THE Book of Psalms, my Brethren, may be call'd the Summary of both Testaments, there is in it so much of God and his Law, as well as of Christ and his Gospel.

The Word Psalm, tho' it primarily sig­nifies Praises, is doubtless of larger Extent, and intends all Compositions of Meeter that are fit to be sung, whether of History or Doctrine, of Prayer or Praise, because many of them are really such; and hence we are directed not only to praise God, but to teach one another in Psalms, Hymns and spiritual Songs.

The Author of the Psalms is undoubt­edly the third Person of the adorable Trinity, they contain the Words which the [Page 4] Holy Ghost teacheth, and therefore are better fitted for the use of the Church, in every Age to the utmost period of Time, than any meer human Composure.

The Penman of them, for the most part, was David the Son of Jesse, who is there­fore called the Sweet Singer of Israel.

The Scope of them, is principally to in­flame our Love to, and excite our Trust in the blessed God, who is our Creator, Re­deemer and Benefactor; and thus to en­duce us to universal Holiness in Practice.

But more particularly, the Occasion of the Psalm from which our Text is taken, was probably some Victory which Israel ob­tained over their Enemies. Some con­jecture that it was pen'd when David had taken the strong Hold of Zyon, and settled his Government there, ^* on which ac­count he exhorted the People to praise [Page 5] God and rejoice in him. Praise ye the Lord, i. e. Exalt and glorify him for all his Mercies. Sing unto the Lord a new Song, i. e, let your grateful Sentiments break forth into vocal Melody, and either compose a new Hymn of Praise upon e­very special Occasion, or sing with new and raised Affections, which makes the Song new to us, tho' we have been ac­customed to use it before. And his Praise in the Congregation of Saints, i. e. Let not your thankful Sense of Mercies re­ceiv'd, be confin'd to your own Bosoms or Retirements, but express it openly to the Honour of the Giver, in the most publick and solemn Assemblies, as those that are neither afraid or asham'd of doing your Duty, and as desirous to excite others con­currence in it: The greater the Number is that joins in this sacred grateful Harmo­ny, the more it resembles the Choirs above, whose continual Business and Happiness it is, to celebrate the Divine Praise.

Now the Words of our Text, considered in their Connection, may be resolv'd into this Proposition, viz.

[Page 6] That Praising God for Mercies receiv'd is an important Duty.

In discoursing upon which, I would ob­serve the following Order, namely,

• I. Enquire what are the Mercies we should Praise God for.
• II. Shew what is suppos'd by and imply'd in praising God for his Mercies.
• III. Shew the reasonableness and impor­tance of this Duty.

And then proceed to the Improvement.

1st. As to the Mercies we should praise God for, I may say, that every Benefit he vouchsafes, deserves our grateful Acknow­ledgments, whether it be temporal or spi­ritual, personal or publick, the least Mercy we receive may justly be counted great in respect of us, who have by Sin forfeited a Right to all, and therefore merit none; and it is likewise the Will of God, that in every Thing we should give Thanks; No Mercy that a gracious God vouchsafes, should be passed over with a Stupid in­observant Neglect: And truly it is a la­mentable and awful Sign of the Degene­racy of human Nature, that the Common­ness [Page 7] and long Continuance of Benefits, which should enhance our Esteem of them, does often lessen it.

But methinks those Benefits which tend to promote the publick Interest, and safety of the Community to which we belong, and in which our Persons and Properties, our civil and religious Liberties are em­bark'd, claim our peculiar Acknowledg­ments; for surely so much the more ex­tensive any Good is, so much the more valuable it is. ^* Private Interest is no far­ther excellent, than as it is consistent with, and conducive to the Good of the Publick, which we are born to promote, and there­fore should be sensibly affected, when this noble End is in any Degree attained, which it certainly is, by notable Victories over the Enemies of our Religion and Liberties; and the more the Hand of God appears in bringing them to pass, the stronger En­gagements we are under to praise him; this the Psalmist signifies in the following emphatical Lines; O sing unto the Lord a [Page 8] new Song, for he hath done marvellous Things: His right Hand and his holy Arm hath gotten him the Victory. Altho' it be vile and Antichristian to propagate Religion by Force and Arms, for doubtless all Mankind have an equal Right to judge for themselves in Matters purely Religious: Yet when our religious Liberty is involv'd in the Defence of our Civil, it ought to make us the more in earnest, for then we fight pro aris et focis, and it should therefore excite our Praises to the highest Key, when by any Victory or Conquest, not only our Civil but religious Liberty is the more establish'd! And praise JEHOVAH for it with joyful Lips! This leads me to the

