have never received ? To this we reply. Have you no temporal mercies for which to give thanks ? and, if you are not yet par- takers of spiritual mercies, have you no reason to thank God for the offer of them, and for not having been yet visited with the judgments which you have so richly merited ? Think what is the state of millions who have not committed either more or greater sins than you ; and what might at this moment have been your state also, if God in his infinite mercy had not spared you ; and given you space for repentance ? Do but think of this, and you will want no further incentive to gratitude and thanks- giving. But think also of the offers of salvation now made to you, a salvation free, and full, and everlasting: Oh ! what thanks does this call for at your hands ! What if one such offer were now made to those who are shut up under chains of everlasting dark- ness and despair ; would no thanks be expressed by them P I call upon you then to give thanks unto the God of heaven, who yet waiteth to be gracious unto you, and " whose long-suffering you should account to be salvation."]
2. It is pleasing and acceptable to God —
[The acknowledgment so often repeated in the psalm before us has received more striking tokens of God's approbation than any other that was ever uttered by mortal man : David, knowing how acceptable it would be to God, appointed officers for the ex- press purpose of repeating it in the service of the tabernacle "i. And, when Solomon had brought the ark of God into the sanc- tuary that he had prepared for it, and the priests were singing the praises of God in the very words of our text, at that moment, I say, did God descend into the sanctuary, so that the priests could no longer stand to minister there by reason of the over- whelming presence of the divine glory"". Another and no less remarkable testimony of God's approbation was that which was given to Jehosaphat's use of these words at the time that he was going forth against three confederate armies : at the very instant that the priests began to utter this acknowledgment, God set the three confederate armies against each other, and stirred them up to kill one another; till they were utterly destroyed, without any conflict on the part of Israel ^. What greater proof can we have of the delight which God feels in the exercise of mercy, and in com- mending it to the admiration of the whole universe ? Begin then this song : continue this song throughout the day: let every fresh occurrence call forth fresh acknowledgments of the mercy of your God : and rest assured, that the more you abound in these expres- sions of your gratitude, the richer displays you shall have of the Divine glory, and the more entire victory over all your spiritual enemies.]
'' 1 Chron. xvi.41, ^ 2 Chron. v. 13. * 2 Chron.xx. 21 — 23.