THE Book of Exodus may be divided into two parts, Histo­rical and Dogmatical; the Historical part is laid down in this and the seventeen preceeding Chapters, the Dogma­tical part begins in the next Chapter. The Historical part is a Compendium, or a summary Recaptitulation of the re­markable passages of the Lords providential actings to­wards Israel in the time of their aboad in Egypt, their coming out of Egypt, and their travels in the Wilderness.

In the beginning of this Chapter we have a relation of Jethro's journey to visit Moses his Son-in-law; Moses Declaration of the goodness of God to Israel, and Jethro's return of praise.

Jethro comes to Rephidim, Num. 33.14. (the eleventh stage where Is­rael pitched after their coming out of Egypt) and that is (as Geographers account) but sixteen miles from the City of Midian, the place of Jethro's residence.

When Moses was given to understand of Jethro's coming, he goes forth to meet him; wherein (by the way) we may note, 1. Moses humility, who being so great a Prince, Commander in chief of so great a People, yet dis­dains not to humble himself not onely to go out to meet him, but also to do obeysance unto him. 2. His love, he kissed him. 3. His humanity, gentleness and curtesie, he asked him of his welfare. 4. His hospitality and beneficence, he brought him into his tent. 5. His gratitude, he maketh a thankful rehear­sal and repetition of Israels wonderful deliverance. 6. We have an intimation [Page 2]of his patience under the afflictions of Israel. 7. His fidelity in all God's house; he teaches others by his Example to celebrate the praises of God, his mercie and his goodness, and not to fall into despondencie under the pressure of the greatest afflictions, but to rely upon the promises, to de­pend upon God, and to commit the issue to him; knowing it is but a little while, and then he that shall come will come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10.37. All this we have in the 8th verse. Thus Moses informs Jethro in the History of the Church, and Jethro advises Moses touching the administration of the Commonwealth, vers. 19. &c. seq.

Then Jethro is described, 1. by his proper Name (Jethro,) 2. by the name of his Office (a Priest,) 3. by the place where he exercised his Priest­hood (in Midian,) vers. 1. The Midianites were of the progeny of Abra­ham by Keturah, Gen. 25.2. and therefore Jethro may be presumed to have some measures of knowledge of the true God, though he lived among a people that were drunk with idolatry, and drowned in the Errors of heathenish superstitions, 1. Because he came from the loyns of Abraham, of whom the Lord gives this Character, Gen. 18.19. I know that Abraham will command his children, and his houshold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 2. Because of his long conversing with M [...] ­ses.If any object that expression vers. 11. Now I know that the Lord is great, &c. I answer: This is no argument that he knew not the greatness and goodness of JEHOVAH before this time, but that he knew it now, that is, more evidently, more conspicuously, and by a new demonstration; it argues an encrease and corroboration of his faith, and that now his former knowledge was sealed up by a new argument and experiment, how great the Lord is in his power, in delivering his people; and how terrible he is in his Majesty, in confounding their enemies. Such an expression is used Act. 10.34. Now I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; Peter knew this before, but he is said to know it now, because he knew it anew, by a new miracle, by anew vision and revelation. And so 1 King. 17.24. the wo­man of Zarephath says, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God; she knew it before, by the multiplying of the meal in the barrel, and the oyl in the cruse, vers. 14.15,16. but she says, I know it now; that is, by a new miracle, by raising my dead son to life. And Psal. 20.7. Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed, &c. David knew this before, but he is said now to know it, because he then knew it by a new salvation, by a new delive­rance.

The Text contains Jethro's Doxology for Israel's Deliverance. 1. Je­thro rejoyced, v. 9. Hebr. Vaiichad, Gr. [...], he was astonished, he was (as [Page 3]it were) in an extasie, that imports the greatness of his wonder and admi­ration at such a stupendious Act. 2. He expresses his joy by bursting forth into praises, Blessed be the Lord, &c. 3. He lays down the grounds and reasons; 1. the deliverance of the Israelites from the hand of the E­gyptians; 2. the destruction of the Egyptians before the face of Israel, v. 11. 4. He offers Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings; and so he rejoyces Corde, Ore, & Opere, in Heart, in Word and in Work, v. 12. 5. Aaron and all Israel rejoyce with him, in the last part of the 12th verse.

Doct. Hence we learn, That it is a Duty incumbent upon all, Jethro and Moses, Aaron and Israel, Priest and People, to bless God, and to make his praise to be glorious, when he glorifies his mercie in delivering his Church; we are then to praise God greatly, when he gives us great De­liverances; then it is seasonable to sing a Benedictus, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered his people from the hand of the Egyptians, &c. So Psal. 66.8. O bless our God, ye people, and make the voyce of his praise heard, which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved: for thou, O God, hast proved us, thou hast tried us as [...]lver is tryed; thou broughtest us into the net, thou layedst affliction upon our loyns; that hast caused men to ride over our heads, we went through fire and through water, &c. Here is great affliction, the net, men riding over their heads, passing through fire, and through water, (great Dangers) then great Deliverances, v. 12. Thou broughtest us out into a weal­thy place; therefore they sing great praises, v. 13. I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings, I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered when I was in trouble; I will offer thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams, I will offer bullocks and goats: and then he concludes with a Benedictus, Bles­sed be God, v. 20. I might multiply Scriptures for further evidences of this truth, but this may suffice.

