Use. 2 And seeing all these good things come from God, it is necessary to take notice of what hath been said of Gods goodness, that we do not rob God of his due glory, nor our selves of the due comfort that we may draw thence. The Egyptians had the river Nylus that overflowed the land every year, caused by anniversary winds, which so blew into the mouth of the river, that it could not discharge it self into the sea: whereupon it overflowed the banks, and left a fruitful slime upon the ground, so that they needed not nine as other Countries, because it was watered with Nylus. Hereupon they did not depend upon Gods blessing, nor were so holy as they should: but were proud of their river, as is intimated by Moses unto the people.1 But the land whether thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowest thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs: But the land whether ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: a land which the Lord thy God careth for, &c. They having more immediately rain from Heaven, saw Gods hand in watering it, whereas the Egyptians did not. And what makes a Papist to be so unthankful? He thinks he can with his own industry water his own ground with ⟨p. 217⟩somewhat in himself. What makes another man thankful on the other side,? Because he knoweth he hath all things by dependence from the first cause: for as in nature,2 In God we live, move, and have our being: much more in grace, we have all our nourishment, spiritual being,3 moving and life from the dew of Heaven: all our heat is from the Sun of Righteousness, which makes a Christian life, to be nothing else but a gracious dependence.4 I can do all things (saith Saint Paul) big and great words. O! but it is, through Christ that strengthens me. These things must not be forgotten, for a child of the Church, is a child of grace, by grace he is what he is, he hath all from Heaven.5 Suitable to the former place is that in Ezekiel. And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste, and they shall know that I am the Lord, because he hath said, the river is mine, and I have made it. He shall be desolate, because he boasts and brags of his river, and depends not upon God for the sweet showers of the former and the latter rain:
Vse. 2 And seeing all these good things come from God, it is necessary to take notice of what hath beene said of Gods goodnesse, that we doe not rob God of his due glory, nor our selves of the due comfort that we may draw thence. The Egyptians had the river Nylus that overflowed the land every yeere, caused by anniversary winds, which so blew into the mouth of the river, that it could not discharge it selfe into the sea: whereupon it overflowed the bankes, and left a fruitfull slime upon the ground, so that they needed not nine as other Countries, because it was watered with Nylus. Hereupon they did not depend upon Gods blessing, nor were so holy as they should: but were proud of their river, as is intimated by Moses unto the people.1 But the land whether thou goest in to possesse it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence yee came out, where thou sowest thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbes: But the land whether yee goe to possesse it, is a land of hills and valleyes, and drinketh water of the raine of heaven: a land which the Lord thy God careth for, &c. They having more immediately raine from Heaven, saw Gods hand in watering it, whereas the Egyptians did not. And what makes a Papist to be so unthankfull? He thinks he can with his owne industry water his owne ground with ⟨p. 217⟩somewhat in himselfe. What makes another man thankfull on the other side,? Because he knoweth he hath all things by dependance from the first cause: for as in nature,2 In God wee live, moove, and have our beeing: much more in grace, we have all our nourishment, spirituall being,3 mooving and life from the dew of Heaven: all our heate is from the Sunne of Righteousnesse, which makes a Christian life, to be nothing else but a gratious dependance.4 I can do all things (saith Saint Paul) big and great words. O! but it is, through Christ that strengthens me. These things must not be forgotten, for a child of the Church, is a child of grace, by grace he is what he is, he hath all from Heaven.5 Suitable to the former place is that in Ezekiel. And the land of Aegypt shall be desolate and waste, and they shall know that I am the Lord, because hee hath said, the river is mine, and I have made it. He shall be desolate, because he boasts and brags of his river, and depends not upon God for the sweet showers of the former and the latter raine:
- 1Deut. 11.10, 11.
- 2Act. 17.28.
- 3Mal. 4.2.
- 4Phil. 4.13.
- 5Eze. 29.9.
