Thankfulness for Mercies received, a necessary Duty.
A Farewel Sermon, preached on board the _Whitaker_, at Anchor near _Savannah_, in _Georgia_, _Sunday, May 17, 1738_.
PSALM, cvii. 30, 31.
_Then are they glad, because they are at rest, and so he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be._
_O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!_
NUMBERLESS marks does man bear in his soul, that he is fallen and estranged from GOD; but nothing gives a greater proof thereof, than that backwardness, which every one finds within himself, to the duty of praise and thanksgiving.
When GOD placed the first man in paradise, his soul no doubt was so filled with a sense of the riches of the divine love, that he was continually employing that _breath of life_, which the Almighty had not long before breathed into him, in blessing and magnifying that all-bountiful, all-gracious GOD, in whom he lived, moved, and had his being.
And the brightest idea we can form of the angelical hierarchy above, and the spirits of just men made perfect, is, that they are continually standing round the throne of GOD, and cease not day and night, saying, “Worthy art thou, O Lamb that wast slain, to receive power and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” _Revelation_ v. 12.
That then, which was man’s perfection when time first began, and will be his employment when death is swallowed up in victory, and time shall be no more, without controversy, is part of our perfection, and ought to be our frequent exercise on earth: and I doubt not but those blessed spirits, who are sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation, often stand astonished when they encamp around us, to find our hearts so rarely enlarged, and our mouths so seldom opened, to shew forth the loving-kindness of the LORD, or to speak of all his praise.
Matter for praise and adoration, can never be wanting to creatures redeemed by the blood of the Son of GOD; and who have such continual scenes of his infinite goodness presented to their view, that were their souls duly affected with a sense of his universal love, they could not but be continually calling on heaven and earth, men and angels, to join with them in praising and blessing that “high and lofty one, who inhabiteth eternity, who maketh his sun to shine on the evil and on the good,” and daily pours down his blessings on the whole race of mankind.
But few are arrived to such a degree of charity or love, as to rejoice with those that do rejoice, and to be as thankful for others mercies, as their own. This part of christian perfection, though begun on earth, will be consummated only in heaven; where our hearts will glow with such fervent love towards GOD and one another, that every fresh degree of glory communicated to our neighbour, will also communicate to us a fresh topic of thankfulness and joy.
That which has the greatest tendency to excite the generality of fallen men to praise and thanksgiving, is a sense of GOD’s private mercies, and particular benefits bestowed upon ourselves. For as these come nearer our own hearts, so they must be more affecting; and as they are peculiar proofs, whereby we may know, that GOD does in a more especial manner favour us above others, so they cannot but sensibly touch us; and if our hearts are not quite frozen, like coals of a refiner’s fire, they must melt us down into thankfulness and love. It was a consideration of the distinguishing favours GOD had shewn to his chosen people _Israel_, and the frequent and remarkable deliverances wrought by him in behalf of “those who go down to the sea in ships, and occupy their business in great waters,” that made the holy Psalmist break out so frequently as he does in this psalm, into this moving, pathetical exclamation, “O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!”
His expressing himself in so fervent a manner, implies both the importance and neglect of the duty. As when _Moses_ on another occasion cried out, “O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would _practically_ consider their latter end!” _December_ xxxii. 29.
I say, importance and neglect of the duty; for out of those many thousands that receive blessings from the LORD, how few give thanks in remembrance of his holiness? The account given us of the ungrateful lepers, is but too lively a representation of the ingratitude of mankind in general; who like them, when under any humbling providence, can cry, “JESUS, Master, have mercy on us!” _Luke_ xvii. 13. but when healed of their sickness, or delivered from their distress, scarce one in ten can be found “returning to give thanks to GOD.”