1016 [ontemplationJ, L rn. XII. -:-:--:----~~ catechized not to goe unto God empry-handed,he asks, Wh•t Jh•llwt6rind 11ntutbe A mAn ? whathave"''? The cafe is wdlalrred in our times: Every manthi~ks what may I k~ep back ~ There is no gain fo fwoer ,as ofa robbed Alm; yet Gods charge is no ldfe underthe Gofpel,Lct himthat i; taught,make hi; Tucbcr part.~tr.j afi.As this faithfull care of S•11l was a jufr prefage oflucceffe, more then he looked for or could expcil ;.fo the facrilegious unthankfulneffe ofmany,bodes that ruine 10 ri 1eir foul and efrate,which they could not havegrace to feare. He that knew the Prophets abode,knew alfo the honor ofhis pbce,he couldnot but know that Sam11tl was a mixt perfon:The Judge o£ Ifrael,and the Seer:yet both S•ul & hisServant purpofe to prefent himwith the fourth part ofa lhekle, to the valueofabout our five pence.They had learned that thankfulnes was not to be meafuredofgood men by the weight,but by the will ofthe Retributor:How much more 11 wiUGod accept the fmall offerings ofhisweakServams, \V hen ho fees themproceed from great love ~ . Tbe very maids ofthe Citycan give ditetlion to the Prophet,they had iillened afterthe holyaffaires,they had heard ofthe Sacrifice,andcould tell ofthe neceflity of S•mucls prefence:Thofethat live within the Sun./hine ofReligion,cannot bur be fomewhatcoloured with rhofe beames:Where there is prachceandexample ofpietyin the better fort,therewill be a reflection ofit upon the meanefi:itis no fmall benefitto liv~ in religious and holy places,we /hall bemuch ro blame, ifoil goodaeffe fall belide us: Yea fo slcilfull were thefe Damzds in thefafl1ions oftheir publikeSa. <rifices, that they could inllruct Saul and his Servant, unasked, how the people would noteate,tillSamlltl came to bleffe the Sacrifice. This meeting was not more C a Sacrifice,rhen it was a Feafr:thefe two ogree well,we have never fo much caufe ro rejoyce in fealling,as whenwe have duly ferved ourGod: The Sacrifice was a feafl to God,the other to men;Thebody may eat anddrink with contentment,when the foul hath bin firfr fed, and bath firll feafred the Maker ofborh : Goe eat thy bread with joy,and drink thy drinkwith a merry hoarr,forGod now accepteth thy works. The Sacrifice was l)efore confecrated, when irwos offered to God; but itwas not confecrated tO them, tillSam11tl bleffed it, his blefling made that meate holy to the guells,whichwas formerly hallowed toGod:Ail creatures were made good,&rook holinelfe fromhim, which gave themtheir being : Our !in broughtthat curfe upon them, which (unld!e ourprayersremoveit) cleaves to them fiill, fo as we receive / them not without a curfe. We are not our owne friends except our Prayers help to D take that away,which our !in hath brought,rhat foro the cleane all may be cleane: It is an unmannerly godlefneffe, to take Gods creatures without the leave oftheir · Maker, and well may God withhold his blefling from them, which have not the j grace to aske it. Thofe guefrs which were fo religious, that they would noteat their Sacrifice unblelfed,might have bleffed it rhemfdves;Every manmight pray,though every man might not facrifice ; yet would they not either ear,orbleffe,whiles they looked for the prefence ofaProphet. Every Chrillian may f.1nctifie his owne meor,butwhere thofe are prefent,that are peculiarly fancrified toGod,rhis fervice is fittefr for them: It is commendable to reach Children the practice ofThankf-giving,but the befr is ever mofr meet to bleffe our tables, and thofeefpccially, whofe officeit is ro offer E our prayers to God. LirtledidSaulthink,rhat his comming and his errand was fonotedofGod,as that it was fore.fignified unto the Prophet,and now,behold Sam11tl is told a day hefore ofthe man, time, and place ofhis meeting. The eyeof Gods providence is no ieffe over all our actions,all our motions.We cannot goe anywhither without him, he tells all our lleps; finceir pleafethGod therefore to take noticeofus, much more lhould we rake notice ofhim,and walk with him,in whom wemove.Sa11/ Clm< befide his expectation to the Prophet, he had no thought ofany fuch purpofe,till his Servantmade this fudden motion unto himofvifiting Samud,and yet God faiesro his Prophet, l will findthee.a mm 0111 ofthe Land ofBt?jamin. ;rheover-ruling hand ofthe Almighryworks us mfenlibly, and all our aff:ures to htsown fecret det~rmt-l ... nanons;
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