare victory and honour by it; but there is meat in some victories, and there is much in this.  
The Original word which we translate meat, is extremely suitable to the present occasion; for it doth not signify our usual food, such as is gotten by ordinary labour, and painstaking, by dressing grounds, and keeping cattle: but it signifies such meat as is gotten by force and fight, by battle with and beating of an enemy; such meat as is gotten by the sword and spear, not by the plough and spade; such meat as is gotten by blood, not by sweat. And therefore we put in the Margin of our larger Bibles, He hath given prey to them that fear him, the prey of war. So the word is used in the Prophecy of dying Jacob, concerning the Tribe of Judah (Gen. 49. 9) Judah is a Lion's whelp, from the prey my son thou art gone up; that is, having taken the prey and spoil of the enemy in war, thou art gone up triumphantly; Judah was the Kingly Tribe, who as he had the power of making war, so he was under this promise, that he should be victorious in his wars, and return laden with the spoils of the enemy. Judah was a Lion's whelp, and the Lord doth sometimes feed those that fear him, as Lions feed themselves and their whelps; he feeds them with prey, and they tear their meat out of the bowels and bellies of those adversaries, who before did tear and make a prey of them. The Lord in this present work hath given us prey for meat, he hath given Thousands, I will not take upon me to say, how many thousands, of the enemy's treasure into our hands by this victory; But sure I am, he hath given meat to feed the business, which was in some danger of starving, and which many wished might starve. 'Tis a mercy when God gives us meat any way, and 'tis a remarkable mercy when he gives us meat as he hath given us this meat, out of an enemy's store, or meat of an enemies own dressing & preparing. In this work of providence that minatory sentence is verified and made good, which Job spoke, or Prophesied rather, against any unrighteous oppressor, whether he be an oppressor of private persons and families, or of States and Nations, in the 27 Chapter of that Book (v. 16, 17.) Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay, he may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the Silver. As if God had said by Job, I know oppressors never think their dust-heap big enough, and therefore they care not whom they oppress, so they may but heap up Silver for themselves as the dust, yea they heap up silver as the dust that they may be strong to oppress; well let them go on and prosper, let them prepare it, but I will prepare heirs for them which they never thought of, unless how to oppress and vex them, The innocent shall divide the Silver. And that word divide hath a sound of war in it; seeing after victories obtained, spoils are divided.  
I know, some are ready to take offence at this day of thanksgiving, because it is a thanksgiving for prey. But let such remember: First, 'tis prey taken from an enemy. Secondly, 'tis prey taken from an enemy who hath swallowed up Nations greater than his own, without offence given, or recompense made, as a prey. And thirdly, we have enough in this text to answer such objectors; here's King David's order for a day of thanksgiving because God had given meat or prey to his people, as he hath given to us this day: We have as much (I might say more) reason to give thanks to God for meat gotten by a lawful war, as for meat gotten by our lawful labour. Therefore let us eat it, or enjoy the benefit of it, and praise the Lord. If while this meat is in our mouths, the praises of God be in our mouths too, certainly, if they be in our hearts and lives too, we shall not need to fear (though we cannot be too much cautioned about it) that (as it befell the Israelites who fell a lusting in the wilderness) the wrath of God should fall upon us, and slay the fattest of us, and smite down the chosen men of our Israel (Psal. 78. 30, 31.) Indeed if we have either asked this meat for our lusts, or having gotten it bestow it upon our lusts, we may expect a severer vengeance than theirs.  
Thus, I have touched upon, and made a brief application of the first ground of praising God, laid down in this context, by a parallel of the works of the Lord, for which David gave order for public praises, with the works of the Lord for which we are called to praise him this day: They are Great and Honourable, they are Wonderful and Beneficial, He hath given meat or prey to them that fear him.  
The second general Ground why David ordered a day of praise, was that assurance and holy confidence which he had of what God was and would further be unto them and do for them. And indeed, what God himself is to us, is far more valuable than all that he hath done for us: And in all our outward enjoyments we should be drawn off from the mercies of God to the God of our mercies, from all the works of God, to God who hath wrought them; So did David here, though he spoke and thought highly of what God had done for them, yet his heart was especially carried out to and taken up with the thoughts of God.  