II. Head of Discourse, which was to shew, what is suppos'd by, and imply'd in praising God for Mercies receiv'd.

Now I think that this Duty supposes, 1st. A Love to God's Majesty. In proporti­on to the Degree of this shall we be en­clin'd to praise him. Praise is indeed the proper Fruit of Love; love tunes the Heart to Gratitude, and makes the Lips move in Praise; while Love inspires the Soul with [Page 9] grateful Sentiments, the Tongue is as the Pen of a ready Writer, in speaking the Ho­nours of the King. Until Men be possess'd of this noble Grace of Love, transcendent Love to God, they do not praise him a­right for Mercies receiv'd; they are en­clin'd either to pass them by with entire Neglect, or return but a complimental Gratitude, which that God who is a Spirit does not regard: It is not the Strength of the Voice, or Harmony of Sounds, but the Fervour of our Love that makes Melody in the Ears of God ^*.

2dly. Praising God for Mercies received, supposes, a firm Perswasion of his providen­tial Government over all Events. If we imagine that Things come at Random and by Chance, how shall we be enduc'd to praise God for what we think does not happen by his Interposal and Direction? It is therefore of the last Necessity, that our Minds be fully established in the Be­lief of this Fundamental Article, that the Great God hath an absolute, eternal and [Page 10] universal Empire; and that by his Sove­reign and superintending Providence, he conducts all the Works of his Hands, to the End design'd for them at their For­mation, which without this they never could attain. No Effect of the divine Power, is beneath the Cognizance and Care of his Providence: That Pagan Pro­verb, ‘That the gods inspected great Affairs, but neglected small,’ ^† is un­worthy of the Christian Character! What but divine Providence crowns (at times) the most improbable Enterprizes with surprizing Success, and renders the most promising Schemes abortive! and hence we are truly told in the sacred Volumn, that the Race is not to the Swift, nor the Battle to the strong, and that Promotion comes neither from the East, nor West, nor South, but that God raises up one and pulls down another. No doubt the most probable Measures are ge­nerally succeeded, and this should enduce us to use them, and to give due honour to the Instruments that God is pleased to [Page 11] improve in the Conveyance of any Benefit, But seeing they are not always prosperous, and that even when they are, it is God who directs to them and gives the Success; therefore divine Sovereignty and Mercy should be supreamly acknowledged, and celebrated as the Fountain of all our Be­nefits! But I proceed to shew what is im­ply'd in praising God for Mercies receiv'd And

1st. It implies a careful Attention to, and due Consideration upon the Nature and Circumstances of Benefits received, as well as our Unworthiness of them; The Works of the Lord (saith the Psalmist) are great, sought out of all that have Pleasure therein. ^* Whoso is wise and will observe these Things, even they shall understand the loving Kind­ness of the Lord ^†. And elsewhere he observes, that Men shall fear and shall declare the Work of the Lord, for they shall wisely consider of his Doings ^‡. With what Affection does the Almighty speak by the Prophet Isaiah upon this Head? Hear O [Page 12] Heavens! and give ear O Earth! For the Lord hath spoken. I have nourished and brought up Children, and they have rebell'd against me, the Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Ass his Master's Crib, but Israel doth not know, my People doth not consider. ^† The Almighty likewise complains of Israel by the Prophet Hosea, that she did not know, that he gave her Corn, and Wine, and Oyl, and multiply'd her Silver. ^‡ That is, She didn't take Notice of those Benefits as coming from the Hand of God, but ascrib'd all the Honour to second Causes. Where God's Mercies are not observ'd and consider'd upon, due Praises will not be given for them. Again

