A DESCRIPTION OF THE FORM AND Manner of public Thanksgiving.  
LONDON, Printed by Barnard Alsop, 1641.   

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C R  A DESCRIPTION OF The Form and Manner of public Thinkesgiving.  
FIrst, to show what Thanksgiving is, And secondly the several Branches in it.  
THanksgiving is an Acknowledging, & confessing with gladness of the Benefits and Deliverances of God, both towards ourselves, and others, to the Praise of His Name.  

The branches in it are.  
1. Remembrance of the good done.  
2. Mention of that good.  
3. Confessing GOD to be the Author and Giver of it.  
4. Cheerfulness.   
1. Thanksgiving is an acknowledging and confessing of Benefits, and Deliverances: Thus when David incited the People to a public Thanksgiving, he calls upon Israel, and upon the house of Aron, and upon all that fear the Lord, to acknowledge and confess God's benefits and Deliverances wrought for them. Psal. 118.2, 3, 4. verses, and have not we the like occasion to confess and acknowledge the benefits & deliverances of God towards us, in working so great a work for us, who could have wrought this peace and unity between us and amongst us, but the Lord? Let us look upon those distressed Churches beyond the seas, and upon what might have befallen us, had not the Lord wrought for us; and then we cannot choose, but must needs acknowledge & confess, the great benefits and deliverances that God hath wrought amongst us.  
2. This acknowledging and confessing to God, it is with gladness. Thus when the Lord delivered Zion then was our mouths filled with laughter, and our tongues with singing (saith David) the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad (saith he) Psal. 126.1, 2, 3. verses, and have not we as great cause to rejoice before the Lord, to sing, & be glad, for the great deliverances the the Lord hath wrought for us: surely we have very stony & had hearts, if we be not touched with joy before the Lord for the same. 3. It is for God's deliverances both towards ourselves, & others: The Apostle exhorteth that thanksgiving be made for all men. 1 Tim. 2.1. Let us but consider Gods gracious mercies, & deliverances towards us, and towards our whole Land; yea & towards our neighbor-united Nations, we had not only Rumours of Wars, but shedding of blood on both sides, wars were begun, the subjects of one King and people of one faith, of one Religion, we & our brethren were banded one against another; here was begun a sad Tragedy, here was Isaake at the point of death, in the world's apprehension, & to be admired is the goodness of the Lord, that where as before this time, more plenty of blood might have binshed in our streets, than we have had of rain; yet the Lord hath established peace. Ever blessed be our gracious God, that we, & they, were not the ruin and destruction each of other? This was the mighty hand of God, Oh let us therefore praise his holy Name.  
4. Thanksgiving ought to be to the praise of the name of God; therefore (saith David) I will be glad and rejoice in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most high. Psal. 9.2. The day of Thanksgiving is not a day of carnal pleasure, & fleshly delight, to recreate the body with the pleasures and delights of the word, but after a spiritual manner to rejoice in the Lord, & to sing Psalms & praises to his name, & to declare the wonders that he hath wrought for us. There are some (saith Hierome to Nepotianus) which contrary to the common order, and nature of men, in their thanksgiving and fasting, will neither drink water, nor eat bread, but seek for more delicate suppings, and sweet meats, looking to be praised for such fasting: Fie for shame, do we not blush, at such foolishness, are we not weary of such superstition.  
