CHAP. V.ThatGod’s Works ought to excite us to Thankfulness.
ThatGod’s Works ought to excite us to Thankfulness.
As the Demonstrations whichGODhath given of his infinitePowerandWisdomshould excite us to Fear and Obedience; so I shall shew in this Chapter, that the Demonstrations which he hath given of his infiniteGoodnessin his Works, may excite us to due Thankfulness and Praise. It appears throughout the foregoing Survey, what KindnessGODhath shewn to his Creatures in providing every Thing conducing to their Life, Prosperity, and Happiness[a]; how they are allcontrived and made in the best Manner, placed in the fittest Places of the World for their Habitation and Comfort; accoutered in the best Manner, and accommodated with every, even all the minutest Things that may minister to their Health, Happiness, Office, Occasions, and Business in the World.
Upon which Account, Thankfulness and Praise is so reasonable, so just a Debt to theCreator, that thePsalmistcalleth upon all the Creatures to praise God, inPsalmcxlviii.Praise him all his Angels, Praise him all his Hosts; Sun, Moon, Stars of Light, Heavens of Heavens, and Waters above the Heavens.The Reason given for which is, ℣. 5, 6.For he commanded, and they were created; he hath also established them for ever and ever; he hath made a Decree which they shall not pass.And not these Celestials alone, but the Creatures of the Earth and Waters too, even the Meteors,Fire and Hail, Snow and Vapours, stormy Winds fulfilling his Word.Yea, the veryMountains and Hills, Trees, Beasts, and all Cattle, creeping Things, and flying Fowl.But in a particular manner, all the Ranks and Orders, all the Ages and Sexes of Mankind are charged with this Duty;Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for his Name alone is excellent; his Glory is above the Earth and Heavens, ℣. 13.
And great Reason there is we should be excited to true and unfeigned Thankfulness and Praise[b]to this our great Benefactor, if we reflect upon what hath been shewn in the preceding Survey, that theCreatorhath done for Man alone, without any regard to the rest of the Creatures, which some have held were made for the Sake of Man. Let us but reflect upon the Excellence and Immortality of our Soul; the incomparable Contrivance, and curious Structure of our Body; and the Care and Caution taken for the Security and Happiness of our State, and we shall find, that among the whole Race of Beings, Man hath especial Reason to magnify the Creator’s Goodness, and with suitable ardent Affections to be thankful unto him.
FOOTNOTES:[a]Si pauca quis tibi donâsset jugera, accepisse te diceres beneficium: immensa terrarum latè patentium spatia negas esse beneficium? Si pecuniam tibi aliquis donaverit,——beneficium vocabis: tot metalla defodit, tot flumina emisit in æra, super quæ decurrunt sola aurum vehentia: argenti, æris, ferri immane pondus omnibus locis obrutum, cujus investigandi tibi facultatem dedit,—negas te accepisse beneficium? Si domus tibi donetur, in quâ marmoris aliquid resplendeat,&c.Nam mediocre munus vocabis? Ingens tibi domicilium, sine ullo incendii, aut ruinæ metu struxit, in quo vides non tenues crustas——sed integras lapidis pretiosissimi moles,&c.negas te ullum munus accepisse? Et cùm ista quæ habes magno æstimes, quod est ingrati hominis, nulli debere te judicas? Unde tibi istum quem trahis spiritum? Unde istam, per quam ductus vitæ tuæ disponis atque ordinas, lucem?&c.Senec. de Benef. L. 4. c. 6.[b]Tempestivum tibi jam fuerit, qui in hisce libris versaris considerare, in utram Familiam recipi malis,PlatonicamneacHippocraticam, & aliorum virorum, qui Naturæ opera mirantur; an eorum qui ea insectantur, quod non per Pedes natura constituit effluere Excrementa.Of which having told a Story of an Acquaintance of his that blamed Nature on this Account, he then goes on,At verò si de hujusmodi pecudibus plura verba focero, melioris mentis homines meritò mihi forte succenseant, dicantque me polluere sacrum sermonem, quem egoCONDITORISnostri verum Hymnum compono, existimoque in eo veram esse pietatem,——ut si noverim ipse primus, deinde & aliis exposuerim, quænam sit ipsius Sapientia, quæ Virtus, quæ Bonitas. Quod enim cultu conveniente exornaverit omnia, nullique bona inviderit, id perfectissimæ Bonitatis specimen esse statuo; & hæc quidem ratione ejus Bonitas Hymnis nobis est celebranda. Hoc autem omne invenisse quo pacto omnia potissimùm adornarentur, summa Sapientia est: effecisse autem omnia, qua voluit, Virtutis est invicta.Galen. de Us. Part. L. 3. c. 10.
