Serin, 20. How muff we in all things give Thanks ? 473 the payment of ir; and for as much as we are bound always to be thankful!, it cloth acknowledge we are always beholden to God, and always infolvent. Now a child of God is bound to be thankfull to God above all men, becaufe, I. He is more competent than any other. 2. He is more concerned L More competent by aas of reafon and grace too. All that the Scripture fpeaks as to the duty of thankfulnefs , may be referred to theft: Heads : 1. To know and acknowledge the Lords. mercies. 2. To remember them, i. e. to record and commemorate then.-. , 3. To value and admire them. 4. To Hate and proclaim them. In all which a gracious foul is much more competent than a nicer natural man, though indued with quick underllanding, firong memo- ry, and great eloquence. For the Spirit of God bath inlightned his foul, and taught him this leffon ; he is principled for ir, he is a well tuned inuirument; his heart boileth with good master, and his tongue is 46 the pen of a ready writer, pi- d.45.1. as David fpeaks on this occafion, when he Ipake of the praifes of the King, in his Song of Loves. This Spirit of God in a thankful! foul, is as the breath of the Organ, without which the pipes make no found; yea, as the breath of the Trumpeter by which theTrumpet gives a certain and melodious found. This is it that makes that noble Evangelical fpìl ir, yea,rhat heavenly Angelical fpiric in Chriflians : See a piace for it , Be not drunk with Ephof. 5. wine wherein is excefr,but be filled with the fpirit, fpeak,ing to pur felves 18, 19, so. in Pfalms and Hymns,&c. giving thank! always for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord refus Chri3 : chewing th.it what trine doth in Poets and good -tellows, it makes them fing and roar out Catches, by which they make mufick Co the devil ; fo the Spirit of God in Saints is the principle of all true thankfulnefs and holy joy towards God ; and indeed there was a very gracious -frame of fpirit this way in Primitive Chriítians. I I. More concerned, as having received more than others; to whom - foever much id given, of them much as required, a proportion of duty Luke 12,48. according to the degree of every portion of mercy; whether you confider what 1sgiven, or what is forgiven you. There aro two thins which every gracious foul will acknowledge 5 No
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