Ath. If all be a gift, " give us this day,'' then take notice of God's goodness ; there is nothing in us can deserve or reqtiite (iod's kindness ; yet such is the sweetness of his nature, he gives us rich provision, and feeds us with the finest of the wheat. Pindar saith, it was an ojnuion of the ])co- ple of Rhodes, that Jupiter rained down gold upon the city : God hath rained down golden mercies upon us; he is upon the gi vino- hand. Observe three things in God's givin(»- :
(1.) He is not weary of giving; the springs of mercy are ever running. God did not only dispense blessings in former ages, but he still gives gifts to us ; as the sua not only enriches the world with its mor« ning light, but keeps light for the meridian. The honey-comb of God's bounty is still dropping.
(2.) God delights in giving, Micah vli. 18., " He delighteth in mercy." As the nu)thcr delights to give the child the breast, God loves we should have the breast of mercy in our mouth.
(3.) God gives to his very enemies. Who will send in provisions U\ liis enemy ? Men use to spread nets fi)r their enemies, God spreads a table. The dew drops on the thistle as well as the rose; the dew of God's bounty drops upon the worst. Those who have their mouths opened against God yet God puts bread in those mouths. O the royal bounty of God ! Ps. Iii. 1., " The goodness of God endureth continually." Swinish sinners God puts jewels upon, and feeds them every day.
blh. If all be a gift, see then the odious ingratitude of men, who sin against their giver. God feeds them, and they fight a- gainst him ; he gives them tlieir bread, and they give him affronts. How unworthy is this? Would we not cry shame of him, who had a friend always feeding him with money, and he should betray and injure- that IViend. Thus ungratefully do sinners, deal with God, they do not only forg3t his mercies, but abuse them, Jer. v. 7., " When
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OF THE FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
1 liad fed them to the full, they then com- mitted adultery." O liow horrid is this, to sin against a bountiful God ! — to strike (as it were) those hands that relieve us ! This o-ives a dye and tincture to men's sins, and makes them crimson. How many make a dart of God's mercies, and slioot at liim? He pves them wit, and they serve the devil with it ; he g-ives them strenj^th, and they waste it amonjr harlots ; he g^ives them bread to eat, and they lift nj) the heel against him, Deut. xxxii. 15., " Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked." These are like Absalom, who as soon as David his father kissed him, plotted treason against him,
2 Sam. XV. 10. Like the mule, who kicks the dam after she hath given it milk. Those who sin against their giver, and a- buse God's royal favours, the mercies of God will come in as witnesses against them. What smoother than oil? But if it be heat- ed, what more scalding ? What sweeter than mercy ? But if it be abused, what more dreadful ? It turns to fury.
Gth. If God gives us all, let God's giving excite ns to thanksgiving ; he is the foun- der and donor of all our blessings, let him have all our acknowledgments. " All the rivers come from the sea. And thither they return again," Eccl. i. 7. All our gifts come fi-ora God, and to him must all our praises return. We are a])t to burn incense to our own drag, Ilab. i. 16.; to attribute all we have to our own second causes.
(1.) Our own skill and industry. God is He giver ; he gives daily bread, Ps. cxxxvi. He gives riches, Deut. viii. 18., " He it that giveth thee power to get wealth." Or, (2.) We oft ascribe the praise to se- cond causes, and forget God. If friends have bestowed an estate, we look at them and admire them, but not God who is the great giver ; as if one should be thankful to the steward, and never take notice of the master of the family that provides all. O if God gives all, our eye-sight, our food, our clothing, let us sacrifice the chief praise to him ; let not God be a loser by his mer- cies I Praise is a more illustrious part of God's worship. Our wants may send us to prayer, nature may make us beg daily bread ; but it shews an heart full of inge- uuitv and grace, to be rendering praises to