worthy of praise for the least, because it is more than he owes us. Secondly, these common, ordinary mercies are many. Thus David enhanceth the mercies of this kind, — ' O God, how great is the sum of them ! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand ; when I wake, I am still with thee,' Psa. cxxxix. 17, 18. As if he had said. There is not a point of time wherein thou art not doing me good; as soon as I open my eyes in the morning, I have a new theme, in some fresh mercies given since I closed them over-night, to employ my praiseful meditations. Many little items make together a great sum. What is lighter than a grain of sand, yet what is heavier than the sand on the sea shore ? As little sins, (such as vain thoughts and idle words,) because of their multitude, arise to a great guilt, and will bring in a long bill, a heavy reckoning at last ; so ordinary mercies, what they want in their size of some other great mercies, have compensated it in their number. Who will not say that a man shews greater kindness in maintaining one at his table with ordinary fare all the yeai-, than in entertaining him at a great feast twice or thrice in the same time ? Thirdly, the sincerity of the heart is seen more in thankfulness for ordinary mercies than extraordinary. As it shews a bad heart upon every ordinary occasion to fall into a sin, so it proves that soul very gracious that takes the hint of every common mercy to bless his God. Some can digest little afflictions, and swallow ordinary mercies, without mourning for the one, or praising God for the other. That is the upright heart, which little chastisements humble, and ordinary mercies raise to thankfulness. Secondly, Mercies are complete, or imperfect: We must not make God stay for our praises till he hath finished a mercy, but praise him at the beginning ; we should be as ready to return our praises for a mercy, as God is to hear our prayers when begging it. Now God comes forth early to meet a praying soul ; * At the beginning of thy supplications the connnandment came forth,' Dan. ix. 23. ' I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord ; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin,' Psa. xxxii. 5. Thus should we echo our thankfulness to the first intimation that God gives in his providence of an approaching mercy. The birds rise betimes in the morning, saluting the rising sun with their sweet notes. Thus should we praise God at the first appearance of a mercy. Moses did not promise God, when he had saved them from Phai-aoh's wrath and the waves of the sea, that at his landing them safe in Canaan, then he would praise him for all his mercies together ; no, but he pens a song on the bank, within sight of the howling wilderness, which thej^ were to enter into ; he sings it with Israel in thankfulness for this first deliverance after their march out of Egypt. So, 2 Sam. vi. 13, ' And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings;' that is, as soon as they had proceeded a few steps, perceiving that God graciously favoured their enterprise, they expressed their thankfulness upon the place, for this hopefiil beginning, well knowing no way was better to engage God in tlie continuance and enlargement of his mercy. Thus, the Jews in Babylon, when their deliverance began to break out, are at their praises, Psa. cxxvi. 2, ' Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue Avith singing. Then said they among the heathen. The Lord hath done great things for them.' Although their deliverance only began to dawn, and their affairs looked with a more smiling face ; yet now they salute their infant mercy with joy and thankfulness. May be, Christian, thou art upon a sick bed, and some little reviving thou hast, though far from thy former health ; O, bless God for this little lift. May be thou hast been, as to thy spiritual state, in great distress, swallowed up with terrors from the liord, but now thy agony abates ; though the Comforter be not come, yet thou hast some strictures of Divine light let into thy dungeon, that raise a little hope to wait for more ; O, let not this mercy pass without some thankful acknowledgment. Some, alas ! are like great ships, that cannot be set afloat but with the high water of a mercy completed ; if they have not all they wish for, they cannot see what they have, nor tune their hearts into a peaceful frame. Thirdly, Mercies are such as are received in this life, or reserved for the next. There are promises which God will have us stay for until we come to heaven ; and these we are to praise God for, as well as what we receive here. The more our hearts are enlarged in thankfulness for these mercies, whicli we have only in hope, llie more honour we put upon his
WITH ALL PRAYER AXD SUri'LlCATlON. 733