1. 1Thankfulness: Return home now, as thy heart, full of the benefits of the Lord; so thy heart full of praises to the Lord. Angels employments are most suitable to Angels food: thou hast had Angels food, and let thy heart return Angels retribution, praise and thanksgiving. If God do but feed your bodies, there is none, I hope, such beasts, as will not return the retribution ⟨p. 95⟩of praises: And will you be slow and backward to it when he hath fed your souls? Shall we bless God for a Crumb, and not for a Christ? Other mercies are but crumbs in comparison of this rich mercy, and shall our hearts savour them so much, & not relish these? *Other mercies he gives to his enemies, wicked men may run away wth the greatest portion of belly-blessings; but these he only bestows on his friends: and shall we be unthankful for them? How ever carnal men are most taken with carnal things; yet sure I am, those who are spiritual, as they are most apprehensive of spiritual wants; so the greatest layings out of their spirits in thankfulness, is for spiritual enjoyments. What's corn and wine, &c. to this? This is a mercy in which all other mercies are folded up, the summum genus of mercy, ⟨p. 96⟩the top-mercy. 3God doth eminently contain all other comforts, and therefore in the want of all he can cheer the heart, Hah. 3.7. So Christ doth eminently contain all other mercies, and in the want of all, Christ enjoyed, is exceeding great reward. Nay, all mercies are not only folded up in him, and entailed to him, but he sweetens and sanctifies every mercy. Let us then return home as full of the blessing from on high, so full of praises to the most high. Thankfulness is the great grace to be exercised in, and thankfulness is the great grace to be exercised after; and therefore while the present sense of this mercy warms your hearts, let the heat of it burst forth into thankfulness towards God; it is the most suitable service, and the most suitable time to return it. The best time to have thankfulness ⟨p. 97⟩in our hearts, is when we can look there, and find the mercy for wch we praise him also. The best time for praises and thankfulness in our mouths, is when we have the blessing in our hands. Well then, all you who are right partakers of this Ordinance, summon up your hearts to return thankfulness to God. And let your thankfulness carry some proportion with the mercy.
1. 1Thankfulnesse: Returne home now, as thy heart, full of the benefits of the Lord; so thy heart full of praises to the Lord. Angels employments are most suteable to Angels food: thou hast had Angels food, and let thy heart returne Angels retribution, praise and thanksgiving. If God doe but feed your bodies, there is none, I hope, such beasts, as will not return the retribution ⟨p. 95⟩of praises: And will you be slow and backward to it when he hath fed your souls? Shall we blesse God for a Crumb, and not for a Christ? Other mercies are but crumbs in comparison of this rich mercy, and shall our hearts savour them so much, & not relish these? *Other mercies he gives to his enemies, wicked men may run away wth the greatest portion of belly-blessings; but these hee only bestowes on his friends: and shall we be unthankful for them? How ever carnall men are most taken with carnal things; yet sure I am, those who are spirituall, as they are most apprehensive of spirituall wants; so the greatest layings out of their spirits in thankfulnesse, is for spirituall enjoyments. What's corne and wine, &c. to this? This is a mercie in which all other mercies are folded up, the summum genus of mercy, ⟨p. 96⟩the top-mercy. 3God doth eminently contain al other comforts, and therefore in the want of all he can cheere the heart, Hah. 3.7. So Christ doth eminently contain all other mercies, and in the want of all, Christ enjoyed, is exceeding great reward. Nay, all mercies are not onely folded up in him, and intail'd to him, but he sweetens and sanctifies every mercie. Let us then return home as full of the blessing from on high, so full of praises to the most high. Thankfulnesse is the great grace to bee exercised in, and thankfulnesse is the great grace to be exercised after; and therefore while the present sense of this mercie warmes your hearts, let the heat of it burst forth into thankfulnesse towards God; it is the most sutable service, and the most sutable time to returne it. The best time to have thanfulness ⟨p. 97⟩in our hearts, is when we can look there, and finde the mercy for wch we praise him also. The best time for praises and thankfulness in our mouths, is when wee have the blessing in our hands. Well then, all you who are right partakers of this Ordinance, summon up your hearts to return thankfulness to God. And let your thankfulness carry some proportion with the mercy.
- 1Gratiae nullū certius signum quam gratiae. Aug.Gratiae nullū certius signum quam gratiae. Aug.
- *Divitiae dantur, 1. Bonis, ne putentur mala. 2. Malis, ne putentur bona. 3. Multis, ne putentur magnae.
- 3Quid tibi sufficit, si Christus non sufficit? Christum habes, •mnia habes. Omne bonū aut ipse est, aut ab ipso. Aug. de doct. Chri.Quid tibi sufficit, si Christus non sufficit? Christum habes, •mnia habes. Omne bonū aut ipse est, aut ab ipso. Aug. de doct. Chri.
