pardoning his Iniquities. Thus he expreffes himself, who forgiveth thine Iniquity. Whatever you enjoy of the Comforts of this Life, whatever you hope for beyond the Grave, afcribe the Glory of all to the unmerited Love, and boundless Goodness, of God. When furrounded with the Bleffings of Providence, fay not, it was my Industry, Wisdom of Conduct, and Prudence of Management, is the fole Caufe of my Profperity: This would be, in the Language of the infpired Author, to burn Incenfe to your own Drags, and facrifice to your own Nets: But remember and acknowledge with Gratitude the Lord your God, whofe Bleffing, attending human Induftry, is the principal Caufe of Succefs. For Mercies of a fpiritual Nature, whatever Improvements are made in Religion and Holinefs, whatever Victories you may have gained over Temptations, afcribe not the Glory to yourselves, but fay, by the Grace of God I am what I am.

3. That we may abound in Thanksgiving and Praife, we fhould labour to have our Minds deeply affected with a Sense of our own Sins, and Unworthiness. Thus we fhall be cloathed with Humility; and the more Humility encreases, the more thankful we fhall be to the God of all Grace and Goodness. They who know that by Sin against

gainst God they have forfeited their Lives, how will the Senfe of this raise them to a very high Measure of Gratitude to God, that he not only hath spared their Lives, but pardoned their Sins, and renewed his Favours and Bleffings every Day and Moment! Humility is neceffary in order to maintain a lively and an abiding Sense of our Obligation to, and Dependance on, God. They who know that they have by Sin exposed themfelves to the Divine Refentment and Difpleasure, and that God might juftly have bereaved them of all Bleffings fpiritual and temporal, fuch will be thankful to the God of all Grace, who, notwithstanding their past Forfeitures, continues his Favours, gives the Comforts of this Life, and the Hopes of a bleffed Immortality. Whilft the Soul that is poffeffed of this amiable Virtue and Grace of Humility is thus employed in these Meditations on its own Demerits, Sins, and Unworthinefs, and on the other hand contemplates the Divine Bleffings, fpiritual and tem→ poral, which in one conftant uninterrupted Stream have flowed down from the Fountain of Goodness and Mercy, 'tis transported with Admiration, filled with Gratitude and Praise, and ready to fày, What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits? Humility is necessary in order to preserve and promote a lively Senfe of our Obligations to, and De

pendance on, God. There are none who have their Hearts fo filled with the Praises of God as those who see the great Evil of Sin, and at the fame Time the abounding Mercy of God in pardoning their numerous Sins. Such will own their Unworthiness of the leaft of all God's Mercies, when they reflect upon the Methods of Divine Goodnefs in reclaiming them from their Iniquities and Wanderings, and turning their Feet from the deftructive Paths of Vice into the Ways of his Teftimonies, and hereby faving them from future Miferies and Torments. Such will blefs the Name of God, and call on all the Powers of their Souls, to unite in this fublime and elevated Devotion and Thanksgiving. None have so grateful a Temper and Difpofition of Mind, as those who have a deep Senfe of their Unworthiness of the Divine Benefits, and have experienced the Riches, Freenefs, and Greatness of God's pardoning Love and Mercy. They who are elated, and buoyed up, with high Thoughts of themselves, and of their own fuppofed Deserts, Merits, and Excellencies, may withhold the Tribute of Praife: They who vainly fancy they have lefs than they deserve, no Wonder if Perfons, bloated with fuch Pride and Self-Conceit, are formal and faint in ascribing Praise to God, because they are not convinced of their Obligations to him.

Such

Such are very apt to fall into a murmuring and ungrateful Temper, imagining that they are feverely treated, or at least have not anfwerable to their Deferts. This therefore is another proper Method of having and preferving a thankful Difpofition of Soul: Be cloathed with Humility; be affected with the Sense of your Sins, Demerits, and Unworthiness; for the more Humility encreafes, flowing from juft Sentiments of ourfelves, the Weakness & Depravity of the Human Nature, as likewife from a right Knowledge of God's infinite Majefty, irrefiftable Might, unfpotted Holinefs, and boundless Goodness, to which we are indebted for all the Comforts of this Life, and the moft agreeable Hopes & Profpects of a bleffed Immortality. I fay, Humility, taking its Rife and Original from fuch juft Sentiments of God & of ourselves, will be the Parent of Gratitude. to God, and make fuch Impreffions of Devotion and Thankfulness, that we fhall be always ready to go with the Multitude to the House of God, and to enter his Gates with Praise. The proper Senfe of our own Unworthiness, and of the great Mercy and Goodness of God in fparing our Lives, and giving us the bright Hopes of eternal Life, will make us frequent and fervent in this delightful Exercife and Employment of bleffing and praifing the God of Love and of G 2

all

all Grace. This fuggefts to my Thoughts another Method proper to encrease a grateful Temper of Mind towards God; which is, that we should accuftom ourselves frequently, and daily, to blefs and praise his holy Name for all his Favours, and to acknowledge his Goodness in all we enjoy, whether of a spiritual or temporal Nature. Every good and perfect Gift cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no Variableness, neither Shadow of Changing: And therefore to him our Tribute of Praise fhould be offer'd frequently, every Day. We fhould blefs God for all the Comforts of this Life. His Goodness & Mercy have followed us from the first Moment of Life to the prefent. Gratitude to God fhould be habitual, and deeply fixed in our Minds. We thould often have our Minds affected with the Goodness of God to us, in making us Rational Creatures. This original and primary Mercy of God towards us, the Pfalmift here mentions as the Ground and Foundation of this fublime and pious Exercife; Serve the Lord with Gladness, come before his Prefence with Singing. Know ye, that the Lord he is God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourfelves; we are his People, and the Sheep of his Pafture. So, in another Pfalm, I will praife thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are thy Works, O God!

God's