Gods mercies prevent us early, and therefore our prayers should prevent him. His going forth is prepared as the morning, he satisfieth us early with his mercies, that we may rejoice and be glad all our ⟨p. 500⟩days, Hosea 6. 3. Psa. 90. 14. If his mercies are renewed on us every morning, our acknowledgements may well be renewed unto him. Every favour makes us debtors, and all the pay he expects is thanks; If any man should every morning send us (who have little of our own to live upon.) very considerable presents, we should esteem our selves very uncivil and unworthy, if we should not as often return him our service and thanks, and sense of his kindness. How great and how many are the mercies with which our God loadeth us every morning, and are we not sordidly ungrateful if we neglect the acknowledgement of them! Our ordinary mercies are of extraordinary merit, and deserve hearty thanks. The damned (could we speak with them) would tell us, that life, a naked abode on this side Hell, were an infinite mercy. The si•k, and such as are troubled with continual Aches, or tortured with the Stone, or Gout, or Colic, would tell us that health is a great mercy. The Blind, and Lame, and Deaf, would tell us that Limbs and Senses are a great mercy; The Hungry, and Naked, and Houseless, and Friendless, would tell us that Food and Raiment, and Habitations, and Friends, are great mercies; Poor Prisoners, and such as are vexed with cruel Wars, and forced to fly before their enemies, will tell us that liberty and peace are great mercies. The Saints in Heaven, could we speak with them, would tell us, the Patience of God, the Gospel of our Salvation, the tenders of Grace, are inestimable mercies, and do not all these, which every morning are (notwithstanding our notorious ⟨p. 501⟩abuse, and frequent forfeitures) renewed upon us, deserve our solemn and sincere thanks every morning? The Jews, some tell us, are bound to say over an hundred Benedictions every day, and among the rest these two, when they go out in the morning; Blessed be he that created the greater light, and when they come in at evening, Blessed be he that caused darkness; David was frequent at this duty, I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall be continually in my mouth. Seven times a day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous judgements, Psa. 34. 1. and 119. 164.
Gods mercies prevent us early, and therefore our prayers should prevent him. His going forth is prepared as the morning, he satisfieth us early with his mercies, that we may rejoyce and be glad all our ⟨p. 500⟩days, Hosea 6. 3. Psa. 90. 14. If his mercies are renewed on us every morning, our acknowledgements may well be renewed unto him. Every favour makes us debtors, and all the pay he expects is thanks; If any man should every morning send us (who have little of our own to live upon.) very considerable presents, we should esteem our selves very uncivil and unworthy, if we should not as often return him our service and thanks, and sense of his kindness. How great and how many are the mercies with which our God loadeth us every morning, and are we not sordidly ungrateful if we neglect the acknowledgement of them! Our ordinary mercies are of extraordinary merit, and deserve hearty thanks. The damned (could we speak with them) would tell us, that life, a naked abode on this side Hell, were an infinite mercy. The si•k, and such as are troubled with continual Aches, or tortured with the Stone, or Gout, or Collick, would tell us that health is a great mercy. The Blind, and Lame, and Deaf, would tell us that Limbs and Senses are a great mercy; The Hungry, and Naked, and Houseless, and Friendless, would tell us that Food and Raiment, and Habitations, and Friends, are great mercies; Poor Prisoners, and such as are vexed with cruel Wars, and forced to flie before their enemies, will tell us that liberty and peace are great mercies. The Saints in Heaven, could we speak with them, would tell us, the Patience of God, the Gospel of our Salvation, the tenders of Grace, are inestimable mercies, and do not all these, which every morning are (notwithstanding our notorious ⟨p. 501⟩abuse, and frequent forfeitures) renewed upon us, deserve our solemn and sincere thanks every morning? The Jews, some tell us, are bound to say over an hundred Benedictions every day, and among the rest these two, when they go out in the morning; Blessed be he that created the greater light, and when they come in at evening, Blessed be he that caused darkness; David was frequent at this duty, I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall be continually in my mouth. Seven times a day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous judgements, Psa. 34. 1. and 119. 164
