Dirt/1• 2. Helps to T!Jankfulnefs. fuU Ohedit~ce that we arc called to: And jufi as Law and PromiftJ or Gifts are conjoyned in the New C~vena1zt, JuH fo fhould Obedience and1banbfulnefi be conjoyned in our hearts and lives ; one to God as our. Ruler, and the other to him as ou~ BenefaliQr: And thefe two mufi animate every aCt or heart and hfe. We mull Rrpcnt of fin: but 1t mull be aThankful Rrpenting, as becometh thofe that have a free p~rdon of all their fins procured by the blood of Chrifl, and offered them in the Gofpel: Leave out dus GrJtltude, and 1t IS no Evangelz:at Rlptntance. And what IS our faving faith in Chrij!, but the AjJelll to the truth of the Gofpel, With a 1hanfful Ace<plaiiCe of the good which it of– fereth us, even Chrijt as our Savioztr with the Benetits of his Redemption. The Love to God that is there required, is the 1ba1zkjut Love of his Redeemed ones: And the Love to our very enemies, and the forgiving of ~rongs, a~d all the Love to one another, and a\1 the works ofCharity there requi– red, are the txcrc1fis of Gratitttdt, and are all to be done, on this accoum, becaufe Chrifi hatb lov~ cd us, and forgiven us, and that we may {hew our th,;nkful Love ro him. Preaching, and Praying, and Sacraments, and public~prai[cs, and communion of Saints, and obcjitnce, aretan to be animated wich . Gratitude , and they are no further Evan;.elically performed, than Jh.tHJifn!mfi is the very life and c11 m. plexio11 of them all. The dark and defective opening of this by Preachers, gave occafion to the An– tiuomians ro run into the contrary extream, and to derogate too much from Gods Law and our Obtditnce: But if we obfcure the doctrine of Ev.zugelic:1l Gr.Jtitttde, we do as bad or worfe than they. Obedience to our Rultr, and 11unkfu1Heji to our Bemfallor, conjoyned and co~operating as the Htad and Hwt in the N4tural body, do make a Cbrij!ian indeed. Underlland this well, and it will much incline your hearts to Thankfulncfr. ~· 4· DireCl:. 2. Let tbe greatntfs of th~ manifcld merciu of God, be continuaUy btfore your eyu. 'lhankfi•I;Jtfs is caufcd by the due apprehtnhon of the greatnrfsof mercies. If you either l(_now them not to be mercies, or know not that they are mercies to yow, or believe not what is [aid and pra– miftd in theGofpd, or forgtt them, or thi11k_ not of thtm, or mail! light of them through the cor– ruptJon of your minds, you cannot be thankful for them. I have before fpoken of Mercy in order to rhe kindlingof Love, and therefore !hall now only recite the!e following to be alwayes in your memo. ri<S. r. The Love of God in giving you a Redeemer, and the Love ofChrill in giving his life for us, and in all the parts of our Redemption. 2· The Covenant ol Grace, the pardon of all our lins: the jufiification of our perfons; our adoption, and title to etemillife. 3· The aptnefsof means for calling us to Chrifl : The gracious and wile difpofals of providence to that end: the gifts and compar. fion of our inflruClcrs; the care ofParents.; and the helps and examples of the fervants ofChril1. 4• The efficacy of all tl1tfemeans: the giving us to will and to do, and opening of our beans, and giving us repentance unto life, alld the Spirit of Chrift to mortifie o_ur fins, and purifie our na.. ture, and dwell within us. 5· A!landing in his Church, unde·r the care ot iairhful Paflors : the li– berty, comfort, and frequent benefit of his Word andSacraments, and the publick communion of his Saints. 6. The company of thofe that fear the Lord, and their faithful admonitions, reproofs, and encouragements; thekindljefs they have !hewed us for body, or for foul. 7• The mercies ofour Relations, or -habitations, our efiares, and the notable alterations and palfa~es of our lives. 8. The manifold prcfervations and deliverances of our fouls, from errors and feducers, from ter– rors and difirefs ; from dangerou$ temptations, and many a foul·wounding fin ; and that we are not left to the errors and dctires of our hearts, to feared Confcicnccs, as forfaken of God. 9• The manifold deliverances of our bodies, from enemies, hurcs, diHrclfcs, tickndfes and death. 10. The mercies of adverfity, in wholefome, n~ceffary challifemcnts, or honourable fufferings for hisf.akc and fupport or comfort under all. I I· The communion which our fouls __ have had wirh God, in the courfe of our private and publick duties, in Prayer, Sacraments and Meditation. 12. The ufe which he hath made of us for the good of others; that our time hath not been wholly loll, ~nd we have not lived as burdens of the woild. 13. Themercies of all our friends and his fervants, which were ro us as our own ; and our interefi in themercies ahd publick welfare of his.Ch'urch, which are more than our own. 14· His patience and forbearance with us under our conll:mt unprotirablenefs 'and provocations, and his renewed merci~s n•..)twitbfianding our abufe ; our perfeverancc until! now. 15· Our hopes of everlafiingRefi and Glory, when this. finful life is at an end. Aggravate theft mercies in your more enlarged mcdttauons, and they wdl fure confiram you to cty out [ Blefl tbt Lord, 0 my foul, a11d aU that i< within me bl<flhi< holy name; bl<fs the Lord, 0 my foul, and forget not all his #cnefits; who forgivab aU thine iniquiriu, wbo hca!etb aU tby difeafti ; who rrdunmb thy lifefromdrftru[/ion; r:rho crowneth tbt.t lPith loving kJndneji and tender mercies, Pfal. 102· I12J,+~ EHter into his gattJ with t.Vanlvgivi~g, and in!., his Cou_ru with p~aift; be thankful to him, and ~Jejs bH name : For the Lcrd is good; hu Nlercy u everlaftzng, and hu truth endurrtb to .zll genmmom. Pfal. 100. 4, 5• 1heLord is mercif,l and gracious; jl1w toanger, and plenteoJ« ~nmercy-For as ~he Heaven is high abovt the Earth, fo great if his mercy to them that fear him, Phi. 103. 8, I I· 0 gzve thank.! unto the Lord, for he is good, for hiJ mercy endureth fir ever, P{3.l. 136. 1, &c. 0 give th1mf<! unto the Lord; eaU upo11 hi1 name ; mal<! f<!zown hi1deeds amo11g the people : fing ye unto him ; fing Pfolms · unto him ; talk.. ye of all bii r:r,.ondrou1 worl<f : glory ye i1t hH holy name : Let the heart of them rep joyce that fe<k.. him, Pfal. 105. r, 2, 3· J 9· 5· DireCt. 3• Be weU acr;1eaintcd witL tbt greatneji of y11ur fini, and fm(ib/e of tbem as they are the aggravation of Gods Mercies to yJu. This is the main end why God Will humble thofe that he will fave : Not to drive them to defpair of mercy, nor that he taketh pleafurc in their farrows for themfelvcs: But to work the heart eo a due eftecm of faving mercy, and to a ferious defirc after it, that they may thonkfully receive it, and oarefully retain ir, and laithfully u(e it. An·unhumbled foul
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