THE Prophet Samuel, in his Re­proof to Saul, styles his Successor ^a The Man after God's own Heart: Which Character was exemplified in no one Instance more, than in that tho­rough Knowledge Holy David had of the Will of God, with regard to the Service he expects from his Creatures.

OF this Knowledge likewise the ^b Author of this Psalm had a large Share; ^* whose Words King Hezekiah ^c commanded the Levites to make use of, with those of David, in the House of the Lord. — He was fully sensible [Page 2]that the Obedience God requires from Men is that of the Heart — The Sacrifice of their Wills; far more pleasing to him than Incense or ^d the Fat of the Rams.

AND the Reason of this is evident: For, if a Man reflects, He will find, that his Will is that alone which he can properly call his own, and therefore the only Sacrifice he can offer unto the Almighty. To offer unto him Burnt-offerings, ^e the Bullock out of thine House, or He-Goat out of thy Flock, is to offer unto him what is his own; since all the Beasts of the Forest are his, and so are the Cattle upon a Thousand Hills. I know, says God, all the Fowls upon the Mountains, and the wild Beasts of the Field are in my Sight. If I be hungry I will not tell thee, for the whole World is mine, and all that is therein. Thinkest thou that I will eat Bull's Flesh, and drink the Blood of Goats? Then it follows (as a full Declaration of what Sacrifice God is delighted with, and a Command moreover to perform the same) Offer unto God Thanks­giving.

NOTHING but supine Indolence, and the utmost Indifference to Things of a spiritual Nature, can make this Duty so neglected [Page 3]among Men, and suffer the Goodness of God to pass away with so little Regard. The Mercies which he is pleased, each Day to confer upon us, seem to have no other Effect (with the Generality I mean) that to make us confident of a Succession of them the follow­ing Day: No other Effect, than to assist us in flattering ourselves, that we are the peculiar People of God; and to teach us to presume, that he, who hath ever been mindful of us, will ever continue to be so. — Yet this is not the Whole of the Case — For it is observable that those Persons, who are so unmindful of the Blessings of God, who permit such re­peated Instances of his Mercy to slip out of their Minds, without any Mention, or Ac­knowledgment of them, are the first to com­plain, and murmur, if an Accident disap­points their Schemes and Designs, or any thing falls out contrary to their Wishes and Inclinations. — Surely, this is a most notori­ous Indication what Strangers we are to God, and the Ways of his Providence; and how wholly our Minds are busied and delighted with the Affairs of this World!

A SIGNAL Act indeed of Mercy, a Mark of God's special Providence will raise in many Men a sudden Spirit of Gratitude; a certain [Page 4]Warmth, and Eagerness to give Praise unto God. — But soon does that Spirit subside. — Variety of Diversions and Hurry of Business quickly damp that Fire, and introduce Luke-warmness and Indifference. — But if the Bles­sing receiv'd be remembered for a Time; it is often remembered in wanton Gratitude, ex­press'd by unseemly Mirth and Jollity, and most frequently ending in Excess and Intem­perance. — So evident is that Truth; That if the common and daily Mercies of God cannot awaken in us a Spirit of Gratitude, neither shall we be persuaded to a constant Practice of this Duty, tho' the most extraordinary Act of Mercy were wrought in that Behalf.

THANKSGIVING is distinguish'd from Praise as it is a more confin'd Duty; or rather a Part of that general one. — It has respect to those Blessings and Mercies which concern ourselves; whereas Praise terminates in God, with re­gard to his own great, and infinite Per­fections.

THANKSGIVING consists in a grateful Sense of any Mercy we have receiv'd from God; express'd by such outward Signs as are most agreeable to our Joy — It implies not only a present Acknowledgment of his Favours, but such a constant Remembrance of them, [Page 5]that no worldly Honours, or Success can de­face, or blot out of our Minds. — Moreover, it includes a due Reflection on those Favours, and requires, that we set a just Value on them; omitting no Circumstance that may heighten their Excellence — But this Duty is best express'd when the Mercies of God excite in us a Love and Reverence of his Name, and an hearty Desire, and sincere Endeavour to present ourselves ^f a living Sacrifice holy ac­ceptable unto him.