There are four particulars in which David gives instance for the exalting of the name of God in praises, as to what he is in himself, and as to what he will be unto his people.  
First, The Lord is righteous and just; his righteousness (or justice) endureth for ever (v. 3.) He is not righteous in this or that act only, at this or that time only, but he is righteous in all and always. Some men will do righteously now and then, here and there, to this or that person; yet they step awry at other times, or in other cases: and so do justice, not with respect to truth, but with respect to persons. But the Lord doth justice at all times, in all cases, without respect of persons; and therefore the Lords righteousness endureth for ever. We are saved by, and live upon, the grace and mercy of God: yet we cannot but, and are much bound to, acknowledge his righteousness and justice. They in the Revelation (Chap. 15. 2, 3.) Who had gotten the victory over the Beast, and over his image, and over the number of his name, were seen by John, standing on the Sea of glass, having the harps of God, and singing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Create and marvellous are thy works O Lord God almighty, just and true are thy ways thou King of saints. The ways of Christ are just towards his enemies, as he hath threatened; and they are true towards his own people, as he hath promised. He is the Am●n (giving being and accomplishment to his own word) The faithful and true witness (Rev. 3. 14.) bearing his testimony to what he hath said, by that which he doth, so declaring his own righteousness.  
And may not we now turn David's Prophecy (Psal. 65. 5.) By terrible things in righteousness thou wilt answer us O God, (may we not I say turn that Prophecy) into a history and say, By terrible things in righteousness thou hast answered us O God of our salvation, who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea. O how much are we engaged to praise the Lord for his righteousness, who hath avouched our right, and declared himself against those who would not repair our wrongs? Thus did the same Holy David (Psal. 9 2, 3, 4.) I will be glad and rejoice in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most high; when mine enemies are turned back they shall fall and perish at thy presence, for thou hast maintained my right and my cause, thou sittest in the Throne judging right.  
And as we are to praise the Lord because he hath been righteous, or for the righteousness which he hath done: so we are to praise him upon this assurance, that he will ever do that which is right; For as he is the Father of Lights, so also the judge of rights, with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning, His righteousness endureth for ever, Praise ye the Lord.  
The second part of this second ground of praise, is the graciousness of God, The Lord is gracious and full of compassion (v. 4.) That proper name, John, derived from the Hebrew word here translated gracious, was given in special by the Angel's appointment to the Baptist (Luke 1. 13.) either because he was sent to preach the grace of God in Christ, shortly after to be exhibited in the flesh; or because he was bestowed upon his parents in their old age, as a testimony of the favour and grace of God to them. And thus, all that God doth for his people, flows from the fountain of his free grace, and from his compassions which fail not: The Lord deserveth highest praises from man, because what he doth for man he doth it gratis, or undeserved. As the Lord is righteous in all he doth against wicked men, so he is gracious in all that he doth for the holiest of the sons of men: yea, he saveth them graciously, not only without their deservings, but though they are very ill deserving. Thus he proclaims and entitles himself (Exod. 34. 6.) The Lord, The Lord, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity transgression and sin. Here are a multitude of royal titles reckoned up in this proclamation, yet the sum and substance of all may be collected and resolved into this one, The Lord is gracious. Surely, than we ought to proclaim his praise in this title also.  
The adverb of this word is often used in Scripture, to note injuries received without cause or desert. Thus David complains to God of his enemies (Psal. 35. 7.) Without cause have they hid for me their net in a p●t, which without cause they have digged for my soul. And again (Psal. 7. 4.) I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy, or, that is mine enemy gratis; I never gave any cause in this world why Saul (whom he calls at the head of the Psalm Cush the Benjamite) should be mine enemy, yet he is so. And when men or nations make war upon us wrongfully, or having been offered peace and friendship upon just and righteous terms, shall refuse, and so become our enemies (gratis) without any just cause given them; then usually the Lord doth arise to destroy enemies and help his own people (gratis) though they have given him no cause, but are exceeding unworthy to receive any such help and mark of honour, at his hands: yea though they have provoked him (as the Prophet speaks, Amos 5. 12.) by their mighty sins, to sell them for nought (Psal. 44. 12.) and to deliver them up into the hand of their enemies, that they might satisfy their lust upon them.  
