The Soul's Preparation for Christ

And shall I thus reward the Lord? shall I sin against his goodness and this kindness? Then what shall I say, hear O heaven, and hearken O earth, the Ox knoweth his owner, and the Ass his masters crib, and Israel knoweth not Gods kindness, nor acknowledgeth his goodness towards them, the consideration hereof one would ⟨p. 103⟩think should break the hardest heart under heaven: if men be but ingenious men, if they have received any great kindness from a friend, they were never in want but he relieved them, he took them into his house, and they might freely go to his purse or any thing he had. If a man should deal thus kindly with another, and this man should deny him an ordinary favour, he will be ashamed to come into his presence, he will say his house was mine, and his purse was mine, and to deal thus unkindly, nature would have taught me otherwise: what are your hearts to God that hath been gracious to us all, he hath created us, & doth preserve and keep and afford many blessings unto us; he gives us our houses that cover us: it is God that affords us all this, and shall we sin against such mercy? therefore go to the beasts of the field, and they will tell you, and to the birds of the air, and they will discover unto you Gods mercy: go to your beds and tables; who gives these, and continues these? doth not the Lord? & yet sin against this God? O foolish people and unwise, all love on Gods part, and all negligence on ours? God exceeds in goodness towards us, & we do exceed in unkindness, and unthankfulness towards him; this is the first ground upon which meditation must be raised.

And shall I thus reward the Lord? shall I sin against his goodnesse and this kindnesse? Then what shall I say, heare O heaven, and harken O earth, the Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Asse his masters crib, and Israel knoweth not Gods kindnesse, nor acknowledgeth his goodnesse towards them, the consideration hereof one would ⟨p. 103⟩thinke should break the hardest heart under heaven: if men be but ingenious men, if they have received any great kindnes from a friend, they were never in want but he relieved them, he tooke thē into his house, and they might freely goe to his purse or any thing he had. If a man should deale thus kindly with another, and this man should deny him an ordinary favour, he will be ashamed to come into his presence, he will say his house was mine, and his purse was mine, and to deale thus unkindly, nature would have taught me otherwise: what are your hearts to God that hath been gratious to us all, he hath created us, & doth preserve and keepe and afford many blessings unto us; he gives us our houses that cover us: it is God that affords us all this, and shall we sinne against such mercy? therefore goe to the beasts of the field, and they will tell you, and to the birds of the ayre, and they will discover unto you Gods mercy: goe to your beds and tables; who gives these, and continues these? doth not the Lord? & yet sinne against this God? O foolish people and unwise, all love on Gods part, and all negligence on ours? God exceeds in goodnesse towards us, & we doe exceed in unkindnesse, and unthankfulnes towards him; this is the first ground upon which meditation must be raised.