HEREIN consists the Duty of Thanksgiving — How reasonable an one it is, every Man must at once confess, when he considers to whom it is to be paid — To him who first gave and still continues our Being — To him who hath created all Things in Heaven and Earth for our Comfort and Convenience — ^g Who giveth liberally, and upbraideth not, re­quiring, as a Return for his Kindness, the Ac­knowledgment of it; and the Performance of some Duties, that are by no means difficult to practise — Whose Providence watches over us, at all Times, in every Place, and under all Circumstances, when we are rash and incon­siderate, when we are careless and negligent, and when we are buried in Sleep, and cannot [Page 6]so much as think how to secure ourselves, or any thing belonging to us — Who is so gra­cious as to call us his Friends, and under that endearing Relation, to admit us to a free In­tercourse with himself; permitting us to call him Father, and to make known our Requests unto him, by Prayer and Supplication — Who with an Eye of Pity beholds our Sorrows, re­lieves our Wants, assists our Infirmities, and sends us Strength and Patience to support our­selves under Tryals and Afflictions. — But, a­bove all, who hath sent his only begotten Son, from his own right Hand, into the World, to take upon him our Nature, and its Infir­mities; to die in our stead, and by his Death to make us Inheritors of Life and Glory; and who, when, through our manifold Transgres­sions, we provoke him to Wrath, at the In­tercession of his Son, does still forgive us, and suffers not his Displeasure to arise.

THERE is one Circumstance which must greatly recommend this Duty to us, and that is, its Excellence. — We cannot pay a more acceptable Service to our Lord than Thanks­giving: A service which, of all others, he is most delighted with: Nay, which he is plea­sed to distinguish in a very peculiar manner; [Page 7] ^h Whoso offereth me Thanks and Praise he ho­noureth me. Honoureth God? — How em­phatically does this Expression set forth the Excellence of Thanksgiving, and graciously encourage us in the Performance of the Duty? Let it not then be termed a mercenary one; let it not be construed to proceed from Selfish­ness; since there cannot be that Principle in any Man's Heart, who makes the utmost Re­turn he is able, for a Benefit receiv'd.— No, Selfishness is the Parent of Ingratitude; a Sin most unpardonable in us, and most de­testable in the Sight of God. But Thankful­ness proceeds from another Principle; a Prin­ciple of Love deriv'd to us from the Fountain of Love, God himself.— It is not an Address of Interest, a Petition to him for more Bles­sings; 'tis an humble Acknowledgment of his excellent Mercy and Goodness, in what he has already bestowed.

THE Reasons and Occasions of the Duty, must, of necessity, make it a pleasant one: Because the Recollection of every Mercy is a kind of second Enjoyment. We are assur'd by one who was very conversant in it, that, ⁱ it is a joyful and pleasant Thing to be thankful. It must besides administer great Delight to [Page 8]the Mind, as it enlarges its Powers, and rai­ses it from low and trifling Objects, which darken and debase it, to that great and noble one, the Divine Being.

SUCH is the Nature, Reasonableness and Excellence of Thanksgiving; a Duty requir­ed from, and incumbent upon all since all have tasted of the Mercies of God.

THE same Obligations which affect every Individual, for the particular Instances of Kindness shewn to him, will respectively af­fect all Communities and Bodies of Men, and consequently all States, and Kingdoms.

IT must be confess'd by ourselves, and all others who are acquainted with our History, that this Nation has experienced the most sen­sible Marks of the Divine Favour; has been most signally and wonderfully preserv'd, in Times, both of the greatest Danger, and most extreme Necessity.—The God of Hosts has often gone out with us to Battle. —

YEA, ^* at this Instant (I speak with all due Deference) we have some Reason to believe, that ^k The Lord is on our Side; that he has [Page 9]most graciously answer'd our Petitions, and is ^* gone forth with our Fleets and Armies.

