164 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LXX.
necessity so great as spiritual necessity, because our eternal well-being or ill-being dependeth on it ; and beggary is nothing to being found naked in the great day. No profit so great as spiiitual ; that is not to be measured by the good things of this world, or a little pelf, or the great mammon, which so many worship; but some spiritual and divine benefit, which tendeth to make us spiritually better, more like God, more capable of communion with him ; that is true profit, it is an increase of faith, love, and obedience. So for pleasure and delight ; that which truly exhilarateth the soul, begets upon us a solid impres- sion of God's love, that is the true pleasure. Carnal pleasures are unwholesome for you, like luscious fruits, which make you sick. Nothing is so hard of digestion as carnal pleasures. This feedeth the flesh, warreth against the soul ; but this holy delight that resulteth from the serious remembrance of God, and setting forth his excellences and benefits, is safe and healthful, and doth cheer us but not hurt us.
Use. Oh, then, let us be oftener in praising and giving thanks to God ! Can you receive so much, and beg so much, and never think of a return or any expression of gratitude ? Is there such a being as God, have you all your supplies from him, and will you not take some time to acknowledge what he hath done for your souls ? Either you must deny his being, and then you are atheists ; or you must deny his providence, and then you are epicureans, next door to atheism ; or you must deny such a duty as praise and thanksgiving, and then you are anti-scripturists, for the scripture everywhere calleth for it at our hands ; or else, if you neglect this duty, you live in flat contradiction to what you profess to believe, and then you are practical atheists, and practical epicureans, and practical anti-scripturists ; and so your con- demnation will be the greater, because you own the truth but deny the j^ractice. I beseech you, therefore, to be often alone with God, and that in a way of thanksgiving, to increase your love, faith, and obedience, and delight in God. Shall I use arguments to you ?
1. Have you received nothing from God ? I put this question to you, because great is our unthankfulness, not only for common benefits, but also for special deliverances — the one not noted and observed, the other not improved. Humble persons will find matter of praise in very common benefits, but we forget even signal mercies. There- fore, I say, have you received nothing ? Now, consider, is there no return due ? You know the story, Luke xvii. 15-19, Christ healed ten lepers, and but one of them ' returned and with a loud voice glori- fied God, and fell down at his feet giving thanks, and he was a Sama- ritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed, but where are tlie nine ? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him. Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.' All had received a like benefit, but one only returned, and he a Gentile and no Jew, to acknowledge the mercy. They were made whole by a miraculous providence, he was made whole by a more gracious dispensation : ' Thy faith hath made thee whole ; ' he was dismissed with a special blessing. God scatter- eth his benefits upon all mankind, but how few own the supreme benefactor ! Surely a sensible heart seeth always new occasions of praising God, and some old occasions that must always be remembered,
VeR. 62.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 165
always for life, and peace, and safety, and daily provision ; and always for Clirist, and the hopes of eternal life. Surely if we have the com- fort, God should "have the glory : Ps. xcvi. 8, ' Grive unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, bring an offering, and come into his courts.' He that hath scattered his seed expecteth a crop from you.
2. How disingenuous is it to be always craving, and never giving thanks ! It is contrary to his directions in the word ; for he showeth us there that all our prayers should be mingled with a thankful sense and acknowledgment of his mercies: Phil, iv, 6, 'In everything let your requests and supplications be made known with thanksgiving,' Do not come only in a complaining way : Col. iv. 2, ' Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.' They are not holy requests unless we acknowledge what he hath done for us, as well as desire him to do more. Nothing more usual than to come in our necessities to seek help ; but we do not return, when we have received help and relief, to give thanks. When our turn is served, we neglect God. Wants urge us more than blessings, our interest swayetli us more than duty. As a dog swalloweth every bit that is cast to him, and still looketh for more, we swallow whatever the bounty of God casteth out to us without thanks, and when we need again, we would have more, and though warm in petitions, yet cold, rare, infrequent in gratulations. It is not only against scripture, but against nature. Ethnics abhor the ungrateful, that were still receiving, but forgetting to give thanks. It is against justice to seek help of God, and when we have it to make no more mention of God than if we had it from ourselves. It is against truth ; we make many promises in our afflic- tion, but forget all when well at ease.