[a]Si pauca quis tibi donâsset jugera, accepisse te diceres beneficium: immensa terrarum latè patentium spatia negas esse beneficium? Si pecuniam tibi aliquis donaverit,——beneficium vocabis: tot metalla defodit, tot flumina emisit in æra, super quæ decurrunt sola aurum vehentia: argenti, æris, ferri immane pondus omnibus locis obrutum, cujus investigandi tibi facultatem dedit,—negas te accepisse beneficium? Si domus tibi donetur, in quâ marmoris aliquid resplendeat,&c.Nam mediocre munus vocabis? Ingens tibi domicilium, sine ullo incendii, aut ruinæ metu struxit, in quo vides non tenues crustas——sed integras lapidis pretiosissimi moles,&c.negas te ullum munus accepisse? Et cùm ista quæ habes magno æstimes, quod est ingrati hominis, nulli debere te judicas? Unde tibi istum quem trahis spiritum? Unde istam, per quam ductus vitæ tuæ disponis atque ordinas, lucem?&c.Senec. de Benef. L. 4. c. 6.
[a]Si pauca quis tibi donâsset jugera, accepisse te diceres beneficium: immensa terrarum latè patentium spatia negas esse beneficium? Si pecuniam tibi aliquis donaverit,——beneficium vocabis: tot metalla defodit, tot flumina emisit in æra, super quæ decurrunt sola aurum vehentia: argenti, æris, ferri immane pondus omnibus locis obrutum, cujus investigandi tibi facultatem dedit,—negas te accepisse beneficium? Si domus tibi donetur, in quâ marmoris aliquid resplendeat,&c.Nam mediocre munus vocabis? Ingens tibi domicilium, sine ullo incendii, aut ruinæ metu struxit, in quo vides non tenues crustas——sed integras lapidis pretiosissimi moles,&c.negas te ullum munus accepisse? Et cùm ista quæ habes magno æstimes, quod est ingrati hominis, nulli debere te judicas? Unde tibi istum quem trahis spiritum? Unde istam, per quam ductus vitæ tuæ disponis atque ordinas, lucem?&c.Senec. de Benef. L. 4. c. 6.
[b]Tempestivum tibi jam fuerit, qui in hisce libris versaris considerare, in utram Familiam recipi malis,PlatonicamneacHippocraticam, & aliorum virorum, qui Naturæ opera mirantur; an eorum qui ea insectantur, quod non per Pedes natura constituit effluere Excrementa.Of which having told a Story of an Acquaintance of his that blamed Nature on this Account, he then goes on,At verò si de hujusmodi pecudibus plura verba focero, melioris mentis homines meritò mihi forte succenseant, dicantque me polluere sacrum sermonem, quem egoCONDITORISnostri verum Hymnum compono, existimoque in eo veram esse pietatem,——ut si noverim ipse primus, deinde & aliis exposuerim, quænam sit ipsius Sapientia, quæ Virtus, quæ Bonitas. Quod enim cultu conveniente exornaverit omnia, nullique bona inviderit, id perfectissimæ Bonitatis specimen esse statuo; & hæc quidem ratione ejus Bonitas Hymnis nobis est celebranda. Hoc autem omne invenisse quo pacto omnia potissimùm adornarentur, summa Sapientia est: effecisse autem omnia, qua voluit, Virtutis est invicta.Galen. de Us. Part. L. 3. c. 10.
[b]Tempestivum tibi jam fuerit, qui in hisce libris versaris considerare, in utram Familiam recipi malis,PlatonicamneacHippocraticam, & aliorum virorum, qui Naturæ opera mirantur; an eorum qui ea insectantur, quod non per Pedes natura constituit effluere Excrementa.Of which having told a Story of an Acquaintance of his that blamed Nature on this Account, he then goes on,At verò si de hujusmodi pecudibus plura verba focero, melioris mentis homines meritò mihi forte succenseant, dicantque me polluere sacrum sermonem, quem egoCONDITORISnostri verum Hymnum compono, existimoque in eo veram esse pietatem,——ut si noverim ipse primus, deinde & aliis exposuerim, quænam sit ipsius Sapientia, quæ Virtus, quæ Bonitas. Quod enim cultu conveniente exornaverit omnia, nullique bona inviderit, id perfectissimæ Bonitatis specimen esse statuo; & hæc quidem ratione ejus Bonitas Hymnis nobis est celebranda. Hoc autem omne invenisse quo pacto omnia potissimùm adornarentur, summa Sapientia est: effecisse autem omnia, qua voluit, Virtutis est invicta.Galen. de Us. Part. L. 3. c. 10.