This I find specially taken notice of in the Order published for this day of thanksgiving, in thesewords, The eminency of this mercy of God in weakening the common enemy of Religion, and in encouraging and strengthening the hands of his servants in a vigorous prosecution of this engagement, is much heightened by the freeness of it, being extended to us a froward unbelieved and unthankful people, who had just cause rather to expect from the Lord a renewing of his strokes, and to be still kept under his rebukes, then that he should return to us in loving kindness and tender mercy as he hath done in this late dispensation.  
Now seeing the Lord hath been thus gracious, and favourable to us, let me press it once more, O praise him for his graciousness; That's the proper cry of Saints. When the great mountain becomes a plain before Zerubbabel, than he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shoutings, and cry, grace grace to it, (Zech. 4. 7.) that is, The grace or free favour of God hath done it, and, the same grace and free favour will maintain it. And if the Lord shall make that Great mountain, the greatest mountain of any state in the Christian world, with which his people in these Nations are now contending by war, to become a plain before our Zerubbabel and before his helpers and assistants, all the lines of our duty in praising him must centre in this shout or cry, grace, grace: And let it be the shout and cry of this day, The Lord is gracious, The Lord is gracious, in what he hath done. His favour not our force or strength hath obtained this great victory. Yet that's not all, the Lord hath not only saved us graciously, but which is added in the text, he hath saved us compassionately.  
He is gracious and full of compassion. The word signifies such kind of affections as parents have when their bowels are stirred toward their children, seeing them in any extremity, or imminent danger, (1 Kings 3. 26.) when the true mother saw her child ready to be divided (according to the award given by Solomon) Her bowels (saith the text) yerned upon her son. Compassion is an affection which besides love takes grief into the composition of it: such grief as is full of sympathy or fellow feeling of the evil or misery which lieth upon the party beloved. Thus when the Lord seethe the Powers and Princes of this world ready to divide and devour his children who are dear to him as the apple of his eye, his bowels are stirred and his compassions are kindled together.  
And surely the Lord hath been touched and grieved with our affliction, seeing how we were in danger to be divided, yea to be destroyed. The Lord seems in this providence to speak to us, as he did to Moses in the bush. In seeing I have seen, or I have surely seen the afflictions of my people, and I know their sorrows as to this undertaking, and I have helped them in pure compassion? The Lord seems to say, I have surely seen the anguish of some of their souls lest this business should miscarry, I have seen how they have been burdened as with the difficulty so with the costliness of this work, and I have had compassion on them. I have surely seen by envy and discontents of many at home concerning it, as also the pride and scorn of more abroad, even saying as they of old, what? will they build in a day? conquer nations in a day? swallow up the world at once? yea the Lord seems to say, I have surely seen, I have heard what strange constructions and interpretations have been made of former disappointments and delays of success in this engagement; yea, I have surely seen how some would have rejoiced and triumphed at further with-drawing and disappointments: And having seen all this, my compassions are moved towards them, and I am come forth for their help. O praise the Lord, who is full of Compassion; He hath remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endureth for ever.  
The third particular in the text, for which we are to praise the Lord, is his faithfulness, of which David speaks in the close of the fifth verse, He will ever be mindful of his Covenant.  
The Covenant of God is the collection or coalition of all his promises into this one, (which is the centre, in which their several lines meet, and upon which they move) I will be their God and they shall be my people. The Covenant of God is our title to God, by that we claim him ours; and if God be ours, all is ours: by that he hath given up himself to us, and takes us up to himself. We should praise the Lord.  
First, For making such a Covenant, (Psal. 56. 4.) In God I will praise his word, that is, the word of his Covenant. There's our Treasure, That's our magazine.  