Now to come to the Reasons and Arguments of the point Why is this a duty incumbent upon all? Why are we then to sing great praises, when the Lord gives us great Deliverances? 1. Because by so doing, we glorifie God, Psal. 50.23. Whoso offereth praise, he glorifieth me. Thus did David, 1 Chron. 29.10. Benedictus, Blessed be thou, O Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the Majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine, thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. God requires not our Wisdom to direct him, nor our strength to assist him, nor our dignity to advance him; but our thankfulness to adore him. Grace requires Gratitude; when God extends his bountifulness, we are to be inlarged in our thankfulness; when Benefits are gotten, the Benefactors must not be forgotten: we must glorifie God, and sing praises [Page 4]to him that is holy, and that inhabiteth the praises of Israel, Psal. 22.4.

Secondly, Why is it so? &c. It is because such return of blessing, thanks and praises is Gods tribute, that pepper-Corn of acknowledgement, that all we have, we hold in Capite, we have it from him from whom every good gift and every perfect gift doth descend, even from him who is the father of lights, Jam. 1.17. and the detaining of this tribute is no less then God-robbing, and the Apostles exhortation is, Let him that stole steal no more, Ephes. 4.28. It is Gods tribute, Psal. 50.14,15. Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows to the most high: And call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deli­ver thee [...], and thou shalt glorifie me. Thus Melchisedeck King of Salem, and Priest of the most high God, pays his tribute, and returns praise for Abra­hams deliverance from the sword of the four Kings that fought against So­dom; Benedictus Deus fortis excelsus, Blessed be the most high strong God, Gen. 14.20. And the Prophet Habakkuk (seeing by the perspective of Prophe­sie) the deliverance of the Church from the Captivity of Babel, pays his tribute before-hand, and blesses God greatly for that great deliverance, Hab. 3.17, &c. David's Psalmes are so many store-houses of Examples: Every Psalm (as one notes) is either an Hosanna, or else an Hallelujah; either God bless, or God be blessed; either Prayers, or Praises; either Pray­ers for Mercies, or Praises for Mercies.

Thirdly, Because thankfulness for Mercies or Deliverances received, is honum & jucundum; it is fit, meet, and decent; it is a good and pleasant thing, Psal. 92.1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises un­to thy name, O most high; to shew forth thy loving kindeness in the morning, and thy faithfulness in the night: for thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work, and I will give thanks for the operation of thy hands: It is good and pleasant; it is Mel in One, Melos in Aure, Jubilatio in Corde, Honey in the Mouth, Musick in the Ear, and Melody in the Heart. And therefore the Apostle exhorts us, Ephes. 5.19,20. Speak to your selves in Psalms, and Hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God, and the Father, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and Col. 3.16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns, and spiri­tual Songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Thus did David sing with grace in his heart, Psal. 108.1. O God, my heart is fixed, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. I will praise thee, O Lord, amongst the people; and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations: For thy mercie is great above the heavens, and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth.

Fourthly, The very Dictates of Nature teach us gratuity and thankful­ness [Page 5]to our Benefactors. All rivers (saith the wise man) come from the sea, and all rivers (by way of a thankful Retribution) return and empty their wa­ters into the Sea. God is the main Ocean, the great sea of all blessings, all Rivers of blessings flow from him, and therefore (according to the very dictates of Nature) ought to be returned unto him. Psal. 93.3. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice. Ainsworth (in locum) tells us, That the Chaldee hath it thus: The floods have lifted up their voice of praises to God, and the floods have received the reward of their praises from God, Psal 91.1. The heavens declare the glory of God, Psal. 96.12. Psal. 98.7. Psal. 148. There is a general summons and invitation, not onely of all sorts of men, but also all manner of Creatures to this duty, and to joyn together in this Harmony, to give praises to God, and to make the voice of his praise to be glorious.

Fifthly, Because ingratitude and unthankfulness (even among Barbari­ans) hath been ever reputed a monstrous thing; it is a preternatural thing, one of those Privations and Deficiencies which GOD never wrought, but the malice of the Devil brought into the world, by shouldering out the contrary positive and primitive Virtues. We speak of an unthankful person with more then ordinary detestation, and account an ungrateful per­son, an unnatural man. One phrases Ingratitude a Solecism in sence, a Paradox in manners, and a Prodigie in nature. See how the Lord detests and abominates it, and calls the Heavens and the Earth to witness against it; Isa. 1.2. Hear, O Heavens, and give ear, O Earth; for the Lord hath spo­ken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me, the Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Ass his Masters crib; (they know their Benefactors) but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. And the Lord (by the Prophet Micah) calls upon the mountains, and the strong foun­dations of the earth to listen & attend to the plea & controversie he hath with them that were called his people, for their monstrous ingratitude, Mich. 6.1. Hear ye now what the Lord saith: Arise, contend thou before the mountains and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye, O ye mountains, the Lords controver­sie, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversie with his people, and he will plead with Israel: O my people, what have I done unto thee? testifie against me. For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, A iron and Miriam: O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the Son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord▪ Here the Lord upbraids them with their monstrous and more then beastly sin of ingratitude, and calls the insensible creatures to witness against them, and the Psalmist, Psal. 78.11. [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6] They forgat his works and his wonders that he had shewed them; marvelous works did he in the sight of their fathers, &c. but v. 32. for all this they sinned still, and believed not his wonderous works, v. 42. They remembred not his hands nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy; how he had wrought his signes in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan, &c. That is the fifth Argument, taken from the nature of the sin of Unthankfulness; it is a monstrous and horrid sin.

