Jews themselves : but, if we call to mind the state of our fore- fathers, who were as ignorant of God as the most savage In- dians, and remember, that we ourselves should have been bowing down to stocks and stones just like them, if the light of the Gospel had not been sent to dispel our darkness, we shall see that we may well adopt the language of our text and say, " A Syrian ready to perish was our father."
But we should be careful also to review our personal mercies. Let us look back to the weakness of infancy, the thoughtlessness of childhood, the folly of youth, and see how marvellously God has preserved us to the present hour, whilst millions have been cut off by a premature death, or left to protract a miserable ex- istence in pain, or infamy, or want. The means by which we have been rescued from danger, and even the minutest occur- rences that have contributed to our deliverance, are worthy of our most attentive survey, and must be distinctly viewed, if ever we would " understand aright the loving-kindness of the Lord." We must not however dwell solely, or even chiefly, on temporal mercies, but must raise our thoughts to those which are spiritual. What matter for reflection will these afford ! If we consider the former blindness and ignorance of our minds, the hardness and depravity of our hearts, the indif- ference which we manifested towards the concerns of eternity, and the awful danger in which we stood, what reason have we to bless our God that he did not take us away in such a state ! And, if we can say, as in our text, that " we are come unto the country which the Lord sware unto our fathers for to give us," and are " partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus," then have we indeed cause for thankfulness, even such cause, as we
may well reflect upon to the latest hour of our lives
On these then we should " muse till the fire burn, and we be constrained to speak of them with our tongues." In the ordi- nance before us a particular season was appointed for this exercise : and it is well to have seasons fixed upon in our own minds for a more solemn commemoration of the mercies re- ceived by us. If the commencement of the new year, for instance, or our birth-day, were regularly dedicated to this service, it could not be better spent. But, if our minds be duly impressed with a sense of God's goodness to us, we shall not be satisfied with allotting one particular period to the contemplation of it, but shall be glad to think and speak of it every day we live.]
2. To requite them gratefully —
[The Israelites were appointed to offer the first-fruits of the earth to God, in token that they acknowledged him as the Proprietor and Giver of all that they possessed. Now it is not necessary that we should present the same specific offerings as