But to come to the branches which are in thanksgiving. 1. Remembrance of the good done. Remember the marvellous works which the Lord hath done, (saith David) his wonders and the judgements of his mouth. Psal. 105.5. The whole Psalm is excellent concerning this particular, in the story of God's providence over his people. And thus we to celebrate a thanksgiving to the Lord, we must remember that good that the Lord hath done for us, we must suffer our hearts to be enlarged in the remembrance of his mercies: and ●his we may do by looking upon ourselves, as we were before Deliverance, and under the Cross; when we were all, so distracted & troubled, that we knew not what to do: with troubles abroad, and troubles at home, and fallen even into the mouth of war & ruin, ready to fall before the sword: O let our hearts be touched with the thoughts hereof, and remember that the Lord hath delivered us, and graciously overcome all these dangers for us, and now our wars are turned into peace; for which let us praise the Lord, and not forget such great mercies. 2. Mention of that good done, David saith, My Tongue (says he) shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long, for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt. Ps. 71.24. Thus may we say with holy David here, O our Lord God, we will talk, & make mention of thy righteousness, all the day long, we will celebrate a day of thanksgiving to thy name, for the mercies, and the gracious Deliverances which thou hast wrought for us, & hast brought those wicked enemies of thine, & o'er (that sought to devour us) to shame and confusion, therefore our lips, shall greatly rejoice, and sing unto thee, & our souls which thou hast redeemed shall praise thee. 3. Confessing God to be the Author and Giver of all our blessings, deliverances, and benefits. For as David saith, it is in vain to rise early and to sit up late, and to eat the bread of sorrows, for God giveth his beloved sleep. Psal. 127.2. It is not all the plotting, & contriving that a state can do, it is not the policy of all the wits of the whole Kingdom that could have effected this gracious pacification, & wrought these great blessings for us, had not the Lord given us rest; let us ascribe it not to man, for God is the Author of all our good; therefore let us labour to be acquainted with God's goodness, & render thanks unto him, and praise his holy name of his mercies towards as. 4. The last b●anch is Cheerfulness being glad of an occasion to praise him, & doing it gladly with joy, David could sing, the voice of rejoicing and salvation, is in the Tabernacles of the righteous the right hand of the Lord doth valiautly. Psal. 118.15. And hath not the right gand of the Lord done valiantly for us. to reduce us so graciously, & to confound, and put to shame, all the Enemies of our peace: O then let the voice of rejoicing be in our Churches, for the great salvation that GOD hath wrought for us. This joy which is a sweet motion of the soul, arising from the goodness, and mercy of God wrought for us, not a worldly joy arising from Nature, but such a joy as is spiritual, and heavenly, even such a joy as Christ would have to be full in his members, Joh. 15.11. To seek the Lord and his strength, and to seek after his face continually.  
Obj. It may be some will say? what needs such a stir? Do not we know how to fast, & how to pray, and how to give God thanks? Do not we know how to seek the Lord, without so much ado?  
Ans. To whom I answer with calvin's own words, on Psal. 105. The seeking of the Lord (saith he) is properly the mark whereby the faithful are discerned from the worldlings: Howbeit they come fare short as yet in seeking him as they ought to do: & therefore they have need of spurs continually wherewith to prick them forward, although they be running of their own accord; for they be neither gadding persons, nor altogether dullards, nor such as be fast tied to Earthly Dregs, whom the Prophet stirreth up to seek God, but such as with a forward mind went about it already: Verily because he seethe them letted with many hindrances, so as they cannot run fast enough? What necessity then is there think you to rouse up those Muckwormes, & Earthly minded men to do their duty to God, as becometh Christia●s; lest pleasure, profit, or pride hinder them, and choke their devotion, and so in stead of celebrating a day of thanksgiving to the Lord, they offer the sacrifice of fools, and dishonour the name of God, not regarding the spirituality of his worship? The worship of God consisteth not in dead Ceremonies, but chief in the sacrifice of praise, God requireth also, that we be cheerfully thankful to him, and do it willingly. Therefore David called upon the people to make haste to come into God's presence, Psal. 95. Which is a thing very needful to be done in so great slothfulness, as is bred in us by Nature, at such times as we are called to give God thanks. Now like as the Prophet doth nip the slothfulness of the people in old time of singing praise unto GOD: so let us know that we have need of the same spur at this day also, because we be no less unthankful than they were: and let us stir up our devotion when we come into the Congregation, and consider that we are in God's presence, there is nothing more to be wished, then to offer in God's presence the Sacrifice that God avoucheth to be most acceptable unto him; God is present before our faces as a witness; therefore let all those that fear the Lord consider with themselves that they shall not lose their labour.  
FINIS.