Sixthly, Another Argument may be taken from the example of Saints. and here (to use the Apostles phrase) we have [...] (Arias Montanus) circumjacentum nubem testium; or as Beza, Circumstan­tem nubem; We are compassed about with a cloud of witnesses. When they received Mercies, and Blessings, and Deliverances, they looked up and re­turned Blessings to him that was the Fountain of those Blessings and Deli­verances: They did not ( Hab. 1.16.) sacrifice to their own nets, or burn in­cense to their own drags, as though their portion was made fat, or their meat plentious by them; they did not ascribe it to their own sword, or their own bow, but to him who is the Saviour of Israel, the Deliverer of those that trust in him, Psal. 44.1. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what works thou didst in their days, in the times of old, how thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them, how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but thy right hand, and thine arm, the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. V. 6. I will not trust in my bow, it is not my sword that shall save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to confusion that hated us. Therefore in God we make our boast all the day long, and will praise thy name for ever.

Secondly, They did not onely thankfully acknowledge that their Deli­verances came from Heaven, and offer up the Sacrifice of Praise, Jehovae liberatori, to God that delivered them; but also they did it, in die illo, in the same day. The same day in which they were delivered, the same day was the day of their thanksgiving. Seneca tells us that thanks deferred or slowly returned, lessens the estimation of the benefit received, and is no thanks; and therefore the people of God delayed not, but offered their Sacrifice of praise, in die illo, the same day in which they received their deliverance. Exod. 14.30. Thus the Lord saved Israel on that day out of the hand of the E­gyptians. And on that day Moses and Israel returned a Sacrifice of praises for that Deliverance; Exod. 15.1. Then (in die illo) sang Moses and the chil­dren of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously, &c. Lyra notes (upon the Text) that [Page 7]they did not onely sing praises, but they also invited one another, stirr'd up one another to the same, according to that of the Prophet, Psal. 34.3. O magnifie the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Name together. The like Ex­ample we have in Deborah and Barak, Judg. 5.1. The Lord had given Is­rael a great deliverance from Sisera, who had nine hundred Chariots of Iron, and twenty years had mightily oppressed the children of Israel, Judg. 4 3. Then (says the Text) sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam (on that day) saying, Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel: They sang praises in die illo, on that same day on which the Lord delivered them. And the practise of David was the same, as we see in the inscription of Psal. 18. A Psalm of David the Servant of the Lord, who spake unto the Lord the words of this song IN THE DAY that the Lord delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and from the band of Saul, &c. He sang praises in die illo, on the same day on which he received his deliverance. The same we finde in the practise of religious Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 20.26. Thus they praised God for their deliverances, they returned the Rivers of thanks to the Sea of Bles­sings; and delayed not their returns, but offered Sacrificium laudis, their sacrifice of praise to the Lord, at the same day and time that they were delivered.

Thirdly, They did not onely bless God for his Blessings by themselvess and in their own persons, but it was their practice to preach their mercie, and deliverances to their children, and so one generation to another, that the thankful memorial and remembrance of them might never die, but be perpetuated to all posterity. This was the Precept of God frequently re­peated in the Book of Deuteronomy: there (after a rehearsal of the many Blessings and Deliverances which the Lord had given them) the Lord gives them a charges, Deut. 4.9. Take heed to thy self, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thine heart, all the days of thy life; but teach them to thy sans and to thy sons sons. And this was their practise, Psal. 44.1. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days, in the time of old; how thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them, how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out, &c. And Psal. 78.3. I will speak that which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us; we will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done: the Lord commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their chil­dren, that the generations to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children, &c. Psal. 102.18. This shall be written for the generations to come, and the people that shall be cre­ated [Page 8]shall praise the Lord. Thus the people of God did not onely return thanks in an heat for their deliverances, whiles the memory of the mercie was fresh, but they made frequent and serious rehearsals of them to their children, and their childrens children, that for the mercie bestowed upon many, thanks also might be given by many, 2 Cor. 1.11.