Secondly, We should praise him more for minding of it, He is mindful of his Covenant, saith the text. And that mindfulness of God hath two things in it; First, his remembering the Covenant which he hath made with us: Secondly, his doing or making of it good to us. It is a common sin among men, that they make Covenants, but do not mind them; and that's a sin very chargeable upon this Nation. It is our interest as well as our duty, to make and mind our Covenants with God; Not to make a Covenant with him (in some cases) is sinful, but not to mind what we have made is more sinful. Not to mind Covenant with man is sinful, much more not to mind our Covenant with God. Such is the weakness of some men, that though they mind their Covenants they cannot do them, or make them good; And such is the sinfulness of many, that they make Covenants and never mind them, nor have any mind to make them good; yea such is the wickedness and perverseness, and perfidiousness of others, that though they mind their Covenant, yet they will not do it, yea they refuse to do it, and (which is wickedness wound up to the height) choose to deal falsely with God in Covenant. Now, as the terror of the Lord should keep all men from such a height of wickedness, so the example of the Lord should keep all men from the least and lowest degree of it. For as the Lord is mindful of the Covenant which he hath made, so he mindeth it to do it, yea his minding or remembering of it, is his doing of it. He can as easily keep his Covenant as make it, and as soon fulfil his word as give it.  
Thirdly, God doth not only make and mind his Covenant, but, he is ever mindful of it. It never departs (as wisdom counselleth us her counsels should not Prov. 4. 21.) from his eyes, he keeps it in the midst of his heart, and 'tis always as written in the palms of his hands; he is mindful of it, not only without a total Cessation, but without so much as the least intermission. O let all that are in Covenant with the Lord praise the Lord, who will ever be mindful of his Covenant. Who among other mercies promised in his Covenant, hath promised to bless them that bless his Covenant people, and to curse those that curse them. And thus he hath been pleased to mind his Covenant to us in the mercy of this day.  
I have now set before you those two General grounds of praise: The experience of what God hath wrought for his people, and the assurance of what God is to his people; hereby to provoke your souls to rejoce in and praise the Lord: The work of the Lord is great, his work is honourable and glorious, his work is wonderful and beneficial; therefore praise him. The Lord himself is righteous, he is gracious and full of compassion in all that he hath done for us, he is mindful and will ever be mindful of his Covenant to do it more and more for us, as the matter shall require.  
Now what remains? but, that as I have paralelld our grounds of keeping this thanksgiving day, with those of David in the text; so I should both direct and press you to parallel David by praising God in the same manner and with the same Spirit as he did.  
I shall draw forth this directive Exhortation into four Conclusions, taken up out of the text and body of this Psalm, and so conclude.  
First, Praise God knowingly or understandingly; The Lord cannot bear blind services and obedience, nor doth he delight in blind praises and thanksgivings: And as the Lord would have us to understand what it is to praise him, (some pretend praise to God, who know not what it is to praise him) so the Lord would have us understand what that is, for which we praise him; he would have us understand our mercies. As when we repent we should search out and labour to know all our sins, and all the sinfulness of them; so when we praise God, we should search out and labour to know all the mercies of God and the mercifulness of God to us in them. This we have expressly in the text, at the second verse, The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. We must seek them out, and find the compass of them, we must labour to understand and comprehend the height, and depth, and length, and breadth of them, as the Apostle speaks concerning the love of God. They are great and their Greatness must be sought out.  
But some may say, If the works of the Lord are so great, what need they be sought: great things are obvious and easily seen; we need not seek out the Sun?  
I answer, There is a twofold seeking: First to find the work; Secondly to find out the work, that is, to find the rarities and beauties, the perfections, and wonders of the work. Thus, though the Sun be a great work of God, creating; yet, I may say, there are very few that to this day have sought out the Sun; that is, who have seen the excellency, perfection, and glory of that Candle of Heaven; we have not found the Sun as we ought, though it shines every day to us. Much less have we found out the providential works of God; some of which shine as the Sun in the Heavens, and yet we have not found them out. The present work of God is so great that every one hears of it, and 'tis every man's talk and discourse, yet how few have studied to find out the perfections of it? David describes the persons who do so, They are (saith he) sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. Then, all they that are troubled at them, who look sour upon them or envy them, who think a loss would serve their turns and ends better than this great gain, and to whom (as the Prophet speaks in another case Isa: 28. 19) It is a vexation only to understand the report, that is, to understand that such a thing is reported. Surely these and such as these have no pleasure in this work of God, and therefore will never seek it out. Nor is it every kind of pleasure which we take in the works of God, that makes us seek them out, and so praise him spiritually and understandingly for them: They who (as many do) take only a carnal or fleshly pleasure in them, will seek no further than the flesh or outside of them, and all their praises must needs symbolise with their spirits, and be merely carnal.  
