478 Her muti we in all things give thanks ? Serm, ao, llnf Aug. Epiff. 77 fZid prelims 6 animogera- mus,& ore pro. mamms, & ca- lamo exprima mus, quam deo gratins ? hoc nec dici brevi - us, nec audiri t etiur, nec in- te11igi grandius, nec agi frufluo- fius poteff, Deo gratias. . PfaI.34. r. on ?fatal 5. ñY y5 ú7wf ?uI ag W ,rAc atrdbcovY,Ws7a `t.x+t2csúf gYcu. x lcn.,udveY cr .7tuf wnu,aeicuf d N4x3 77.J,Y creg yF.camr, s0aY71mi5 d?a- 7tatykOw1+, &c. iE#íeron, Here fay fame, we may not properly give thanks for penal evils, hecauf as loch they are the firoaks of Gods vindictive Jul}ice,the fruit of fin, and defírudiye to the creature ; in which fenfe they have not rationem benefacii fed fupplicii, they are not benefits but punifh- ments. But whereas the Lord bath fo ordered that all flings (hall work to- gether for good to them that are good, and crí ff s, are fume ofthofe thi ngs, they are hereby fandified and become the ma:terof: bank fgi- ving toa child of God. And this was that noble primitive frame of fpirit among Chrif ians under what providence foever, dark or light, fweet or four, they were thankful in all : alwaiesthankful. St tlugnfine Upon the 132. Pfalrri commended) that ancient cu- flome among Chriuiiians, in whofe mouths you fhould always hear tiefe words, Deo gratine, thanks be to God, when they met and fa- lured one another, Dee gratias, God be thanked, when they heard any tidings, of perfecution or prote &ion, favour or frowns gain or lofs,crofs or comfort, f ill Deugr otias,theLord be thanked ; at which cuflome the Circumcelli.ns pick quarrels, bu: St An/line defends it as laudable and religious ; what faith he,fhail brethren in Chriflnot give God thanks when they fee one another ? What better thing can we ff eak, or think, or write, than this ? God be thanked ; nothing can be more compendionfly f?oken,nor more gladly beard,nor more folemnly nnderffood, nor more profitably aced, than this, God be thanked. Thus he. Such a frame of heart had holy 7ob,the Lord giveth,andthe Lordtaketh,blef- fed be the name of the Lord. And fuch a one was in the fweet finger of Ifrael,1 will blefs the Lord At all times. Notable is that of Chryfof ome ; there is nothing (faith he) nothing we can Rudy more pleating to God, than to be thankful, not only in good dayes, but when things likewife fall out crofs ; this is the bell Sacrifice and oblation we offer God ; of a like fpirit was famous Mr.. Bradford Martyr, fpeaking of Queen Mary, at whole cruel mercy he then lay. If, faid he, the will releafe me, I will thankber, if hhe will imprifoia me I will thank her, i f the will burg me I will thank her, &c. So faith a believing Soul, let God do with me what he will, I will be thankful. ' This made one of the Ancients to fay it is peculiar to Chri- (Hans to give thanks in adverfity. To praife God for benefits, this few and Gentile can do but to give God thanks in dangers according to the Apofnlesfenfe,and in rniferies,and alwayes to fay bleffed be God, this
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