Fourthly, That they might for ever retain in a thankful remembrance such gracious deliverances, and that the generations to come, and the chil­dren which should be born might praise the LORD for them; they had also annuall festivities and stationary days, which they (yearly) kept ho­ly to the Lord, and on such days thankfully celebrated the goodness of God for the particular mercies and deliverances received on those days; as the annual Festivity of the Passeover, Pentecost, Expiation, Tabernacles, Trum­pets, &c. all of them instituted to be thankful memorials of special mer­cies relating to those days and times. So Exod. 12.14. This day shall be to thee for a memorial, and you shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your ge­nerations, you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. Here we have an Ordinance for an anniversary festival, a day yearly and every year, to be kept holy to the Lord, for an yearly solemn remembrance of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt: (this day) note the same day they were delivered, the same day was to be kept (yearly) holy to the Lord for a memorial and a day of thanksgiving for that deliverance: (you shall keep it a feast) Hebr. you shall keep it festivally (that is) with mirth, rejoycing and jubilation (as Nehem. 8.9.12.) (you shall keep it by an ordinance for ever) Hebr. an everla­sting ordinance, an ordinance of perpetuity, extending to all generations, Exod. 12.17. This self same day have I brought out your Armies out of Egypt, therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever; and the same is repeated v. 24. So here we see a day was yearly and every year to be kept holy to the Lord by the ordinance of God, in a thankful and mo [...]e solemn remembrance of Israels deliverance from the hand of the Egyptians: Nay, and more then this, howsoever Festivals and holy days have been in our times cried down by some, (as Popish, matters of Super­stition and Will-worship, for which we have [...]o ordinance or command from God) yet we finde the ancient Church hath from time to time, according to the emergent occasion, without any express ordinance or commandment of God, laudably and religiously appointed certain days to be kept yearly holy to the Lord in a thankful commemoration of mercies and deliveran­ces received upon those days; and such are the fifth of November, and the three and twentieth of October with us, days appointed to be kept holy e­every year for ever, in a thankful remembrance of our Deliverances on those days. So the days of Purim were ordained to be kept as Festivals, and holy [Page 9]to the Lord; by all the Jewes, in a thankfull and joyfull remembranc of their deliverances from the mischief which Haman had devised against them. Those dayes (I say) were ordained and commanded to be kept holy by Hester and Mordecai; and afterwards ratified and confirmed by the Subscription of the whole Church; as an Ordinance of perpetuity to continue to all generations for ever. Hest. 9.20,21,22,23,27,28. And we read. Macc. 4.59. That the Church and the Congregation of Israel (when they were delivered from their enemies and had restored the worship and service of God, and dedicated the Altar, for Sacrifice) they made an Ordinance, that certain dayes should be kept holy to the Lord year­ly, and for ever, in a gratefull remembrance of that mercy, and that festival was called the feast of dedication. If any object, the text is Apocryphal, and therefore signifies little: I answer, that this Act of the Church had our Saviors approbation, who honored it with his presence, and preach­ing at that Solemnity. J [...]h. 10.22. And thus the Church in the new Testament hath instituted and appointed certain dayes yearly to be kept Festivalls, and holy to the Lord, in a thankfull remembrance, of some speci­all and spirituall mercies solemnely to be celebrated on those dayes, as the Nativity, Circumcision, Resurrection, and Ascention of Christ, which dayes St Augustine. Ep. 118.119. avouches were observed by the whole Church of Christ, from the time of the Apostles, and by Apostolick tradition, and the primitive Apostolick Church (without any divine commandement that we read of) appointed the first day of the week to be the Christian Sabbath, and I see no reason, but men may as well abrogate, and cry down that Festivall, as others that are of the same institution, that day (I say) the primitive Apostolick Church ordained to be kept holy, as the Christian Sabbath, in a thankful remembrance, of the glorious Resurrecti­on of our Saviour Christ that day. And these dayes so ordained by the Church, to be kept Festivalls and holy to the Lord, are called by the Fa­thers, Festivall dayes, holy dayes, Solemne dayes, Sacred dayes, mystical dayes, and were so kept and observed by them. Thus (in the fourth place, the people of God (that the memoriall of their deliverance might be de­rived to their posterities) had yearly certain dayes set apart, to be kept holy to the Lord, to praise him for those particular mercies.

Then fifthly, at such Solemne assemblies, they did not onely rest from their labours, and all servile works, and keep a day holy to the Lord, but also they expressed their thankfullnes, for mercies and deliverances; which they had received, by Singing Psalmes and Hymns, and Spirituall Songs, in singing praises to their God, in singing praises singing praises to their King Psal. 47.6. in singing praises with Instruments of musick; to make [Page 10]the praises of God to be the more glorious, and the more to raise up their spirits to an higher strein; that their Soules and all that was within them might eccho forth the goodness of God, and praise his holy name, and men and women, and all the congregation might with more cherefulness, joyn together, in that harmony: so Ex. 15.1. there Moses sets the song, is Praecen­tor of the choire, and he & all the men of Israel sing separately by themselves, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously, &c. and then the wo­men, they make an other Choire, and sing separately by themselves ( Miri­am the Prophetess beginning the song) they sing alternatim, as in a Choire, and they sing, with musical instruments. v. 20. And Miriam the Prophetess the Sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her, with timbrels and with dances, and Miriam answered them and said, sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously, &c. The Doway translators note upon the beginning of the chapter, out of Origen in his 6 Homily upon Exodus, that this is the first canticle, hat ever we read of, either sacred or profane. Thus did Deborah and Barak after the deliverance of Israel from the oppression of Si­sera, they sang their Psalm of thanksgiving, Jud. 5.1. And thus wee read that the women sang with musicall instruments, alternatim, answering one ano­ther. 1. Sam. 18.6. The women came out of all the Cities of Israel, singing and dan­cing, with tabrets with joy, and with instruments of musick (or three stringed instruments) and the women answered one another, as they played and said, &c. Thus when Jehosaphat and the remnant of Juda had received a gracious de­liverance from the numerous Army of the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edo­mites, he and all Juda with him, sang Psalmes of thanksgiving to the Lord, for that great deliverance with psalteries & harps, and trumpets, 2 Chr. 20.27. they returned (saith the text) every man of Juda and Jerusalem, & Jehosaphat in the forefront of them to go again to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them to rejoyce over their enemies. And they came to Jerusalem with Psalteryes, and Harps, and trumpets, unto the house of the Lord. Many such examples we have in Davids Psalms, as Psalms to be sung on Neginoth, & upon Nehiloth, and upon Sheminith, upon Gittith, upon Muthlabben, &c. which were musical instruments, used in singing praises, such as the flute, trumpet, cornet, organs, virginals, &c. And in particular, there are 15. Psalms, called gradual psalms, psalmes of Ascents, or psalmes of degrees, which begin with the 120. Psal. which are Gratulatory Psalmes, made to be sung with musicall Instru­ments, for the deliverance of the Church from the Captivity of Babell: and the Jewes in their celebration of the Passeover, have of antient time used to sing gratulatory Psalmes, or Songs of thanks­giving, for the deliverance of the Church, from the bondage of Egypt. Sic Paulus Burgensis in Psal. 113. & Buxtorf. Lex. Talmud. page. 613. That is Psal. 113. 114, 115, 116, 117. and 118. which they call Magnum Hallelujah, [Page 11]and this Song or hymn (the learned are of opinion) was the same which our Saviour and his disciples sung after they had celebrated his last passe­over; and the text will bear it, Mat. 26.30. [...] that is hymning it, or singing the hymn, what hymn? the hymn [...] that hymn which the Jews used to sing at their three greatest feasts and especially, at the feast of the passeover, and with which hymn they concluded the feast, and when our Saviour had celebrated the same feast it may well be, he concluded with the same Song, a Song of thanks­giving for Israels deliverances.

