Pium. Now my Kinsmen and Friends let us discourse a little about the Question propounded, Why we pray unto God before and after Meat? Our Lord Jesus Christ did so before meat, as it is written of him in many examples; and we are not to doubt but he did the same after meat, because the Lord hath commanded the same so expressly, saying, When thou hast eaten and art full, then beware lest thou forget the Lord.
And to show you what great reason we have thus to do, consider that God doth some of his chief works in this world, in the matter of our eating, which no creature can do: for take you a Tray of meat, and ask, Who can turn this into blood, and flesh, and sinews, and bones, and skin? and who can give every part of our body its due proportion, that one part shall not overgrow the other, but every part alike? Who but God can do this? And ⟨p. 12⟩who but God can make our bodies to grow to such an appointed stature, and then to grow no more? And who but God can preserve our health, and turn away sicknesses? Now these marvellous things God doth for us every day, and every time we eat, and therefore is it not very good reason that we should pray and give thanks to God at such time as he doth such great and obliging things for us?
Again, God provideth all our food for us; he provideth Corn, not we our selves, we do but a little towards it, the great work is Gods: all that we do is to put our Corn into the ground, and keep the ground clean about it, but God makes it to grow, he gives it a root, a blade, a stalk, and ears, whereby one Corn shall become three or four or five hundred. Who but God can do this? therefore Corn is of his providing.
Again, who provideth water, and watereth the Corn? is it not God? for when Springs and Rivers are dried up, what can men do, but cry to God? and then God will bring Clouds, like great Bottles full of water, and drop them down upon the withered and parched Earth, and thereby make the Corn and Grass, and all fruits to grow. Who but God can do this?
Again, God provides Flesh for us to feed upon, for he maketh the grass and herbs to grow, and when the beasts do feed thereon, he doth turn those Leaves into blood, flesh, sinews and bones; and this he giveth us for food, and turneth it into blood, flesh, sinews and bones in us. All these wonderful works God doth, in the matter of feeding us;
Pium. Now my Kinsmen and Friends let us discourse a little about the Question propounded, Why we pray unto God before and after Meat? Our Lord Jesus Christ did so before meat, as it is written of him in many examples; and we are not to doubt but he did the same after meat, because the Lord hath commanded the same so expresly, saying, When thou hast eaten and art full, then beware lest thou forget the Lord.
And to shew you what great reason we have thus to do, consider that God doth some of his chief works in this world, in the matter of our eating, which no creature can do: for take you a Tray of meat, and ask, Who can turn this into blood, and flesh, and sinews, and bones, and skin? and who can give every part of our body its due proportion, that one part shall not overgrow the other, but every part alike? Who but God can do this? And ⟨p. 12⟩who but God can make our bodies to grow to such an appointed stature, and then to grow no more? And who but God can preserve our health, and turn away sicknesses? Now these marvellous things God doth for us every day, and every time we eat, and therefore is it not very good reason that we should pray and give thanks to God at such time as he doth such great and obliging things for us?
Again, God provideth all our food for us; he provideth Corn, not we our selves, we do but a little towards it, the great work is Gods: all that we do is to put our Corn into the ground, and k•ep the ground clean about it, but God makes it to grow, he gives it a root, a blade, a stalk, and ears, whereby one Corn shall become three or four or five hundred. Who but God can do this? therefore Corn is of his providing.
Again, who provideth water, and watereth the Corn? is it not God? for when Springs and Rivers are dried up, what can men do, but cry to God? and then God will bring Clouds, like great Bottles full of water, and drop them down upon the withered and parched Earth, and thereby make the Corn and Grass, and all fruits to grow. Who but God can do this?
Again, God provides Flesh for us to feed upon, for he maketh the grass and herbs to grow, and when the beasts do feed thereon, he doth turn those Leaves into blood, flesh, sinews and bones; and this he giveth us for food, and turneth it into blood, flesh, sinews and bones in us. All these wonderful works God doth, in the matter of feeding us;
