The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

Meditate on the nature of them how freely they are bestowed: When thou wast Gods enemy he ⟨p. 154⟩fed thee, and clothed thee, and maintained thee; as when a man turneth his back upon the Sun, the Sun even then refresheth him with his beams; so when thou didst depart away from God, he even then followed thee with goodness; like the fountain, he giveth his pleasant streams to thee gratis. For alas thou art less then the least of all Gods mercies, worse then any loathsome Toad, or poisonous Serpent: This will be an excellent file to set off the mercies of God in their lively, lovely colours: that David so great a King should do so much for such a dead Dog as Mephibosheth, did exceedingly affect his heart, 2 Sam. 7. So do thou think with thy self, What am I, and what is my Fathers house, that the Lord should do so much for me.

Meditate on the nature of them how freely they are bestowed: When thou wast Gods enemy he ⟨p. 154⟩fed thee, and cloathed thee, and maintained thee; as when a man turneth his back upon the Sun, the Sun even then refresheth him with his beams; so when thou didst depart away from God, he even then followed thee with goodness; like the fountain, he giveth his pleasant streams to thee gratis. For alas thou art less then the least of all Gods mercies, worse then any loathsome Toad, or poisonous Serpent: This will be an excellent file to set off the mercies of God in their lively, lovely colours: that David so great a King should do so much for such a dead Dog as Mephibosheth, did exceedingly affect his heart, 2 Sam. 7. So do thou think with thy self, What am I, and what is my Fathers house, that the Lord should do so much for me.

Meditate upon the fullness and greatness of thy mercies: What distinguishing mercies are thy Body-mercies? they are more then God oweth thee, and more then he bestoweth upon others. Alas, many want health, liberty, food, raiment, sleep, limbs, senses, reason, and possibly thou enjoyest them all. But Oh! of what concernment are thy Soul-mercies, the image of God, the blood of Christ, eternal Life, the Gospel of thy Salvation, Sabbaths, Sacraments, and seasons of grace: God hath not dealt so with every people, as with this Nation; nor with every person, as with thee: Thou art, as the Psalmist phraseth it, laden with benefits, hast such a weight, such a burden of benefits upon thy back, that thou canst hardly stir or stand under them. Hast thou not blessings of the womb, blessings of the field, blessings of the Throne, blessings