Quest. But how shall we be enabled to this great duty ?
Ans. 1. Enter into a deep consideration of God's favours, past, present, and to come ; think of the greatness and suitableness of them to our condition, the seasonableness and necessity of them every way unto us. Consider how miserable om- Ufe were \\ithout them, even without common favom's ; but as for spuitual favom's, that make both om* natm-al and civil condition com- fortable, our very life were death, our light were darkness without these. In all favom's think not of them so much, as God's mercy and love in Christ, which sweetens them. Think of the freeness of this love, and the smallness of thy o^vn deserts. How many blessings doth God bestow upon us, above our deserts, yea, above our desires, nay, above om- very thoughts ! He had thoughts of love to us when we had no thoughts ourselves. What had we been if God had not been good unto us ! How many blessings hath God
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258 THE soul's conflict.
bestowed upon us, that we never prayed for ! and yet we are not so ready to praise God, as to pray unto him. This more desire of what we want than esteeming of what we have, shews too much prevaihng of self-love. But,
2. Secondly, comparing also ourselves xdth others, will add a great lustre to God's favour, considering we are all hewed out of one rock, and differ nothing from the meanest, but in God's free love. Who are we, that God should single us out for the glory of his rich mercy ?
3. Considering, likewise, that the blessings of God to us are such as if none but ive had them, and God cares for us as if he had none else to care for in the icorld besides. These things well pondered should set the greater price upon God's blessings. What are we in nature and grace but God's blessings ? — ^what is in us, about us, above us ? What see we, taste we, enjoy we, but blessings ? All we have, or hope to have, are but dead favours to us, unless we put life into them by a spirit of thankfulness. And shall we be as dead as the earth, as the stones we tread on ? Shall we live as if we were resolved God should have no praise by us ? Shall we make ourselves gods, ascribing all to ourselves ? Nay, shall we, as many do, fight against God with his own favours, and turn God's bless- ings against himself? Shall we abuse peace to security ? plenty to ease, promises to presumption, gifts to pride ? How can we please the devil better than thus doing ? Oh, the wonderful patience of God, to continue life to those whose Hfe is nothing else but a warring against him, the giver of life !
As God hath thoughts of love to us, so should our thoughts be of praises to him, and of doing good in our places to others for his sake. Think with thyself. Is there any I may honour God by relieving, comforting, counsel- ling ? Is there any of Jonathan's race? 2 Sam. ix. 1. Is there any of Christ's dear ones ? I will do good to them, that they together with me, and for me, may praise God, Psalm cx\'iii. 1. As David here checks him- self for the failing and disquietness of his spirit, and, as a cure thereof, thinks of praising God, so let us, in the like case, stir up our souls as he did, and say, ' Praise the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is wdthin me, set forth his holy name,' Psalm ciii. 1. We never use our spirits to better purpose, than when by that Hght we have from God, we stir them up to look back again to him.
By this it will appear to what good pui-poses we had a being here in the world, and were brought into communion with Christ by the gospel. The carriage of all things to the right end shews whose we are, and whither we tend. It abundantly appears by God's revealing of himself many ways to us, as by promises, sacraments, sabbaths, &c., that he intended to raise up our hearts to this heavenly duty. The whole gracious dispensation of God in Christ tends to this, that our carriage should be nothing else but an expression of thankfulness to him ; that by a free, cheerful, and gra- cious disposition, we might shew we are the people of God's free grace, set at liberty from the spirit of bondage, to serve him without fear, Luke i. 74, with a voluntary, child-like service, all the days of our Hves.
Chapter XXIX. — Of God's manifold salvation for his people, and why open, or capressed in the countenance.
I proceed.
He is the salvation of my countenance.
THE soul's conflict. 259
As David strengthens his trust in God, by reason fetched from the future goodness of God, apprehended by faith, so he strengthens that reason with another reason fetched from God, whom he apprehends here as the salvation of his countenance. We need reason against reason, and reason upon reason, to steel and strengthen the soul against the onset of contrary reasons.