The true pleasure which we should take in this or any like work of God, must arise upon these three grounds.  
1. As it is a return of prayer. David in that other Psalm, where he puts the question to himself, What shall I render unto the Lord, for all his benefits unto me? (Psal. 116. 12.) had said (v. 1, 2.) I Love the Lord because he hath heard my voice & my supplications, because he hath inclined his ear unto me. We never take so much spiritual pleasure in any of the providential works of God, as in those, which (with humble submission to his own good pleasure) we have wrought him to by prayer.  
2. The pleasure which we should take in the works of God, aught to arise from those more eminent evidences of the power and goodness or any other manifestations of God in them. And indeed, we should take pleasure in nothing but as somewhat of God appears in it. As God is himself the chiefest good, so the more of God is seen in handing our mercies to us, the better they are. And therefore we should be more affected with, and take more pleasure in the appearances of God in our mercies, then with our own advantages & advancements by them. We take pleasure as beasts only, if we take pleasure in what they are for us, and not in what of God is in them. As a believers hope, and trust, and confidence, is in God alone for what he would have wrought, so he hath greater joy, and content, and complacency in God himself then in any of his works.  
3. The pleasure which we should▪ take in the works of God ought to arise from their aspect upon the Prophecies, or as they look toward the fulfilling of Prophecies: And indeed, we may take pleasure in the saddest things that are done in the world (when we see Nations tumbling and rolling in blood, when we see the Towers falling, and the mountains shaking, though these are dismal sights, yet we may take pleasure in them under this notion) as they are a fulfilling of Prophecies, and a bringing about of the Counsels of God. Now, They that can take pleasure in this special work of providence before us, as it looks toward the fulfilling a Prophecy, the pouring out of the vial upon the Babylonish power (which shall certainly be fulfilled in its season, and certainly the season of it cannot be far off: Euphrates, the strength of mystical Babylon must be dried up, and the great undertake of Nations will at last exhaust that channel. They (I say) who from such a contemplation of this work, as it is an answer of prayer, as it is a fulfilling of Prophecies, and a clear demonstration of the power, wisdom, truth and faithfulness of God in both, have pleasure in it, these) will search it out, and so give praise to God knowingly and understandingly for it.  
The second direction which the text holds out to our practice in this duty of Praise, is, To Praise him cordially, that we have expressly in the first verse, I will praise the Lord with my whole heart. I might spend a whole hour about this whole heart, but I only name it: do not put God off with words or lip-praise this day; let not yours be heartless praise, and let it not be done with less than a whole heart; half a heart or a divided heart will not serve in sacrifice: if we have not a heart, and a whole heart, in the business, it were better our bodies were not at all in it. They who have two hearts or are double hearted in any duty, and they who have no heart or but half a heart in it, are an alike abomination to the Lord.  
Thirdly, David's example in the text directs us to praise the Lord openly and avowedly, even In the assembly of the just, and in the congregation (v. 1.) There are two degrees in the openness of David's praise. First he would do it, In the assembly of the upright, or (as some translate) In the assembly of the Just. Just or upright men, have two sorts of assemblies, or they assemble for two great ends; First, to worship and call upon God: Secondly, to advise and take counsel one with another. The word here rendered an assembly is applicable to both sorts of assemblies.  
1. To a company of men met together to consult what to do in any difficult case, especially of public concernment, whether for peace or war. And they who meet thus in Council should be an assembly of just and upright men. None are fit to direct the course of Justice but they who are Just, nor to set things right in a Nation but the upright. Every thing is in working, as it is in being; And what we find in ourselves, we are apt to impress upon all we do or take in hand. The work bears the image and superscription of the workman. As the vile person will speak villainy (Isa. 32. 6.) So the just person will speak justice, and the words of the upright man will be of uprightness.  
2. The word is appliable also to any meeting or assembly of the godly, for they are a secret company too; They are secret ones, and secrets are with them: The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, (Psal. 25. 14.) and he will show them his Covenant, or (as the Margin hath it) and his Covenant to make them know it.  
