PART III. ofgracious 1.fe5lions: 141 cite of a natural Gratitude. There is doubtlefs fuch a Thing as a gracious Gratitude, which does greatly differ from all that Gratitude which natural Men experience. It differs in the following Refpe&s I. True Gratitude or Thankfulnefs to God for his Kindnefs to us, arifes from a Foundation laid before, of Love to God for what he is in himfelf ; whereas a natural Gratitude has no fuch antece- dent Foundation. The gracious Stirrings of grateful Affe&ion to God, for Kindnefs received, always are from a Stock of Love al- ready in the Heart, eftablifhed in the firft Place on other Grounds, viz. God's own Excellency ; and hence the Affe&ions are difpofed to flow out, on Occafions of God's Kindnefs. The Saint having feen the Glory of God, and his Heart overcome by it, and captiva- ted into a fupream Love to him on that Account, his Heart hereby becomes tender, and eafily affeaed with Kindnefres received. If a Man has no Love to another, yet Gratitude may be moved by fowe extraordinary Kindnefs ; as in Saul towards David But this is not the fame Kind of Thing, as a Man's Gratitude to a dear Friend, that his Heart was before poffefs'd with a high Effeem of, and Love to ; whofe Heart by this Means became tender towards him, and more eafily affeaed with Gratitude, and affe&ed in another Manner. Self-Love is not excluded from a gracious Gratitude ; the Saints love God for his Kindnefs to them, Pfal. 116. r. I love the Lord, becaufe he hail) heard the Voice of my Supplication. But fomething elfe is in- cluded ; and another Love prepares the Way, and lays the Founda- tion, for there grateful. Affe&ions. 2. In a gracious Gratitude, Men are affe&ed with the Attribute of God's Goodnefs and free Grace, not only as they are concerned in it, or as it affe&s their Intereft, but as a Part of the Glory and Beauty of God's Nature. That wonderful and unparallei'd Grace of God, which is manifefied in the Work of Redemption, and Ihines forth in the Face of Jefus Chrift, is infinitely glorious in it Self, and appears fo to the Angels ; 'tis a great Part of the moral Perfeaion and Beauty of God's Nature : This would be glorious, whether it were exercifed towards us or no; and the Saint who exerci.fes a gra- cious Thankfulnefs for it, fees it to be fo, and delights in it as fuch the' his Concern in it ferves the more to engage his Mind, and raife the Attention and Affe6tion ; and Self-Love here affifts as an Hand - maid, being fubfervient to higher Principles, to lead forth the Mind to the View and Contemplation, and engage and fix the Attention, and heighten the Joy and Love : God's Kindnefs to them is a Glafs that God lets before them, wherein to behold the Beauty of the Attribute of God's Goodnefs The Exercifes and Difplays of this Attribute, by this Means, are brought near to them, and fet right before
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