2dly. Praising God for Mercies receiv'd, implies a high Esteem of them, this is indeed the Measure of our Praises. When Men slight the Mercies of God, as the Israelites the Manna, they are not dispos'd to offer just Praises for them, we should therefore admire the Multitude, the Greatness, the Freeness of divine Favours, as well as their [Page 13] seasonable Conveyance to us: These Con­siderations invited the Psalmist's Song; I will praise thee O Lord among the People, I will sing unto thee among the Nations, for thy Mercy is great unto the Heavens, and thy Faithfulness reacheth unto the Clouds! How excellent is thy loving Kindness O God, How precious are thy Thoughts unto me, and how great is the Sum of them? If I should count them they are more in Number than the Sand, the Lord is good unto all, his tender Mercies are over all his Works. ^*

3dly. Praising God for Mercies receiv'd implies, a faithful Retention of them in our Memory's, without this Jehovah will be robb'd of the Glory of his Goodness: The Saints of Old were sensible of this, and therefore us'd a variety of Means to preserve and perpetuate the Memory of God's Mer­cies: To this End they erected Monu­ments. When Jacob had a comfortable extraordinary Dream, he set up a Stone as a Memorial of it. ^* When the Almighty had discomfitted Amaleck, Moses built an ^† [Page 15] Altar with this Inscription, Johovah Nisi (or the Lord my Banner) ^† When God, by a signal Providence, in answer to the cries of Samuel, gave the Men of Israel a memorable Victory over the Philistine Ar­my, he toook a Stone and set it between Mispeh and Shen, and called the Name of it Ebenezer, (or the Stone of help) saying, hitherto hath the Lord helped us. ^¶ To this End also they gave places Names suited to the Mercies they receiv'd in them: Thus Hagar call'd the Place where she saw the Fountain in her Distress, Beer la­hai-roi, or the Well of him that liveth and seeth me. ^‡ And Jacob called the Place of his Vision Bethel (or the House of God) ^{‡ ¶} They likewise gave their Children Names in Commemoration of Benefits. Thus Rachel call'd one of the Sons of her Handmaid Naphtali, (i. e. my Wrestling) saying, with great Wrestings have I wrestled, and have prevail'd. ^* Thus Hannah, who obtain'd a Son in An­swer [Page 14] to Prayer, call'd his Name Samuel, which signifies asked of God. ^† Yea they gave the very Days a Name that signify'd the Mercies conferr'd in them: Thus when it pleas'd God to bring upon the Head of Haman the wicked Plot which he had form'd against the Jewish Nation, they call'd the Days in which this great Event happen'd Purim, ^¶ signifying the Lot that Haman had cast for their Lives. And did not Almighty GOD expresly enjoyn Moses to record the Discomfiture of Amaleck? write this for a Memorial in a Book, and rehearse it in the Ears of Joshua. ^‡ It is a just Observation of Seneca, ‘That he who falsly denies the Reception of a Benefit, he that dissembles it, and he that does not repay it is ungrateful, but most un­grateful of all, is he that forgets it.’

If to be sensible of a Benefit just at the present, deserv'd the Title of Gratitude, then the most of Men would be grateful; and the wicked Jews were doubtless so, whom yet the Almighty complains of for [Page 16] forgetting his Works, and the Wonders he had shew'd them! They remembred not his Hand, nor the Day he deliver'd them from the Enemy. ^* On the Contrary we find that great Pattern of Gratitude David, reflecting and meditating upon the divine Favours, I will, sayeth he, remember thy Wonders of old, I will meditate of all thy Works, and talk of thy doings. ^† Bless the Lord O my Soul, and forget not all his Benefits! ^{* †} My Mouth shall praise thee with joyful Lips, when I remember thee upon my Bed, and meditate on thee in the Night Watches, because thou hast been my help therefore in the Shadow of thy Wings will I rejoice. ^‡ No length of Time should deface the Memory of our Mercies, or other Cares and Amusements justle it out of our grateful Minds.