THIS is a Mercy, not which our Fathers have told us; but which we do now see and hear; and which loudly calls for our most de­vout Thanks to the Author: And with them our further Prayers that he would be pleas'd to continue to us his Favours, and to preserve that Great Man, Who, truly sollicitous for the public Good, left his Ease and Retirement, to enter upon a painful and hazardous Expe­dition; Who departed not in the Spirit of Re­venge, but with an Heart full of Courage, and Resolution, equalled only by his Prudence, and Moderation: In Whose generous, and ho­nest Breast the Love of his Country appears to be the governing Principle, and Who seems to rejoice, that it hath pleased God to make him the Instrument of recovering its just Rights; of chastising a faithless and insolent Enemy.

^† ANOTHER Mercy, for which we, at this Time, stand obliged to our Gracious Preser­ver, is that glorious Prospect of the Fruits of [Page 10]the Earth, springing up to supply our present great Necessity; the Effect only of his Good­ness, ^l who sent a gracious Rain on his Inheri­tance, and refreshed it when it was weary. These are Blessings which we are now sensi­ble of, and which require our sincerest Thanks to the boutiful Giver; Whom, with all Hu­mility, we are to wait on for a Continuance of these Mercies; trusting that he will finish what he hath begun, that he will preserve us in our Dangers abroad, and our Necessities at home, that he will both ^m make Peace in our Borders, and also fill us with the Flour of Wheat.

THE best Method by which we can most reasonably hope to see our Desires answer'd, to behold the Completion of these Blessings, is gratefully to acknowledge those Instances of the Divine Goodness, which were shewn to us heretofore. — Of these, none more deserves our best and heartiest Thanks, than the great Deliverance of this Day: Which, it is to be hop'd, will be had in Remembrance, as long as that Constitution shall last which was re­establish'd by it.

To remember this Mercy is not the Work of the Lips, but of the Heart. — It is to re­flect, [Page 11]with Seriousness upon it; to learn how to value it; and to look into every Circum­stance that may help to shew us the true Va­lue of it.—It is to draw such Inferences from it that may direct our Practice, and assist us in the several Duties of Life.—To entertain from thence just Notions of the Relations we bear to each other, and of the Obligations arising from such Relations. — Particularly, To learn from thence Obedience to the King, and all that are put in Authority under him: To en­deavour to preserve the Peace and good Order of the Community in which we live: To shew good Offices to our Friends and Neighbours, and to bear a good Will towards all Men; To restrain every inordinate and turbulent Passion in our Minds that may incline us to change, or lead us beyond the Bounds of Equity, Truth, and Reason. — Above all, To love and fear, and honour him who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and to frequent the Ser­vice of that Church, which his Providence hath established in these Kingdoms.

THE Blessing, which we, this Day, stand so greatly indebted to Almighty God for, is ‘The having put an end to the great Rebel­lion by the Restitution of the King, and Royal Family, and the Restauration of the Go­vernment, after many Year's Interruption.’

[Page 12]To be sensible of the great Value of this Blessing we need only look into the History of that time, and reflect on the Anarchy, and Con­fusion that then overspread the whole Nation.

WHEN that Form of Government, which was so agreeable to the Temper, and Consti­tution of the People, and which was prov'd, by the Experience of many Ages, to be the best Method of preserving to them their Rights, and Privileges, nay, which the Usur­per himself confess'd to be the best Method of governing, by instituting something of the like Kind, I say, when that excellent Form of Government was destroyed, no Wonder that Disorder was the Consequence; when ^* there was no King in this our Israel, it is no mat­ter of Amazement, that every Man did that which was right in his own Eyes. — After that Effusion of noble Blood, and the black un­parallel'd Murder of the best of Kings, how soon did Oppression spread its dark Wings over this unhappy Nation! How soon were those deluded Men, that were blindly led on by false and mischievous Guides, made sensible of their Error! And how quickly did they per­ceive, that That Liberty, which they thirsted after, even unto Blood, was only made a po­pular Pretence to reduce them to the most [Page 13]abject Slavery!—Thus being grosly deceiv'd, and, by the most scandalous and false Repre­sentations, urged on, through the most un­warrantable means, to seek Freedom, did they plunge themselves into the very Gulph of Ty­ranny; and, madly striving to depose one that was imaginary, suffer'd themselves to be evil entreated by many real Tyrants.—What En­vy, Injustice and Bitterness of Heart was there in every Society! What Malice, Jealousy, and Suspicion! What Schemes and Designs! What Plotting and Contrivance! Each Faction, by all the Methods and Arts that the most fiery Zeal could suggest, striving for the Superio­rity: Professing Sincerity, Meekness and Hu­mility, Full of Pride, Rage, and Perfidious­ness.—For how was the sacred Name of Re­ligion then prostituted, and the Honour and Service of God made a Cloak to palliate the most enormous Crimes; made the Means not only of practising, but justifying the most no­torious Instances of Oppression and Cruelty?— Surely, more flagrant Hypocrisy, carried to greater Heights, and attended with stronger Aggravations, never yet appear'd in the World! An Hypocrisy equal in every Circumstance and Character to that of the Pharisees, and well deserving those severe ^m Denuntiations pronounced against it by the Mouth of Truth.

