474 How muß we in all things give Thanks ? Sernn. 20. No man (faith he) in the world path deferved lef r of God than I, and none bath received more of God than I, how much then am I concern- ed to be thankful! ? I have read of a holy man,thst was Peen once (landing fti]l with tears in hiseyes,and looking up to heaven , and being asked by one that palfed by why he did fo, faid, I admire the Lords mercy to me that did not make me a Toade, that Vermine being then cafually at his feet. The leaft common mercy affec`ls a gracious foul that knows his defert nothing but mifery. Mephibofheth bowed himfelf and faid, What 2 Sam.94. is thy ferpant that thou flouldff loo; upon fuch a dead dog as I am. When David had told him he íhould have bis Lands, and eat bread at his Table. When the Lord fpares our lives, and gives us common mer. cies, we mull admire and adore bis goodnefs. And this leads me to the fecond general Qieflion. ere 2. Why, and upon what grounds Chriflians are bound to give thanks in every thing ? APO. 1. It is the will of God in Chrifi 7efue. The will of God in Çhrift Jefus is the cleareft Rule, and the higheft Obligation to any foul for the performance of any duty. O that men would now adays fludy more, at by and hold fait to this rule : And ask confcience in the performance of every duty, is thù the will of God in Chrili Jefed ? It was meet that this duty of thankfulnefs should be prell and pra- ctifed under the Gofpel, becaufe it argues a fpiritual and noble frame of Soul, the highefl pitch of grace, which is a true Gofpel frame. David under the Old Teflament had a New Teflament heart in this particular; his Pfalms, which were all penn'd upon emergent Geer - ons, are all Tehillah and Tephillah, Prayer and Praife; his Heart and Harp were fo tuned to the Praifes of God, to Pfalms of Dfgrees, to Hallelujahs, that fome have thought the Lord is praifed with thofe Pfalms in Heaven. zaeh.r2. 8. Yet is it promifed under the Gofpel, that he that is feeble ¡hall beau Greg. Hom.2 1: g o. David which fome underftand as to Praife and Thankfgivings, s, u on in Ezek. the account of Gofpel grace. p More punctually, this is the will of God in Chril 7efue, i.e. Jefus Chrifi chews us the duty of thankfulnefs both by Pattern ,& byPrecept, for he was not only ufh.rd into the World with Songs of Thankfgiving Luk.1.46,68. by .ingels,by Zachary,by Mary,by Simeon,by theSpbepherds, &e. but Luk.2.13,14, the Lord ?elms himfelf was a great Pattern and Prefident of thankful - 29'29. nefs all his life long, and in this alfo was a true Son of David He thank-
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