And, dear Brethren, pray observe, that the Mercies of God should be remembred with affectionate and grateful Sentiments of Mind, our Hearts should be mov'd with a generous Passion, proportioned to the [Page 17] Moment of his Goodness vouchsafed. While we muse on the Number, Importance, and long Continuance of the divine Benefits we enjoy together with our utter Un­worthiness of them, Wonder and Love should fire our Souls with the most pas­sionate grateful Emotions, inclining us to speak in the Language of Jacob, I am not worthy of the least of all the Mercies, and of all the Truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant: ^* And of David, Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my House that thou hast brought me hitherto? ^¶ Un­less we be deeply affected with the Mer­cies of God, we will not return due Praises for them. Again,

4thly: Praising God for Mercies receiv'd implies, an open Acknowledgment of them by our Lips to the Honour of the Giver, and of our Obligations by them to his Ser­vice: When Gratitude inspires the Breast, it will perspire through the Lips, into Thanksgivings and Songs of Praise: This not only Reason it self teaches, but the fre­quent [Page 18] Practice of the Psalmist confirms, his g [...]teful Soul was often tun'd to vocal Melody! I will sing of the Mercies of the Lord (said he) for ever, with my Mouth will I make known his Faithfulness to all Gene­rations. ^‡ I will publish with the Voice of Thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous Works. ^* There is such a Correspondence between the Mind and the Tongue, that when the one is sensible, the other will not be silent; when the Spring of a Clock is well set, the Wheels move, and the Bell in its proper Season publishes the Matter with a proper Accent.

The Saints of God have at times, such a View of the Divine Excellency, such a Sense of the Importance of his Benefits, and their Inability to return equal Praises for them; such a Desire to exalt Jehovah, and such Delight in his Praises, that they are dissatisfied with their lonely Tunes, and private Soliloquies, and want with the Psalmist ^† to summons the whole Crea­tion to join in Consort in the Song, and [Page 19] assist the Harmony, that it may reach the Concave of the Heavens, and resound to the utmost Limits of the Globe! Farther

5thly. Praising God for Mercies receiv'd, implies a Life conform'd to the Obligations of them; He that offereth Praise glorifieth me, and to him that ordereth his Conversa­tion aright will be shewn the Salvation of God. ^‡ Without this real Gratitude, all vocal Melody is but like a sounding Brass and tinkling Cymbal, meer sham and pre­tence, which God abhors! ^¶ As ingenious Mr. Flavel observes, ‘It is the Life of the Thankful, which is the Life of Thank­fulness, Obedience and Service are the only real Manifestations of Gratitude.’ Sincere Thankfulness will encline us to desire after and endeavour for all the Re­quital we can make; to this the Psalmist's Sentiments and Practice agree; What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits? I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord: I will pay my Vows unto the Lord. ^* It is true our [Page 20] Goodness does not extend to God, neither is it any Gain to him that we are Righ­teous, yet we may shew our Willingness to serve and exalt him; and most certain­ly those that Praise God aright, will en­deavour to express their grateful Senti­ments in a pious Course of Action.

In Sum, the Duty of Praise implies our having an affecting Sense of Jehovah's Ex­cellencies, and the Value of his Benefits, our recollecting them in our Minds with Humility and Gratitude, and our expressing those inward Sensations, by thankful Speech and a pious Life. When therefore we set our selves down, and call to Remembrance the many Experiences we have had of the divine Benignity, when we dwell on them by long Meditation, and fix indelible Sig­natures of them in our Minds; when we raise our Conceptions to a high Esteem of them, by attending to every Circumstance of their Worth, when upon this our Hearts glow with Love and Gratitude, and our Lips overflow with Acknowledgments of his Kindness to all around us, when we form our Lives by his Laws, and in return [Page 21] for his Mercies, devote our selves and our all to his Glory and Service. But I pro­ceed to the

III. Propos'd, which was to shew, the Reasonableness and Importance of this Duty. Now this appears from the following Con­siderations, viz. The Law of God, the Nature of God considered as related to Man, and from the Nature of Man as related to God, as well as from the Nature of the Duty it self, and the Example of Christ. And

1st. Almighty God expresly requires it; Call upon me in the Day of Trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. i. e. Thou shalt make grateful mention of my Kindness and live to my Praise. This is an Instance of Homage and Tribute, which the blessed God will by no Means dispense with. If God give us the Com­fort of Mercies, it is but reasonable that he should have the Glory of them; This is the Will of God, saith the Apostle to the Thes­salonians, that in every Thing we give Thanks.

2dly. The Nature of God especially con­sidered [Page 22] as related to Man, teaches us the Reasonableness of Praising him for Benefits receiv'd.

Jehovah is indeed possess'd of infinite transcendent and incommunicable Excel­lency, and as such Merits our Praises; for Excellency is the proper Object of Esteem and Commendation.