Then sixtly in there their Solemnities, they stirred up themselves to the more thankfulness, by rehersals, and repetitions of the manner or means by which they were delivered, they did set forth Magnalia & Mirifica Dei, Jud. 5.11. there is a rehersall of the rightous acts of the Lord towards Israel, and the end was, that his name onely might have the praise; thus when Moses and Israel Sung a Song of praise, to Jehova, for their deliverance out of the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of Pharao, a princi­pall part of that Song is to set forth Magnalia Dei, the great and won­derfull working of the Lord in that deliverance, in the manner, and the greatness of his Excellency that in his wrath consumed the Egyptians like stubble. Ex. 15.7. That with the blast of his nostrills he made the waters stand upon an heape, and the depths to be congealed in the heart of the Sea, that he did but bl [...]w with his winde, and the Sea covered them and they sanke as lead [...] the mighty waters, he did but stretch out his hand, his right hand, and the earth swallowed them, and thereupon they sing, who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods? who is like unto thee glorious in holiness? fearefull in prai­ses, doing wonders? v. 11. And the prophet David making a thankfull memoriall of that great deliverance, invites all men to come and see, and consider Magnalia & Mirabilia Dei, the wonderfull workings of God, in bringing to passe that great deliverance. Psal. 66.1. Make a joyfull noise, unto God, all ye Lands; sing for the honour of his name, make his praise to be glorious. Say unto God, how terrible art thou in thy works? through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing unto thy name. Selah. Come and see the works of God, he is terrible in his doings toward the children of men: he turned the Sea, into dry Land, they went through the flood on foot, there did we rejoyce in him. O blesse God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard. &c. Psal. 77.16. The waters saw thee O God, the waters saw thee, and were afraid, the depths also weare troubled, the clouds poured out water, the Skyes sent out a sound, thine arrowes also went abroad the voice of thy thunder was in the heaven, the lightnings light­ned [Page 12]the world, the earth trembled and shooke; Thy way is in the Sea and thy path in the great waters, and thy foot steps are not known. Psal. 78.12. Mar­vellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the feild of Zoan. He divided the Sea, and caused them to passe through, and he made the waters to stand as an heap. In the day time, he led them also with a cloud, and all the night, with a light of fire. &c. And Deborah and Barak, in their song of thanks-giving set forth Magnalia, & Mirabilia Dei; the won­derfull works of God, how the armies of Heaven & Earth fought for their rescue, and deliverance. Jud. 5.20. They fought from heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. The river Kishon swept them away, that antient River, the River Kishon. O my soul thou hast troden down strength.

