90 THIRD SERMON all, and every thing by various interchanges and vicissitudes flowing back into the original from whence it came : thereby teaching the souls of men to main- tain the like spiritual commerce and confederacy with Heaven, to have all the passages between them and it open and unobstructed, that the mercies which they receive from thence, may not be kept under, and im- prisoned in unthankfulness, but may have a free way in daily praises to return to their fountain again. Thus Noah, after his deliverance from the flood, built an altar, on which to sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving ; that as his family by the ark was pre- served from perishing, so the memory of so great a mercy might in like manner by the altar be preserved too, Gen. viii. 20. So Abraham, after a weary journey being comforted with God's gracious appearing and manifestation of himself unto him, built an altar, and " called on the name of the Lord," Gen. xii. 7. and after another journey out of Egypt, was not forgetful to return unto that place again, Gen. xiii. 4. God's presence drawing forth his praises, as the return of the sun in spring and summer, causeth the earth to thrust forth her fruits and flowers, that they may as it were meet and do homage to the fountain of their beauty. If Hezekiah may be delivered from death, Isa. xxxviii. 20. if David from guilt, Psa. li. 14. they promise to sing aloud of so great a mercy, and to take others into the concert, " I will teach transgressors thy way : and we will sing upon the stringed instru- ments." Guilt stops the mouth, and makes it speech- less, Matt. xxii. 12. that it cannot answer for one of a thousand sins, nor acknowledge one of a thousand mercies. When Jacob begged God's blessing on him in his journey, he vowed a vow of obedience and thankfulness to the Lord, seconding God's promises
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