Thirdly, Under our Losses we may do well to Consider, Whether our Unthankfulness and Unfruitfulness under our Enjoyments, have not given much of Reasonableness unto our Losses. All that we have, is but a Loan from the Great God unto us. Now, if we be so Unthankful, that we will not particularly and affectionately Recognize the Kindness of God unto us in such a Loan, it is not very Reasonable that we should come to have a Loss instead of a Loan? Is it famous Threatening of God, in Deut. 28.47, 48. Because thou servest not the Lord thy God, with Joyfulness, and Gladness of Heart, for the Abundance of all things; therefore thou shalt Serve thine Enemies in Hunger and in Thirst, and in Nakedness, and in the want of all things. It seems, we come to the Want, and the Loss of our Former Abundance; Why? Because we do not Serve God with a due Thankfulness of Heart, in and for that Abundance. Let me put this unto the Consciences of my Loosing Neighbours! When the Emperor Bajazet had in one Day Lost ⟨p. 14⟩no less than a mighty Empire & Glory, Tamerlane, who took him Captive, seriously asked him, Sir, Did you ever yet give Thanks to Almighty God, for putting so great a part of His World into your Hands; whereto the Turk answered, No, in Truth I never thought of that. And the Tartar then replied, Ungrateful Wretch! then wonder not, that thou hast Lost it all! Truly so, Let many of us, that have Lost much of the World, be asked seriously, Did you ever give Express, Hearty, Frequent Thanks to God, for His bestowing these things upon you? 'Tis to be doubted, that we should be found lamentably defective in this Ingenuity; and so you see, the Cost of this Ingratitude. Moreover, All that we have, is the Means of Cultivation Employed by the Great God upon us. We are Trees in the Vineyard of God; our Delights are part of the Husbandry, or the Means wherewith He Labours, to fetch some of His Praises out of us; and if we are Unfruitful after all, 'tis but Reasonable that we should be deprived of those Means. It was threat•••• in Hos. 2.8, 9. She did not know, th•• I gave her Corn, and Wine, and Oil, and multiplied her Silver and Gold; Therefore will I Return, and I will take ⟨p. 15⟩them away. Don't we know that as what we have, is the Gift of God, so it must be all used for the Praise of God?
Thirdly, Under our Losses we may do well to Consider, Whether our Unthankfulness and Unfruitfulness under our Enjoyments, have not given much of Reasonableness unto our Losses. All that we have, is but a Loan from the Great God unto us. Now, if we be so Unthankful, that we will not particularly and affectionately Recognize the Kindness of God unto us in such a Loan, it is not very Reasonable that we should come to have a Loss instead of a Loan? Is it famous Threatning of God, in Deut. 28.47, 48. Because thou servest not the Lord thy God, with Joyfulness, and Gladness of Heart, for the Abundance of all things; therefore thou shalt Serve thine Enemies in Hunger and in Thirst, and in Nakedness, and in the want of all things. It seems, we come to the Want, and the Loss of our Former Abundance; Why? Because we do not Serve God with a due Thankfulness of Heart, in and for that Abundance. Let me put this unto the Consciences of my Loosing Neighbours! When the Emperour Bajazet had in one Day Lost ⟨p. 14⟩no less than a mighty Empire & Glory, Tamerlane, who took him Captive, seriously ask'd him, Syr, Did you ever yet give Thanks to Almighty God, for putting so great a part of His World into your Hands; whereto the Turk answered, No, in Truth I never thought of that. And the Tartar then reply'd, Ungrateful Wretch! then wonder not, that thou hast Lost it all! Truly so, Let many of us, that have Lost much of the VVorld, be asked seriously, Did you ever give Express, Hearty, Frequent Thanks to God, for His bestowing these things upon you? 'Tis to be doubted, that we should be found lamentably defective in this Ingenuity; and so you see, the Cost of this Ingratitude. Moreover, All that we have, is the Means of Cultivation Employ'd by the Great God upon us. We are Trees in the Vineyard of God; our Delights are part of the Husbandry, or the Means wherewith He Labours, to fetch some of His Praises out of us; and if we are Unfruitful after all, 'tis but Reasonable that we should be deprived of those Means. It was threat•••• in Hos. 2.8, 9. She did not know, th•• I gave her Corn, and Wine, and Oyl, and multiply'd her Silver and Gold; Therefore will I Return, and I will take ⟨p. 15⟩them away. Don't we know that as what we have, is the Gift of God, so it must be all used for the Praise of God?
