33 / 808
V
E
R.
3.
Ephe/tans,
Chap.
i.
2I
ftirre up himfelf, his foule, fpirit, all
within
him,
but
all
the
creatures,
every thing
that
had
breath, from
the higheft Angel,
to
the loweft
crea-
ture
:
This
grace being
like fire,
which once kindled, catcheth hold
of
all
that
is
near it.
For
our
better
understanding this
duty,
I will open
two
things.
r.
What
muff
concurre
in
this
pradife. a.
How we may
keep
our hearts
in
a
good
difpofition
to this
duty.
To
the
praifing
God
three things
are
required.
r.
That
our fpirit doe acknowledge
his
good-
neffe,
in
any kinde (hewed
us
:
Hence it
is
that
the
Saints call on
their
hearts,
foules, fpirits,
in
this
bufineffe:
God
is
afpirit,
and
hateth
every
fervice, from
which the
fpirit
is
eftranged. As no
mufick
is
graceful!,
unleffe
the
inftrument be
firft tuned ;
no more
is
any
voyce
of
pralle
ac-
ceptable,
unleffe
the
heart be firft
ordered.
2.
There
muff be
a
declaring
before men
of
that
kindneffe and
love
the Lord hath
(hewed
us
:
Come,
I
will tell
you
what
Ged
bath
dotte
for
my
fettle.
?fol.
66.16.
I
will
shyly
tell
of
thy
righteoufnejfe.
We
count
it ingratitude
in
men,
when
they will
fmother benefits,
and
never beknown
to other
of
whom they
have
re-
ceived
them.
3.
There
muff be an endeavouring
of
requiring
Gods
love, byanfwering
his
benefits with thankful!
duty,by
walking
worthy
of
them
;
what
JbaIlI
repay
the Lord,
for
all his
benefits upon me
?
Thus
we
count him
unthankful!,
who doth not
bend
himfelf to
requite love
with the
like,
fo far
as
ability reacheth.
Now
for
means difpofing
us
this
way, we mutt labour
firft
to know
and keep in
remembrance Gods be-
nefits
;
that which
is
forgotten,
is
not known forthe prefect
; nothing
unknown, affeéleth
or
moveth
the
will
:
A danger unknown, maketh
us
not
afraid;
a
benefit unknown maketh
us
not
joyful!
or
thankful!:
Hence
it
was
that holy
men
often made Catalogues
of
Gods
benefits, and
re-
peated them
to
their
foules ; See
Pfal.503.
My fettle
praife the Lord,
for-
get
not all his
benefits.
Secondly,
Men muff
labour their hearts
to
a fenfe
and feeling
of
the
worth
of
the
benefits
which they
enjoy;
for not
having benefits,
but
efteeming and knowing
the
worth
of
them,
maketh thankful!.
Now
in
this
we greatly
faile,
for our corrupt
natures heed nothing
they
enjoy;
like
theeye
in
this regard,
which
feeth nothing
that lyeth
on it,
but
ta-
ken
away fome diflance,
doth brightly
difcern
it
:
So
we,
when
good
things are taken away know them
well,which
we
fee
not
to
be
filch be-
nefits,while we enjoy
them;
Again, the
plentiful!
ufe
of
the belt things,
breedeth
a
fatiety,andmaketh them no dainties; And hence
it
corn meth,
that good
things which
are
commonly
and
conflantly with
us,
are not
regarded
:
Let
us
therefore, the rather
pia6life
this fecond rule, for the
negle
1
of
it maketh
us
want
our
comfort
while we
poffeffe
things, (for
who
can
rake
joy
in
that heefteemeth not?
)
and it maketh
us
have dou-
ble griefe,
when
now
they
are removed
;
for
then
the
confcience
of
our
carelefneffe
doth
bite
andfling us.
Athird
rule is,ftill
tolabour tobe poore
in
fpirit,and
keep
the
confci-
ence
of
our
own
unworthineffe,
that
we may ftill
know our
felves
to
be
leffe
then
the
least
of
Gods
mercies,
as iscob
faid.
Hunger
is
fauce
which
maketh every
thing
well tatted ; So this poverty
of
fpirit
maketh the
least
r,
2.
I.
s: