4. Again, if you would be thankful, labour to have humble spirits, to see God in all things ; and then you will sacrifice to him alone ; not to thy parts and graces, friends, abilities, &c. The meek are fit to pray to God. ' Seek the Lord, ye meek of the earth,' Zeph. ii. 3; and an humbled, meek, soul, is the fittest to praise God of any other. He that knows ho is worthy of nothing, will bless God for anything. He that knows he hath nothing in himself, will be thankful for the least measure of grace. An humble soul is a thankful soul. We see it was Paul's disposition here. He gives all to God, which makes him so break out in praising his name.
6. Again, if we would be thanliful, as Paul here, and begin heaven upon earth, labour to be assured of salvation, and perseverance in thy Christian course. The papists, that speak against assurance and perseverance, kill prayer and praising of God. Shall a man praise God for that which he doubts of ? I cannot tell whether God will damn me or not ; perhaps I am but fitted as a sheep to the slaughter, &c. How shall a man praise God for any blessing he enjoys, when these thoughts are still with him ? How shall a man praise God for salvation, when perhaps he shall not come to it ? How shall a man praise God for that which perhaps he may fall from before he die ? when perhaps he is God's to-day, and may be the devil's to-morrow ? How can there be a hearty thanks, but when a man can say, ' The Lord will deliver me from every evil work,' that by mine own weak- ness, and Satan's mahce, I may occasionally fall into, betwixt this and
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heaven? Therefore, if we would praise God as we should, let us work our hearts to labour after assurance of God's favour; let us redeem our precious time, and every day set some time apart to strengthen our evidences for heaven, which will set us in a continual frame to every good work.
Thus we see, out of Paul's example, how we should be disposed here, to be in heaven before our time. For undoubted! ;/ he who praiseth God is so much in heaven, as he is given to thankfulness ; fur he is in that emplo}Taont now, which shall be there altogether. But how long doth he desire that God should have glory ? For ever and ever.
Ohs. A Christian should have the extent of his desires of God's fflory carried to eternitij. Upon what ground ? Because God intends him glory for ever and ever. A Christian that is assured of his salvation, is assured that God will eternally glorify him. He knows that Christ is king for ever ; he knows that Christ is a priest for ever ; he knows that the state and condition that he is kept for, is everlasting : ' it is an inheritance immortal and un- defiled, that fadeth not away,' 1 Pet. i. 4; and therefore he saith. Hath God eternal thoughts of my good ? and is Christ an eternal head, an eternal king to rule me, both in life and in death ? Surely I will extend my desires of his glory as far as he extends his purpose to do me good. Now, his pui-pose to do me good is for eternity, and my desire that he may have glory shall be for eternity, xvorld without end, Eph. iii. 21. This is the disposition of a gracious soul, not that God may be honoured by him alone, but of all. To whom be praise, not by me, but by all. I am not sufficient enough to praise him. To him be praises in the churches, throughout all ages, for ever. David had not largeness enough in himself to bless God ; and therefore he stirs up his spii'its and all within him to praise his holy name, Ps. ciii. 1, as if all were too little to set out the glory of God's infinite goodness, merc}^ wisdom, and power : those gi'acious attributes that shew themselves glorious in bringing man to salvation, and in governing the church.
Use. Learn this duty therefore : if we will make good to our own souls, that we are in the state of grace, we must plot for eternity, and endeavour to lay a ground and foundation , that the church may flourish for eternity. No man can warrant himself to be a good Christian, but he that labom's to have the church and commonwealth flourish ; to have a happy kingdom, happy government, and happy laws. Not only to have the church in his own family, but that the church may flourish in those that stand up when we are gone the way of all flesh ; and therefore to declare the mind of God, and his favours to us, and our children, that they may strengthen their experience, with their fathers' experience, and say to God, Thou art the God of my fathers, therefore be my God. Those that are called to places of dignity, should consider that it is required at their hands to labour that there should be means to continue religion, even to the world's end, if it may be, and to stop all the breaches in this kind. And if it were possible, it were to be wished that there were set up some lights in all the dark cor- ners of this kingdom, that might shine to those people that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.