[Page 14]THE faithful Loyalist, in the mean while, depriv'd of all Power, all probable Means of assisting, or bringing back the King, could only shew his Affection towards him in good Wishes and Inclinations; which the excessive Violence and Fury of the prevailing Party, would not suffer to extend even to Words. The Treachery of some compell'd him to con­fine his Thoughts to his own Bosom; as the Avarice, and Rapine of others, oblig'd him to conceal his Substance where it was most like­ly to be secur'd. — How grievous an Heart-breaking must it have been to him; to Every Man of old English Principles, first to behold a Prince, of so much Goodness, rudely seiz'd on, and inhumanly murder'd by his own Sub­jects; Then to see his Son, and the rest of the royal Issue, in their tender Years, drove from the Kingdom; The purest Christian Church overthrown, and trampled on; and private Property no better secured than by Faction, and Opinion!

IN this miserable Situation of Affairs, some Attempts were made towards a Re-establish­ment, but without Success. Alas! All hu­man Means were too weak to recover the Peace of the Kingdom; to place so distracted a Government on its antient Basis. Nothing ^m [Page 15]but the Hand of Providence could effect so mighty a Work, and reconcile so many con­tending Parties and jarring Opinions. 'Twas not in the Arm of Flesh; 'twas the Peculiar only of God to cause those ⁿ dry'd Bones to live. And it was he that did, in his appoint­ed Time, renew a right Spirit within the Peo­ple of this Nation: That did ^o take away the stony Heart out of their Flesh, and give them an Heart of Flesh. 'Twas thro' him alone that ^p This Land, that was desolate, did become like the Garden of Eden, and the wast and ru­in'd Cities become fenced and were inhabited.

FOR this Cause therefore let us ^q praise, and extol and honour the King of Heaven, all whose Works are Truth, and his Ways Judgment. Who did ^r suffer men to ride over our Heads, but, at last, brought us out into a wealthy Place: Who, in our Troubles and Adversities, did turn and refresh us; who remember'd us in our low Estate, and turned away the Captivity of his People.—Is there any one then, among this People, that will refuse to pay to Al­mighty God, his annual Tribute of Praise and Thanksgiving for so wonderful a Blessing? — The Man in whom the Return of this Day does not create Joy, and raise a Spirit of Gra­titude, [Page 16]would have look'd upon the Confusion, that preceded the Restoration, with Pleasure and Complacency: And what a Friend to his Country, such an one is like to prove, the meanest Capacity may judge.— Every Satis­faction we enjoy, every new Acquisition we make, every thing that is dear to us, more especially our Religion and Liberties, are de­rived to us from thence.—To be insensible therefore of this Blessing, were to act most ab­surdly indeed, were to indicate that we are even Enemies to our own selves.

HE, whose licentious Tongue, instructed and directed by a wicked Heart, can rail at, object against, and vilify the truly happy Day we are now remembring, should consider (if nothing else can stop his Virulence and De­traction) that he is obliged to that Day's Suc­cess for the very Freedom of Speech he is pleas'd so intemperately to make use of.

