4. It continueth a succession of mercies, for the more thankful we are for them the more they are increased upon us, as an husbandman trusts more of his precious seed in fruitful soils. The ascent of vapours maketh way for the descent of showers. The sea poureth out of her fulness into the rivers, and they all return again into tbe sea : Ps. Ixvii. 5, 6, ' Let tbe people praise thee, 0 God, let all the people praise thee, then shall tbe earth yield her increase, and God, even our God, shall bless us.' Or when the springs lie low, we pour in a little water into the pump, not to enrich the fountain, but to bring up more for our- selves. I do tbe rather observe it, becaus"e it is not only true of outward increase, but spiritual also : Col. ii. 7, ' Booted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.' If we give thanks for so much grace as we have already received, it is the way to increase our store. The
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reason why we do no more tlnive in grace or advafice in the spiritual life is becanse we do no roore give thanks.
5. In tlianksgiving all spiritual graces are acted and promoted. (1.) Faith is acted in thanksgiving when we see and own the invi- sible hand that reacheth out our supplies to us : 'All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee,' 1 Chron. xxix. 14. Stupid and carnal creatures look to the next hand, as if he that bringeth the present were more to be thanked than he that sendeth it : Hosea ii. 8, ' She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oik' We are unthankful to God and man, but more to God, because blessings that come from an invisible hand we look upon as things of course, and do not praise the giver. Beasts own the next hand: Isa. i. 3, ' The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib, but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.' (2.) Love : It is love that doth open our mouths, that we may praise God with joyful lips : Ps. cxvi. 1, ' I will love the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplica- tions ; ' and then, ver. 2, ' I will praise him as long as I live.' The proper intent of mercies is to draw us to God. When the heart is full of the sense of the goodness of the Lord, the tongue cannot hold its peace. Self-love doth more put us on prayers, but the love of God on praises, therefore to seek and not to praise, it is to be lovers of ourselves rather than of God. (3.) Hope is acted. While we give thanks, for the very grant, for the promise, for the preparations, with greater assurance we expect what is behind ; as Abraham built an altar in the land of Canaan, and offered thanksgivings to God, when he had not a foot in the country. Gen. xiii. 18. (4.) Our humility : The humble soul is most delighted in the praise of God, but the proud soul in its own praises : ' They sacrifice to their net, and burn incense to their drag,' Hab. i. 16. Whilst others sacrifice to God, they deprive God of his honour, and exalt anything rather than the author of felicity ; they ascribe all to themselves, whilst the others profess their unworthi- ness of the least mercies from God : Gen. xxxii= 10, ' I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant ; ' and 2 Sam. vii. 18, ' Who am I, 0 Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto ? ' God is never exalted till the creature be abased.
6. It preventeth many sins ; as — (1.) Hardness of heart, and secu- rity in enjoying the blessings of God's common providence. These common mercies point to the author, and discover their end to the thankful soul, but to the unthankful they prove occasions to the flesh ; so ' their table is made a snare to them, and their welfare a trap,' Ps. lxix= 22. . But when we sip and look upward, and acknowledge God on all occasions, the creature is sanctified to us : 1 Tim. iv. 4, ' Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.' Wliere there is a due acknowledgment of the donor, we have it with a blessing. So (2.) It suppresseth murmuring, or that quarrelling, fretting, impatient humour which venteth itself against God, even in our prayers and complaints, and soureth all our comforts. Murmuring is an anti-providence, the scum of discontent, by which we entertain crosses with anger, and blessings with disdain. Man is a touchy creature, always querulous, especially when God
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retrencheth him in some worldly conveniences which he fancieth. Now a thankful spirit counterbalanceth crosses with comforts : Job ii. 10, ' What ! shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil ? ' It taketh notice how gracious Grod hath been notwithstanding his seeming severity, therefore it can bless God in every condition: Job i. 21/ ' The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord/ This fretting humour is cured ; as long as we see occasion of giving thanks, it causeth us to submit to his disposing will. (3.) It prevents distrust and carking cares. This remedy is prescribed by the apostle : Phil, iv, 6, ' Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.' When we acknowledge what God hath done for us, it prevents distrust : Ps. Ixxvii. 10, 11, ' I said, This is my infirmity, but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High : I will remember the works of the Lord ; surely I will remember thy wonders of old.' There are great convulsions in an earthquake, but when it findeth a vent all is quiet. When we can bless God for favours already received, we will not doubt of his goodness for the future, but quietly compose our- selves to wait for the good end of the Lord. (4.) It cureth spiritual pride to consider who must be praised and owned for all the good which is in us : 1 Cor. iv. 7, ' Who maketh thee to differ from another ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive ? Now if thou didst re- ceive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it ? ' The more we have, we are more indebted to grace. We have all from God and for God, not for ourselves, our own glory and ostentation. God will be angry if we rob him of it, as Herod was smitten ' because he gave not God the glory,' Acts xii. 23. The receiver is as bad as the stealer ; we consent to this robbery and usurpation.