Now when David resolves here to praise God in the Assembly of the Just, we may understand him of either Assembly; He would praise God in the assembly of his Counselors: where buisinesses are debated and beaten out, There Successes are especially to be acknowledged. He would do it also in any assembly of gracious and upright souls. And indeed, Praise is comely for the upright, (Psal. 33. 1.) And 'tis so, not only because they have most cause to Praise God, but because they are most fit to do it, and because 'tis most acceptable at their hand to the heart of God. How beautiful and of how sweet a savour are their Praises for any mercy, who as they have travelled for it, so they would walk worthy of it. 'Tis the best and most stately representation of heaven on earth, to join with such an assembly of just men praising God.  
But David would not stay there, neither must we; his Praise was yet more open, I will praise him in the assembly of the just, and in the congregation. Which in opposition to the former is as if he had said, I will praise the Lord before all comers, let all the world come they shall be witnesses of his praise, I will praise him bare-faced and boldfaced, I care not who hears or who knows it, I ●t it be told in Gath and published in the streets of Askelon. Such Praises we are called to perform this day, we are Praising God in the congregation; Public benefits must have public acknowledgements: There aught to be, not only sincerity, but solemnity, in such a work as this. As they who sin before all men, should also repent before all men: So, they who have been helped and saved before all men, should as David professed again (Psal. 116. 13, 14.) Take up the cup of salvation, and pay their praise▪ vows unto the Lord in the presence of all his people. Yea, in the presence of all people, enemies & all, if they are or could be present, and let it be told to them (if any will) being absent, even in Rome and Spain, that we this day have given thanks to God for giving us this Sea Victory and those Indian spoils.  
Fourthly, Yet with this holy heat and freedom of spirit, let your Praises this day have a temperament of holy fear, and your rejoicings an allay of spiritual trembling: We find this directing corrective in the Psalm too; For a little beyond the text at the 10 verse, thus David concludes, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, a good understanding have all that do his commandments, his praise endureth for ever. We must not be afraid to praise God, but we must praise him with fear, and they who have most true courage and holy boldness in praising God, praise him with the greatest mixture of this gracious fear. Moses put this ingredient into his Song of triumph for the overthrow of Pharaoh and his Host in the red Sea, Who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods? who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, (Exod. 15. 11.) Therefore Praise him with fear; what fear? with fear,  
First, Lest we should not have praised him as we ought; or with this fear, that we have not come up to that holiness and spiritualness of the duty in which it ought to be performed. We have no reason to think we have done this work so well, as that all's well, but rather to fear that we have failed much in it. When we are at highest in any duty, we are below our duty, how much more in this duty of praise, which is our highest duty. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord, who can show forth all his praise? (Psal. 106. 2.) Had we (as the Apostle speaks in another case, ● Cor. 13. 1.) the tongues of men and Angels, yea the best hearts of both, we could not show forth all his Praise; what then have we done with our stammering tongues and straitened hearts to the Praise of God?  
Secondly, Praise the Lord with this fear, lest you should forget the benefits which you have praised him for. Holy David (Psal. 103. 2.) bespeaks his soul thus, Bless the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; that is, forget none at all of them: They that are afraid of forgetting the benefits of God, are most likely to remember them. Such fear will write the Praise of God upon your hearts, and provoke you to Praise him with your lives.  