I KNOW not how far Men may be carried by their Humours and Passions; How far an Affectation of Singularity may incline some, how far a Spirit of Party may compel others, and how far Indifference and the Distance of Time may be a Cause in more, of omitting this their Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving; but this may be said with some Degree of Assurance, That no one, who has [Page 17]a due Regard for the Honour and Dignity of the Crown, a tender Concern and temperate Zeal for the Established Church, and an Heart glowing with the Love of Liberty, that no one can, consistently with these Principles, neg­lect his Duty on this Day, and be blameless. — If a Man will be searching for Excuses, the only possible Method, by which he can requit himself in this Case, is to doubt the Truth of the Fact: A Scheme, which may not seem so full of Absurdity, if Scepticism in History be as flagrant as it is in Religion.

— Neither do I see with what Reason any one can insinuate himself into another's Fa­vour, by Misrepresentations of the important Transaction of that Day, and by depreciating the Character of the King, then restor'd. With Men of honest and generous Principles, it has ever been held a Mark of a mean spi­rit, to commend one Man by aspersing ano­ther. How much more then is it a sign of base Servitude, to extol one Prince (whose Virtues are too well known to need such low Helps) at the Expence of debasing another, who wore the same Crown before him! It amounts to more than a Supposition, that he, who can be guilty of such Behaviour, would, at a fit Opportunity, and under favourable Circum­stances, turn a vile Traitor, and even whet [Page 18]his Sword against the Gracious Sovereign now set over us. As it is our Duty to pay the greatest Reverence to his sacred Person, so let the Memory of the other be ever dear unto us: Of Him, who, as on this Day, return'd to his Kingdom, with the universal Acclama­tions of his People, rejoicing with one Heart and united Hands, to see their antient, their best Constitution restor'd; to behold, once again, the glorious Face of Monarchy, Epis­copacy, and Liberty.

IT has pleased God, out of his abundant Mercy, to prolong the Lives of some Persons, who were Eye-witnesses of that happy Day, even to these Times. But had we no living Evidence of it, were the Distance of Time much greater than it is, yet a Mercy so signal, and so excellent, can never be forgotten by us. We cannot, without Forfeiture of our Rea­son, omit religiously observing a Day, the joyful Effects of which we are every Mo­ment sensible of. More especially in this great and renown'd City, which the rest of the Kingdom seem so industrious to copy af­ter, let this Day be ever held sacred. It were to degenerate from the Spirit of our Ancestors not to acknowledge that Work with Joy, which they were so sollicitous about, and which, under the Direction of Provi­dence, [Page 19]they were so remarkably instrumental in bringing to pass.

I WOULD use one Word more of Ex­hortation, which is, That we take care to instil into those that come after, the same Sense of this Mercy, the same Spirit of Gratitude, which we ourselves feel; ^s That Posterity may know it, and the Children which are yet unborn, to the intent that when they come up, they may shew their Children the same. ^t That when your Children ask their Fathers in Time to come, saying, What meaneth this appointed Day, and this solemn Thanksgiving? That you shall let your Chil­dren know, saying, This Land was defiled with Blood; the antient and free Govern­ment of this Kingdom, was overthrown and destroy'd by wicked and blood-thirsty Men, and the Lord delivered us from their Hands, by a stretched out Arm: ^u That all the People of the Earth might know the Hand of the Lord it is mighty, and that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.

THE Royal Psalmist (who had so often ex­perienced the merciful Goodness of the Lord, some Passages of whose Life the History of this Day is exactly parallel to; who was dri­ven out of his Kingdom by ungrateful and [Page 20]evil-minded Men, and return'd to it again with Joy and great Triumph) will put a Song of Praise into the Mouth of every Man, who has a just Sense of this Day's Mercy, and reach him thus to express his Thanks for it to Almighty God.

^v I WILL magnify thee, [...] God my King, and praise thy Name for ever [...] ever. Every Day will I give thanks unto [...], and praise thy Name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and marvellous, worthy to be prais'd, there is no End of his Greatness. ^x O sing unto the Lord with Thanksgiving: Sing Praises upon the Harp, unto our God: ^y Who stille [...] the Raging of the Sea, and the Noise of hi [...] Waves, and the Madness of the People. ^z Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem, praise thy God O Sion; for he hath made fast the Bars of thy Gates, and hath blessed thy Children within thee, ^a My Mouth shall speak the Praise of the Lord, and let all Flesh give Thanks unto his Holy Name for ever and ever.