Then Seaventhly for the better expression of their thankfulness, for such mercyes and deliverances & that they might be transmitted and handed over, to all posterity, and generations, and that the people that were un­born might praise the Lord, it was usuall, and ordinary, with them, to put some remarkable signe, or token of remembrance, upon the particu­lar mercy, and deliverance, which they had received, or upon the place, where they received it by giving it a name, that did import and signifye the same, that so when their children or their childrens children should in time to come, ask the reason, why is this thing, or this place called by this name, then their fathers might preach unto them the gracious delive­rance of the Church in that thing, or that place and make rehearsall & re­petition of the righteous Acts of the Lord: thus the Lord instructed them in the ordinance of the Passeover. Exod. 12.25. it was called the Passeover, because the Lord commanded the destroying Angel to passe over the houses of Israel when he slew all the first born of the Egyptians. And it shall come to passe (saith the text) when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you according as he hath promised that ye shall keepe this service. And it shall come to passe when your children shall say unto you what mean you by this service that ye shall say it is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeover who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our hou­ses. Hebr. Pasch, from Pa­sach, that is to leape, or Passe­over And when the waters of Jordan were cut off (or divided) that the people might passe into the land of promise; Josua commanded (for a perpetual remem­branise; f this Act to all posterity) that twelve men (that is) one out of every tribe of Israel should take a great stone out of midst of Jordan and set them up upon a heap upon that place which was dri­ed up for their passage, that when the generations to come should ask, what means this great heap of stones, then the fathers might preach to [Page 13]their children the righteous Acts of the Lord, and (by reviving the memorial of that wonderfull mercy) stir them up to praise the Lord. Jos. 4.6. The Lord gave Israel a great deliverance, from their enemies by the hand of Samson; first Samson returned thanks (Lord thou hast given this great de­liverance to thy servant) and then he puts a name upon the place, for a Memo­randum to posterity, he calls it, Jud. 15.17. Ramath Lehi (that is) the lifting up of the jaw bone; that when the generations to come should inquire, why is this place called Ramath Lehi? then their fathers might preach unto them the righteous Acts of the Lord; & shew them the greatnesse of the delive­rance by the weaknesse of the meanes. So Israels great deliverance from the enemy, that surrounded and compassed them about; David thankfully ascribes unto the Lord; the Lord (saith he) ha [...]h broken in upon mine ene­mies like the breach of waters; and then he gives a name to the place, for a Memorandum to Posterity, he calls it Baal-Perazim (that is) the plaine of breaches. 2. Sam. 5.20. That when the children in time to come should inquire, why is this place called Baal-Perazim? then their fathers might teach them the great mercies of God towards Israel; and say unto them, in this place the enemy compassed us about, and thought to swallow us up quick: and here the Lord broke in upon them like the breach of waters, and therefore this place is called Baal-Perazim, the plain of breaches. The like may be said of Samuel when the Lord had delivered Israel from the Army of the Philistins, not by sword, or by bow or by battle, but by thun­der from heaven, then Samuel set up a great pillar of stone for a memori­al to all generations, and gives it a name, he called it Eben-Ezer, that is the stone of help, saying thus far the Lord hath helped us. 1. Sam. 7.12. And after that Jehosaphat had received a notable deliverance, (from the numerous Army of the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the Edomites, that came against Juda) not by fighting but by singing, and praising God. 2. Chr. 20.21.23. That the memoriall of so great a deliverance might be perpetuated to all posterity, he put a name upon the place and called it Berachah; that is blessing, and so that valley, was called the valley of blessing, that when their children in time to come &c.

Eightly they expressed their thankfulness, by erecting of Altars, as Moses. Exo. 17.14. and Gideon. Jud. 6.24. and Josua. Jos. 8.30. and others.

Ninethly. They did not onely blesse God for their deliverances, and build Altars, and erect great pillars, and monuments: but also they writ whole Rolles, Bookes and volumes, of their deliverances, for the instru­ction of future generations, and thus the Lord commanded Moses, to write Israels deliverance from the lying in wait of Amelek (the first enemy that affronted them after their coming out of Egypt) Jos. 17.14. The Lord [Page 14]said unto Moses, write this for a Memorial in a book: the Lord will have written and recorded not onely what Amalek did to Israel, but also what the God of Israel did to Amalek, for a Memorial to Israel, for instruction to posterity, that the generations to come might praise the Lord. Thus Israels deli­verance from the Amorites and the wonderfull Acting of the Lord in or­der thereunto, they recorded in a booke for the benefit of posterity. Jos. 10.13. The Sun stood still in Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of Ajalon, till the people were avenged of their enemies. Is not this written in the booke of Jasher? The great deliverance of Israel in the red sea, and the wonders which the Lord wrought in the brooks of Arnon were recorded for a Memorial to posterity in the booke of the warrs of the Lord. Num. 21.14. It is sayd in the booke of the warrs of the Lord, what he did in the red sea and in the brooks of Arnon. And at the streame of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lyeth upon the border of Moab. The vulgar latine reads the rocks of the torrents were bowed down that they might rest in Ar, and lye in the borders of moab, upon which the do way translators comment thus. A the Egyptians were drowned in the sea: so the Amorites were oppres­sed with the rocks falling upon them, and the waters carried their carcases into the valley of Moab. This was recorded in the book of the warrs of the Lord. And thus they writ volumes and books of their deliverances, for an everlasting Memorial to all posterity. And was it thus with our fathers and the people of God informer ages, then surely whatsoever things were written a foretime, were written for our learning, and that we might be led forward to perfection. These examples are so many instructions to us, so many memorials and Memorandums for us to shew what is required of us, what duty is incumbent upon us, and what the Lord requires at our hands for so many mercies and blessings and deliverances which we have re­ceived.

