When we consider that, if we answer not kindness and favour shewed unto us by men, we are esteemed unworthy of respect, as hasdng sinned against the bond of human society and love, we camiot but much more take shame to ourselves, when we consider the disproportion of our carriage, and unkind behaviour towards God, when, instead of being temples of his praise, we become graves of his benefits. What a vanity is this in our nature, to stand upon exactness of justice, in answering petty courtesies of men, and yet to pass by the substantial favours of God, without scarce taking notice of them ! The best breeding is to acknowledge greatest respects where they are most due, and to think, that if unkindness and rudeness be a sin in civility, it is much more in rehgion. The greatest danger of unt];aukful- ness is in the greatest matter of all. If we arrogate any spiritual strength to ourselves in spiritual actions, we commit either sacrUege, in robbing God
254 THE soul's conflict.
of his due, or mockery, by praising liim for that which we hold to be of ourselves. If injustice be to be condemned in man, much more in denying God his due, religion being the first due. It takes much from thankful- ness, when we have common conceits of peculiar favours. Praise is not comely in the mouth of fools ; God loves no ' blind sacrifice,' Mai. i. 8.
We should, therefore, have wisdom and judgment, not only to know upon what gi'ounds to be thankful, but in what order, by discerning what be the best and first favours whence the rest proceed, and which add a worthiness to all the rest. It is good to see blessings, as they issue from grace and mercy. It much commends any blessing, to see the love and favour of God in it, which is more to be valued than the blessing itself, as it much commends anything that comes from us, when we put a respect of thankfulness, and love to God upon it ; and if we observe, we shall find the unkindness of others to us, is but a correction of our unkindness to God.
In praising God it is not good to delay, but take advantage of the freshness of the blessing. What we add to delay, we take from thankful- ness ; and withal lose the prime and first-fruits of our afiections. It is a wise redeeming of time to observe the best seasons of thankfulness. A cheerful heart will best close with a cheerful duty, and therefore it is not good to waste so fit a temper in frivolous things ; but after some content- ment given to natm'e, let God have the fruit of his own planting, otherwise it is even no better than the refreshing of him that standeth by a good fire and crieth, 'Ah, ah, I am warm,' Isa. xliv. 16.
David doth not say, ' I will thank God,' but ' I shall praise him,' though he intends that. Thanks is then best when it tends to praising, and there ends ; for thanks alone shew respect to our own good only, praises to God's glory ; and in particular to the glory of such excellencies whence the bene- fit comes ; and from thence the soul is enlarged to think highty of all God's excellencies.
Hannah, upon particular thanks for her hearing about a child, 1 Sam. ii. 1, takes occasion to set out God's other excellencies, and riseth higher and higher, from one to many, from the present time to that which was to come ; from particular favom'S to herself, she stirs up others to praise God for his mercy to them. So Da\'id : * Deliver me, 0 God, and my tongue shall sing of thy praises,' Ps. li. 14. He propounds this as an engagement of the Lord to help him, because it should tend to the enlargement of his gloiy ; he was resolved to improve God's favour this way.
The Spirit of God w-orks like new wine, enlarging the spirit from one degree of praising God to another ; and because it foresees the eternity of God's love, as far as it can, it endeavours an eternity of God's praise. A gracious heart upon taste of favour shewed to itself, is presently warmed to spread the praise of God to others ; and the more it sees the fruit of trusting God, and his truth in performing promise, the more it still honours that trusting, as knowing that it lies upon God's honour to honour those that honour him, 1 Sam. ii. Blessing will procm-o blessing. Tho soul hath never such freedom from sin as Avhen it is in a thankful frame ; for thanlvfulness issues from a heart truly humbled and emptied of itself, truly loving and rejoicing in God ; and upon any sin the spirit is grieved and straitened, and the lips sealed up in such a heart ; for the conscience upon any sin looks upon it not only as disobedience against God's will and authority, but as unthankfulncss to his goodness ; and this meltcth a godly heart most of all. When Nathan told David God had done this and this
THE soul's conflict. 255
for him, and was ready to do more, he could not hold in the confession of his sin, but relented and gave in presently, 2 Sam. xii. 8.