reflects tlioso glorious attributes which (loci puts forth in liis mercies. Thus God sees his face in a true glass, wliich the thankful soul holds up while he praiscth liini ; whereas an imthankful heart, like a broken glass, disligiu'cs the beautiful face of God, by conceiving such low thoughts as are unworthy of his glorious attributes. Secondly, When they are obediential. God accounts those mercies forgotten which are not written with legible characters in our lives, Psa. cvi. 21, ' They forgat God their Saviour.' Upon the Israelites' victory over the city Ai, an altar is built as a monument of that signal mercy ; now mark what God commands to be written on the stones thereof. One would have thought the history of tliat day's work should have been the sculpture, but it is the ' copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel,' Josh. viii. 30, 32 ; whereby he plainly shewed, that the best way of remembering the mercy was, not to forget to keep the law. Saul could not blind Samuel's eyes, — the people saved the best of the cattle for sacrifice ; ' Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offering and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice; and to hearken, than the fat of rams,' 1 Sam. xv. 22. As if he had said. What, Saul! thinkest thou to bribe God with a sacrifice, while thou art disobedient to his command ? Dost thou deny him thine own heart to obey his word, and give him a beast's heart in sacrifice for it ? Is this the oblation which he hath required, or will accept ? Truly God riseth hungry from our thanksgiving-di ners, if obedience be not a dish at the table ; without this, we and our sacrifices may burn toge- ther. God will pluck such from the horns of the altar and take tliem off their knees with their hypocritical praises, to pay his debt in another kind. ' If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land,' Isa. i, 19, Then, and not till then, will God eat of yoiu' saci-ifices, and j'ourselves taste of the sweetness of your enjoyments. ' Thou meetesthim that rejoiceth and worketli righteousness,' Isa. Ixiv, 5, Not rejoice without working righteousness, nor that without rejoicing in the work. The threatening, Deut. xxviii., is levelled against Israel, not merely because they served not God, but because they served him not with gladness in the abundance of his mercies. God delights to have his mercy seen in the cheerful countenance of his servants, while they are at his work.
Section II. — Thirdly, Then they are real praises when they end in acts of mercy. ' Dy him let us offer the sacrifice of pi'aise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name,' Heb. xiii. 15. Now mark the next words,- — ' But to do good and communicate forget not ; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.' As if he had said. Think not that you may thank God, to save yourselves trouble and expense. God's goodness to us, should make us merciful to others. It were strange indeed a sold should come out of his tender bosom with a hard, uncharitable heart. Some children do not indeed take after their earthly parents, as Cicero's son, v,ho had nothing of his father but his name ; but God's children all partake of their heavenly Father's nature. Philosophy tells us, that there is no reaction from the earth to the heavens ; they indeed shed their influences upon the lower world, which quicken and fructify it, but the earth returns none back to make the sim shine the better. David knew that his goodness extended not unto God, but this made him reach it forth to his brethren, Psa. xvi. 3. Indeed, God hath left his poor saints to receive the rents we owe unto him for his mercies. An ingenuous guest, though his friend will take nothing for his entertainment, yet, to show his thankfulness, will give something to his servants. At Christ's return, how doth he salute his saints? Not, ' Come, ye blessed,' ye have kept such a thanksgiving-day ; but ' I was an himgered, and ye gave me meat; — naked, and ye clothed me,' Matt. xxv. 35, 36. Alms are called fruit; — ' Wlien I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit,' Rom. xv. 28: implying, that all our profession without these good works are but leaves : this is the solid fruit of oiu- faith,— love to God, and thank- fulness for his mercies. Neither must these acts of charity be confined to the money in th}' purse, or the bread in thy cupboard, though these are included; there are poor souls as well as poor bodies, that need relief. Ilatli God plucked thee out of Satan's bondage? Where, then, are thy bowels of compassion toward those who are yet chained to the devil's post? What means dost thou use to redeem these captives out of their slavery ? The argument God urgcth
WITH ALL I'HAYER AND SUiU'LICATION. Y^C)