68+ e tì.feergreenhamr Readings force meafure know God ; ifwe will praife God more then thecommon fortof men, we muff labour toknow more then the commonfort ofmen. But whatmoaned] theProphet, to delire tobee taught ? was he notwell feene in the word ? hadhenot learned much, as becommeth a Prophet ? what teaching dothhe here meane? knowledge puffeth vp and isvoydeofhumilicie, confeffingour wantes, This is the teachingache fpirit. Forit isnodoubtbathe had eyes to leeas well asothers, hehad cares toheare, hehad an heart to conceiue, hewas a manof God. Howbeit, weare to know, thatthough our eyes be rpm] our booke, and the word be founded in ourBares; yet it is the fpirit of God thatmaketh vs teacheable iniudgement, andframeable in our affections. Whathaue we which wehauenotreceìued? it is the gifteofGod, and tip you it is giueri, faith our Sauiour Chriff tohisDifciples, tovnderftand themylteries ofGod. This then being giuen of God by hisfpirit, mutt caufe vs to 'bethankefull. Why doe fo many excel! in knowledge ? and why doe fo fewgiuè thankes finely becaufe they are taught bythe letter, and not by the fpirit. For aman may attaineto the knowledgeof the word, as othersattaine to theknowledgeof humaine arts, but to hisMiter condemnatf- on. Wherefore in a wordwe mayconclude, ifthemanofGod mighthaue atchieued filch knowledge without fuckmeanes,hewaseithertoo much bufiedin that whereinhe needed not hauetroubledhimfelfe, or elfean hypocrite. Butifwe reade,that theblindewhich were reftored to theirfight, the deafe whole cares wereopened, the dumbe, whoby the finger ofChritt his power did fpeake againe, ac- knowledged this to be the onely worke of God, and were thankefull ; although indeede of theten Impers which were defiled, one onely was thankefull, andnine heldetheir peace : how much arewe bound to praifeand magnifie the name ofourgoodGod, who bath deliuered vs from blindnes and ignorance, wherein wee wereplunged, tofee the bright bramesof the glorious Gofpeil, whobath opened our beanie and dull caresto hearethe fweetevoyce ofthe fonneofGod, whobath "vntied our tongues and vncloled our lips, which were fewedvpfromfounding the praifeof ourfaluation, yea and which more ts, bath vntied our feete and reftored our feete, to walke in theglorious libertie of the lonnesofGod, and bath cart out of vsthe diuelland hispower, andfpoyled from hencefourth his kingdotne in vs, that we might fèruethe Lordin newnesof conuerfa- tion. Wefie now, thatwhofoeuer ]taught aright to thekingdome of God, hefhall praife theLord. But whatis thecaufe, why this effete is fo little found in vs ofpraifing God? men becaufewe are voydeofthecaufe, that is, ofteaching of thefpirit. Foreitherfurely _wehaue nonevnderffanding, or ehewehaue not thevnderffandingof the fpirit. Oblef- fed workeof Godsfpirit, thankefgiuing ! Thismade the Prophet lay : Pfahn. r 6.2. Iffy weldoingextended] not tothee, O Lord. And./t 6.1a. What!hall Irender ontotheLord forall bitbenefitstowards me? Iwsiltake themop offaluation andcallvpon thename ofthe Lord. That is,Iwill acknowledgehis dde graces receiuedand hopethat I (hail lianehis merciescon.. tinued. Butherein is another thingworthyto beobferued, that accordingto thepropor- tion ofhis prayers, is theproportion ofthankefgiuings.. Forasthetwo formerverfes con- taine twoprayers 5 fo thetwo latter verfes containetwo thankelgiuings. And markehow according to thevehemencie ofhisprayer, there is a vehemencie ofchankefgiuing. For as he hadPaid Let my complaint comebefore thee: fo he addeth, my lips (hallpower fourth thy praife continually,Aword drawee fromfpoutesor fpring-heads, whichaboundantlyyeeldc water out fromthem. Soto complaints anfwereth the wordof powring out. In the fe- cond hefaith : Let myfnpplicatiancomebefore thee: Whereuntoanfwereth: my tongue Ault entreateofthyword : Wherehe promifethtobenolellè thrill in thankefgiuing, then lowde in praying to the Lord. Oh, this throweth downe the hearts of Godschildren, thatthey can inno meafurenor proportionbe thankefull tor Gods benefits. Thisvnthankefulnefie muttneedes begrie- uousvnto theLord, which is foodious in thefight of man: we fee, bettowe a benefit of a bigger, their fuits and complaintsdoe in many degrees exeeede their thankefgiuing; and certainly as this vnthankefulneffe is fromman todean : fo allo iris fromman coGod. For
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