-
- Thread starter Joshua
- Start date
- Status
I like Thomas Adams.
From "The Sacrifice of Thankfulness":
From "The Sacrifice of Thankfulness":
Lo, I begin with him that hath no beginning, but is the beginning of all other beings -- God; and would only tell you, (for I must not lose myself in this mystery,) that this God is good. In himself goodness; good to us. Ps. c. 5, 'The Lord is good: his mercy is everlasting.' He is true life, saith Augustine: A quo averti cadere; in quem converti resurgere; in qup manere vivere est, -- From him to turn is to fall; to him to return is to rise; in him to abide is to live for ever.
David, in the 59th Psalm, calls him his mercy: ver. 10, Deus meus, misericordia mea, -- 'My God, my mercy.' Whereupon Augustine sweetly discourses: --
'If thou hadst said, My health, I know what thou hadst meant; because God gives health. If thou hadst said, My refuge, I understand; because thou fliest unto him. If thou hadst said, My strength, I conceive thy meaning; because he gives strength. But Misericordia mea; quid est? Totum, quicquid sum, de misericordia tua est, -- My mercy; what is it? I am by thy mercy, whatsoever I am.
Bernard would have us speak of God in abstracto: not only to call him wise, merciful, good, but wisdom, mercy, goodness, because the Lord is without accidents at all. For as he is most great without quantity, so he is most good without quality. Nil habet in se nisi se, -- He hath nothing in him but himself.
God, then, being good, -- not only formaliter, good in himself, but also effectivè, good to us, -- teacheth us to love him. We should love goodness for its own sake; but when it reflects upon us, there is a new invitation of our love.
David, in the 59th Psalm, calls him his mercy: ver. 10, Deus meus, misericordia mea, -- 'My God, my mercy.' Whereupon Augustine sweetly discourses: --
'If thou hadst said, My health, I know what thou hadst meant; because God gives health. If thou hadst said, My refuge, I understand; because thou fliest unto him. If thou hadst said, My strength, I conceive thy meaning; because he gives strength. But Misericordia mea; quid est? Totum, quicquid sum, de misericordia tua est, -- My mercy; what is it? I am by thy mercy, whatsoever I am.
Bernard would have us speak of God in abstracto: not only to call him wise, merciful, good, but wisdom, mercy, goodness, because the Lord is without accidents at all. For as he is most great without quantity, so he is most good without quality. Nil habet in se nisi se, -- He hath nothing in him but himself.
God, then, being good, -- not only formaliter, good in himself, but also effectivè, good to us, -- teacheth us to love him. We should love goodness for its own sake; but when it reflects upon us, there is a new invitation of our love.
- Status