moment,' saith Solomon, Prov. xii. 19. Something drops from a liar within awhile that discovers his falsehood; the tongue that lies in praising God, is thus for a moment ; he can curse God with that tongue to-morrow witli which he praiseth him to-day.
Section II. — Eighthly, Thou must not only continue, but grow in thy praises ; as the tide increaseth, the ship is lifted the higher on the water ; as your crop increaseth, your barns are enlarged ; as your bodies grow, so you make your clothes bigger. Every day swells the tide of your mercies, adds to your heap, increases your treasure, and heightens your stature: 'They are new every morning,' Lam. iii. 2{J ; they grow whether thou sleepest or wakest. Now, as the coat thou didst wear when a child, Avould not become thee now thou art a man ; so neither will the garment of praise which thou didst clothe thyself with wlien a young convert, become thee now thou art an old disciple; thou standest deeper in God's books than before, and God expects according to what every man hath received. You would not let a farm now by the rate it bore fifty years ago. Why then may not God raise the rent of his mercies ? Look back, and see how well the world is mended with thee since thou first set up : may be, thou canst say, with Jacob, ' I passed over with my staff, and behold now I am become two bands.' Well, see what thou hast more, in health, estate, in gifts, graces, or comforts, than thou hadst formei-ly, and then compare thy present thankfulness with what it was before these additions were made to thy treasiu-e. The more free God is of his mercy, the more close some are in their thankful returns : when poor they could be thankful for a short meal of coarse fare, more than now for their varieties. When sick, O how thankful were their hearts for a few broken slumbers in the night ! whereas now they can rise and take little notice of the goodness of God, that gives them tlieir full rest niglit after night. Is it not strange to see a man grow colder in his love to God, as the sun of God's mercy riseth higher, and shines hotter ujjon him? O, it is sad to see the heap increase, and the heart waste; to find a 2Tian grow richer in mercy, and poorer in thankfulness.
CHAPTER LX.
THE TWO LAST DIRECTIONS IN THE DUTY OF THANKSGIVING.
Ninthly, Let thy praises be real ; words pay no debts. Thei'e goes more to thankfulness than a mouthful of windy praises, which pass away with the sound. A gracious heart is too wise to think God will be put olf with a song ; he will give God, that, but it is the least he intends. ' The Lord is my strength and song, — and I will prepare him an habitation,' Exod. xv. 2. Thankfulness is costly work : ' Shall I offer to God that which cost me nothing ?' saith David. Cheap praises are easily obtained ; but when it is attended with any expense, then many grow sick of it. The Jews could 'sing' when deli- vered from Babylon, Psa. cxxi.; but it was long before they could find in their hearts 'to build God an habitation;' the time was not come for that: they might have said, their heart was not come ; they had money and time enough to build their own, but none for God, though herein they acted foolishly, for as fast as they built at one end, God pulled dow^n at the other. Some in our time, instead of erecting God an habitation, and assisting our nation to build syna- gogues, have pulled them down, and carried the beams to their own houses. Excellent artists, in taking down ministers, and their maintenance, whereby the gospel sliould be u])held ! If this be the way to thrive, God gave his people but ill counsel when he said, ' Consider now from this day — I will bless you,' Hag. ii. 18, 19. «
Section I. — First, Then are our praises acceptable, when they are sincere; 'All that is within me bless his holy name,' Psa. ciii. 1 ; when his mercies beget high and honourable thoughts of God in our hearts. We read of cursing God in the heart. Job i. 5, which is done when we have low thoughts of his greatness and goodness ; on the contrary, when the mercies of CJod imprint such an image in the heart as lively represents his attributes, then thou blessest God in thy heart, by adoring his majesty, reverencing his holiness, deliglitiiig in his love, and fearing his goodness; here is real thankfidness. Now, as the glass represents the image of the person who looks on it, so tlie thankful soul
3 B
^38 WITH ALL PRAYER AND SUl'PLICATION.