But a first use may be by way of reproof of the lukewarmness the incogi­tancy, and inconsideration of the men and women of our times and our great unthankfulness. Have we not been like Gideons fleece abundantly watered with the dew of heaven, when the Nations round about us have been dry? and where is the demonstration of our thankfulness; have we not received showers of mercies, plenty of blessings and deliverances Cor­poral and Spirituall, of soul and of body, and where is the manifesto of our thankfulness, did not we, our wives and our children, our familyes and rela­tions receive a wonde [...]full deliverance as upon this day. the 23. of Octob. 1641. from the treachery, the inveterate & implacable malice & fury of our bloodthirsty enemies? & where is the expression of our thankfulness? had we not our lives given to us for a prey & were rescued from the hand of [Page 15]the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharao? but where is our thankfulness? have we not been delivered from many and very many dangers since, but then where is the Expression of our thankfulness? have we not been de­livered from sword, and from famine and from pestilence? yea, but where is the token of our thankfulness? have we not been lately delivered from Anarchy and tyranny, and bondage, and vassalage, and oppression? and very mushroms of men that did more then King it over us, King it? nay one of these petty tyrants little fingers was heavier then a Kings loines: and where is the index of our thankfulness? we have the worship and service of God restored, and the preists again set in their orders, to praise God in the beauty of holiness instead of Anarchy; we have our Ancient mo­narchy, instead of confused parity; we have our Reverend Hierarchy in­stead of an arbitrary power; we have our judges restored, to us, as at the first and our councellors as at the begining; instead of oppression, we have justice in our gates; instead of war wee have peace; instead of sickness, we have health; instead of penury, we have plenty; what is it which the Lord could have done for a people, that he hath not done for us? what is it that the Lord hath not given us? we may say with Moses, Deu. 29.2. ye have seen all that the Lord hath done to the Egyptians, the great tem­ptations which your eyes have seen, the signs and great wonders, yet the Lord hath not given you hearts to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear to this day: what is it that the Lord hath not given us? Oh he hath not given us thankful hearts to this day, we are like the barren ground that receives abun­dance of good seed, but returns little fruit of increase, ten lepers (in the Gospel) were clensed, and but one returned, to give thanks to God. Luc. 17.17. The Lord may take up his antient complaint by Moses Deut. 32.5. They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children, (or as it is in the margin; they are not his children, that is their blot) they are a perverse and crooked generation: Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise; do we thus requite him? Brethren this unthankfulness of ours is a sin of an high Elevation, of very great provocation; and let us take heed lest our unthankfulness for mercyes in time past, render us un­capable of the like mercyes for the time to come. Remember Hezekiah. 2. Chr. 32.25. When the Lord had saved him▪ from his enemyes on every side, he was puffed up and rendred not again according to the benefit done un­to him; therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Juda and Jerusalem. This is our case, we render not again according to the mercyes we have received, wee have forgotten our dangers and we have forgotten our deliverances. Note that Apoc. 9.12. One wo (sayes the Angel) is past, and behold there come two woes more hereafter: God hath many Arrowes in [Page 16]his quiver, all are not spent when one woe is past, all is not past; there are two more, and (it may be) two greater yet to come, and therefore minde that saying of our Saviour to the impotent man, that was made whole, Go thy way sin no more (be not unthankfull) lest a worse thing hap­pen unto thee. Secondly, it may serve for a use of exhortation, let us be exhorted, to turne a new leaf, to learn a new lesson, to pay our tribute to whom tribute is due, to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and unto God, the things that are Gods. Let us learne to be thankfull for all our mercyes; to be thankfull for every mercy. If I should here take up­on me, to number our mercyes, and call for a Benedictus Dominus, for every particular mercy and deliverance, the time would soon sayl me but matter could never sayl me. I will therefore say with the Kingly Prophet. Psal. 139.17. O how precious are thy thoughts (O God) to us ward; O how great is the sum of them? If I should count them they are more in num­ber then the sand. But If I will not forget the occasion of this dayes solem­nity (as Orbilius forgot his name) I must speake one word concerning that great mercy and wonderfull deliverance which wee all received, as upon this day, which calls for an universall thankfullness, from all sorts throughout all generations.

There was a mischeivous, damnable, and divelish project hatcht by a degenerate generation of men, the Sons of Belial, against our Church and state, our persons, our lives, our nation, and Religion; their devise was, to roote out all at once, to cut off head and tayle, branch and rush, in one day: they had been (as one sayes) a long time gathering of fagots, and as upon this day they intended to set them on fire, to consume us all: but the Lord hath preserved us from the jawes of those lyons whelps, pluckt us like brands out of the midst of the burning, and many of those who were so industrious in gathering of fagotts, (like Nadab and Abihu) have been consumed with the flame, which themselves had kindled. * Hebr. Palmes or bel­lowes, for the se­cret manner of working. Psal. 9. verse. 15.16. Thus the Heathen are sunk down into the pit that they made, in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. The Lord is knowne by the judgment which he executeth; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgajon Selah The Chaldee paraphrase (the just shall joyfully shout for ever) Tremel­lius renders it ( rem summe memorandam, a thing cheifly to be remembred) The holy Catholicks had contrived a Catholick Apostasy and Rebellion, a Catholick massacre and doomesday, for the good old cause (that is) for the advancement of the Catholick interest, they had projected to quench the light of the Gospell with the blood of us that professed it, and for the effe­cting their project with the more facility, they had resolved to seize all [Page 71]the strong holds, forts, castles and magazines in the Kingdome (and especial­ly the Castle of Dublin) at one time, that is upon this 23. of October and so to get all the Arms, and Ammunition in the Kingdome into their own hands and then to fall to the Sword and Skeane, and to cry with the Edomites, Down with them even to the ground, Psal. 137. v. 7. They had brought their de­sign to the very nick of execution: the lyers in wait were entred into their Ambush to surprize the Castle of this city at the hour apointed: they had brought their mischeivons devise as nigh execution as Faux was to the blowing up of the Parliament house, the powder and the billets were ready, the train was layed, there wanted nothing but applying the match to the powder. Fire and wood were ready, and we were designed for the sa­crifice. And these sons of Belial had brought their divelish plot within less then 14 hours to the time which they had designed for the execution: it was a work of darkness, saw not the light, could not be discovered, and therefore could not be prevented, but he that keep­eth Israel, that never slumbers nor sleeps, was pleased to watchover us sea­sonably to bring this worke of darkeness to light, and by a wonderful way to discover their machinations and to deliver us by a greate deliverance as we see this day: And doth not this call upon us to sing Jethro's Song of thanksgiving Benedictus Dominus: Blessed be the Lord, who hath deliverd us out of the hadd of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharao; who hath delive­red the people from the hand of the Egyptians.