Thirdly, Praise the Lord with this fear, that you neither are nor shall be able to answer his loving kindness, nor return to him according to the mercy now received. The great things which God hath heretofore and now done for us, will undo us in the end, unless we do somewhat (I say not equal but) suitable to them. Success of affairs whether at home or abroad is a Talon, yea there may be many talents in one success; And who knows not, that hath read the Gospel, how dangerous it is to wrap up our talon in a napkin? If once God seethe that we are not bettered, and strive not to do better when he doth us good, he will not only not do us good any more but do us hurt, yea destroy us (as he told his ancient people by the mouth of Joshuah their leader and chief Magistrate (Josh. 24. 20.) Therefore let this holy fear be strong and stirring upon your hearts, lest you come short of the Praise of God, both in the frame of your hearts, and in your performance to him. Be afraid, that you shall neither have such strength of faith in God in future straits, nor such faithfulness to God in any of your enlargements, as the experience of this day calls for: Be afraid that ye shall never show forth such a zeal for God as God hath showed for you; for as the Prophet tells us, the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall, so we may say, the zeal of the Lord of hosts hath done this great thing for us, and that zeal of God will yet do greater, if the work of God cool not upon our hands. Fear lest ye should not know what this mercy calls you to do, and be more afraid lest you should not do what you know. As the correcting rod, so the supporting staff of God hath a voice in it; They are wise indeed, who hearing understand that voice, and, understanding it, do thereafter. Whatever your hand finds to do for the name of God, and for the prosperity of these Nations, do it with all your might. There's much to be done for the promoting of justice and righteousness in the Nation; That our Judges may every where be as at the first, and our Counselors as at the beginning: And that there may be no more pricking briar nor grieving thorn among ourselves, as Israel was promised in reference to those about them (Ezek. 28. 24) There's much also to be done for the promoting of truth and holiness, which (in consort with justice and righteousness) are at once the beauty and stability, the honour and the safety of Nations: Let both evil deeds and damnable doctrines be witnessed against, let no error find encouragement, let no faith-devouring and conscience-wasting error appear with open face in our borders, without a rebuke from magistratical power. God hath been tender of the honour of the Nation abroad, let not the honour of God suffer or be eclipsed at home, through any defect in the exercise of that great power wherewith you are entrusted.  
That fear of the Lord with which I have been pressing you to Praise the Lord, will surely guide you in all your counsels to the doing and accomplishing of all these things. For so saith this Psalmist (v. 10) The sear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; The word which we render beginning signifies also the head or top, the perfection and highest pinnacle of wisdom. Indeed the holy fear of the Lord is the beginning and ending, the first and last, the Alpha and Omega of all true wisdom; and therefore the Psalmist adds in the close of the same verse, A good understanding have all they that do his commandments. Understanding and doing are two things, yet they only understand the commandments of God who do his commandments; and they only do his commandments who fear him. Solomon puts both these together, and makes them the sum of all the duty of man, and therefore, surely, the sum of all the wisdom of man, (Eccles. 12. 13.) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter, Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man, or this is the whole of man. As if that Preacher-royall had said, You have heard me long, and I have spoken many words, I will now ease your labour in hearing and mine in speaking, when you have heard and I have spoken but two words more, Fear God, and keep his commandments. To fear God, is to honour him in our hearts; To keep the commandments of God, is to honour him in our lives. And is not this whole man? A man without this (though in honour) understandeth not, but is like the beast that perisheth. A man in highest honour, and of greatest understanding, can not go beyond this: Therefore, This is all man, in the best of men. To this end, as every man was made, so every man lives, who knows why he was made, and why he lives. And hence (to return to my text) David had no sooner said, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, a good understanding have all they they that do his commandments, but presently he concludes, His praise endureth for ever. There is a twofold reference of these words: First to God, whose Praises David had been inditing and singing all the Psalm over, His praise (eminently) endureth for ever. Secondly to that man who praiseth God kowingly and with his whole heart, who praiseth God boldly and with holy fear, this man hath a good understanding, and his praise endureth for ever.  
Right Honourable, You have now kept a day of Praise to God; If you shall approve yourselves to God, and to his people, to have kept it according to the counsel and example of his Kingly Prophet, there will be more than a day of praise for you, your Praise will endure for ever; the children who are yet unborn will praise you, and praise God for you. And consider how sad your account will be, if you who have, now, kept a day of Praise should give the Nation any just and r●all occasion to dispraise and speak evil of you hereafter; if your name and honour should receive a blot or blemish by any thing that you do, or advise to be done, after you have thus beautified the name of God with these solemn Praises. While your hand is upon the helm of government, let your eye be to heaven for guidance both as to the way and issue of your counsels, that you may have praise in the gate, praise in the City, and praise in the country, that you may have nothing but praise in the hearts and by the tongues of all those, whose praises are worth the having; or that if you miss praise at present from men, you may have that praise of God at last which will indeed endure for ever, Well done good and faithful servants.  
FINIS.