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

When Aristotle was asked what he thought of Music; he answered, Jovem nec canere, nec citharam pulsare; that Jupiter cared not either for singing or fiddling; he was for higher and more refined exercises. The infinite God doth always overlook our puddle-water, more especially on his own day, when he alloweth us to drink of his own richest Wines. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the River of thy pleasures, Psa. 36.8. Mark, 1. The excellency of the provision, fatness of thy house, the River of thy pleasures. The fattest is esteemed the fairest, and the most excellent food; therefore the Saint was enjoined to offer the fat in Sacrifice under the law. As God expects the best from us, so he gives the best to us; this made David when he had feasted so curiously, to sing so cheerfully. Fatness here is the top, the cream of all spiritual delicacies. My soul is filled as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, Psa. 63.5. But though God keep so noble an house to satisfy his peoples hunger, what special care doth he take to quench their thirst? Thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures. O he drinks to them, and they pledge him in his own cup. Hath the Child then any cause, ⟨p. 459⟩when his father keeps so rare and costly a Table, to leave such dainties, and go a begging up and down the Country for scraps and fragments? O how much do these disgrace their Parents provision, and their own discretion? But mark Reader 2. the plenty as well as the excellency of this provision. Here is fatness in the abstract; a river of pleasures, and so much as that they who enjoy it shall be satisfied, and abundantly satisfied. A River is overflowing and everflowing, it communicates its water, and yet is never empty; It is fed with Springs and Fountains, and therefore its no wonder if it always be full; They that are at such a Well, need not complain of want; but here is not only Rivers and fatness, for some have much, and yet cannot feed; but of Gods people its said, they shall be abundantly satisfied; in the Original it is inebriated, they shall have not only a sufficiency, but a redundancy of spiritual delights; the Vessels of their souls shall be filled to the brim, out of that River, whose streams make glad the City of God.