When this design was discovered, and the Execution of it prevented; they fell notwithstanding to carry on their purpose of rooting us out; by the practice of all kind of mischiefe; that mischiefe which they had before concluded and that as men in desperation. ‘Haec quia non successit alia aggrediendum via.’Now (I confesse) I should much afflict your minds and torment your patience (I say not if I should make rehersal: But) if I should but point and glaunce at those manyfold and barbarous cruelties; inhumanities; and savage butche­ries which they used and practised in every place were they came a gainst the Brittish Protestants (as atoken of their inveterate hatred both to their nati­on and Religion) It is hard to judge whether they were more in genious in the invention of variety of tortures or barbarously cruel in the execution. But exungue leonem, you may know the lyon by his paw and guesle at Her­cules stature by the impression of his foot in Olympus I will but mention (and I cannot without trembling) the barbarous and inhumane stripping of men women and children naked, in the depth of winter, in the height [Page 18]of frost, and snow, and so turning them out of dores to wander in the bogs and mountains, destitute, afflicted and tormented, feeding some like dogs and starving others with hunger, their fearfull reproaches blasphem [...]es, and insultations. Some they would bring to the Church, strip them naked, set them before the Pulpit, beat them with cudgels, or scourge them with rods, to the effusion of their blood, and then aske them, how like you such a Sermon as this? to morrow you shall hear such an other: what wan­ted this of the blasphemy of Davids enemies, who (in his distresse) cryed where is now thy God? Psal. 42. v. 10. Hanging, drowning, stabbing, knock­ing in the head were common and ordinary, and might be reputed mercies at their hands, and indeed were mercies comparatively, that is in compa­rison of the lingring torments inflicted upon many others. Some they made drunk, with strong drink, or inveigled them to go to mass upon pro­mise to preserve their lives, and then immediately hanged them, indea­voring and intending (as much as in them lay) to destroy both body and Soul together, some they buried a live and took much pleasure and de­light to hear their cryes, and pittyfull complaints, and few they buried o­therwise, it is conceived (upon good grounds) that in one River they drowned no fewer then a thousand persons, and that in the province of Ulster, there perished (in the beginning of the Rebellion) above 154000. persons, and then (as Ahashucrus said) what have they done in the rest of the King­dom? so that we may truly say with the Prophet, Psal. 79.1. Oh God the heathen are came into thine inheritance, thy holy temples have they defiled, and have made Jerusalem an heap of of stones. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meate to the fowles of the heaven, and the flesh of thy servants have the heasts of the earth. Their blood have they shed like water round about Je­rusalem, and there was none to bury them. Thus we were made a reproach to our neighbours, a very scorne and derision to them that were round about us.

Now that the Lord hath thus wonderfully delivered us, out of the hand of the Egyptians, and preserved us alive, as it is this day, is it not a duty in­cumbent upon all of us to sing a Benedictus Dominus? and say Psal. 124.1. &c. If the Lord himself had not been on our side (now may Israel say) If the Lord himself had not been on our side when men rose up against us. Then they had swallowed us quick, when they were so wrathfully displeased at us. Then the wa­ters had overwelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul. Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us over as a prey unto their teeth. Our souls are escaped, as a bird out of the snare of the fowler, the snare is broken and we are delivered, let them then (saith the Prophet) give thanks unto the Lord, whom he hath redea­med, and delivered from the hand of the enemy, and gathered them from the east and from the west; and from the north; and from the south Psal. 107.2,3. Let [Page 19]the princes of the people sing their Benedctius: Give unto the Lord (Oh ye migh­ty) Psal. 29.1.2. give unto the Lord glory and strength, give unto the Lord the glo­ry due unto his name, worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse, Let the priest be cloathed with righteousnesse and let the saints sing with joyfulnesse. Let the priests with Jethro sing their Benedictus: Blessed be the Lord who hath delivered us out of the hand of the Egyptians, Let men sing with Zachary their Benedi­ctus: Blessed be the Lord God of Israell Luc. 1.69. for he hath visited and redea­med his people and hath raised up a mighty salvation for us. Let the women sing their Benedictus: Luc. 1.46. with Mary, and say My soule doth magnify the Lord; and my spirit rejoyces in God my Saviour, &c. Let the children sing their Benedi­ctus, with the young ones in the temple, and say, Hosanna to the son of David, Hosanna in the highest, Mat. 21.9. Let us all give thanks and say, The Lord is good for his mercy endureth for ever. Who remembred us in our low estate; for his mercy endureth for ever. And hath delivered us from our enemies, for his mercy endureth for ever, Oh give thanks to the God of heaven for his mercy endureth for ever, Oh give thanks to the Lord of all Lords; for his mercy endureth for ever.