But besides this, his relative Goodness gives him a claim to it, both in point of Duty and Gratitude. He that hath made us, has by creation a just and irrefragable Right, to be ador'd and serv'd by those Creatures which he has made capable of Moral Ho­mage. Nothing is more rational, than that the Powers God has given should be improv'd to his Glory and in his Service; Shall a Man plant a Vineyard and not eat of the Fruit of it?—Moreover, the in­numerable Benefits of Protection, Support, Redemption, &c. which divine Goodness has conferr'd upon intelligent Creatures, oblige us to praise him by the Ties of In­genuity and Gratitude. Slighting Kindnesses receiv'd, and neglecting to make due Re­turns for them: Or in other Words, Ingra­titude, [Page 23] is one of the most odious Charac­ters, one of the most sordid complicated Evils, abhorrent to the Reason of Man­kind, and tending to the Discomfort and Dissolution of civil Society: Even a Pagan by the Dint of Natures Light could say, ‘If you mention Ingratitude, you mention every Evil.’ ^‡

Should we not praise Him who is the Au­thor and preserver of our Beings? Without whose creating Power we had never existed, and without whose careful Providence we cou'dn't subsist one single Moment? Him who has form'd the spacious Globe on which we tread, furnish'd with so vast a Variety of Entertainments for our Support and Delight: Him who hath given us Bodies of such Beauty and Proportion, inspir'd with noble Souls, resembling the Father of the Uni­verse in their Nature and original Disposi­tions: Souls by which we are distinguish'd from and advanc'd above the Brute-Crea­tion: Him who, tho' by unalianable Right, the absolute Lord of all, took upon him the State of a Servant, vail'd his divine [Page 24] Glory by assuming Humanity in its most humble Circumstances, when Sin had stain'd its original Glory, and expos'd it to innu­merable Maladies: Him who is that Na­ture endured all Manner of Reproaches and Injuries even to Death it self of the most formidable Kind, and all with Design to save worthless Rebels from the Ruin they deserv'd by Sin, and exalt them to the highest Glory and Dignity ye know, says the Apostle, the Grace of our Lord Jesus, that tho' he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his Poverty might be made rich. The Chastisement of our Peace was laid upon him, saith the Pro­phet, that thro' his Stripes we might be heal'd. Shall we not praise Him, who gives us civil and religious Liberty? ‘Who grants us familiar Access to his Throne and Honours us with the Titles of his Friends and Children: Him who hears our Cries, compassionates our Infirmities, asswages our Pains, heals our Maladies, comforts us in our Sorrows and Soltitude: Him whose Goodness is as the strong Mountain, and whose Mercies never [Page 25] fail: Him whose Majesty and Excellence to admire and celebrate, and whose Be­nignity to experience (to perfection) is Heaven it self, the supreme Felicity of intelligent Beings.’

3dly. The Nature of Man, considered as related to God, shews the reasonableness and importance of the Duty I am discours­ing upon. We are dependent, indigent Creatures supported continually by his in­finite Power, and fed out of the Treasures of his unexhausted Goodness. ‘We move on his Earth, and breath in his Air; eve­ry Morsel we eat, and every Rag we wear, we derive from him.’ But we are not only indigent and dependent Creatures, but sinful ones; who have by our abuse of Mercies forfeited a Right to every of them, and summons'd the Wrath of Omnipo­tence to arms, and yet behold deserved Vengeance is deferr'd; abus'd Patience waits, and immerited Benignity is diffus'd in innumerable and valuable Benefits both of a temporal and spiritual Nature. Bene­fits important in their Kind. Benefits al­most equal in their Number, to the flying [Page 26] Moments of Time, or falling Drops of the Rain. Wonder O Heavens and be a­stonished O Earth at this!

But methinks, my Brethren, redeeming Mercy shines among the rest, as the Moon among the lesser Stars. O how amazing is it, that while Creatures of a nobler Or­der were passed by, that we should be re­deem'd from a State of the basest Slavery and admitted into the most glorious Liber­ty, by no less a Price than the Blood of God, as well as entitled to an unfading Inheritance which exceeds all Thought and Expression! So that if there be any in­fluence, engagements or endearments, in creating Power, supporting Goodness, for­bearing Patience, and redeeming Love, or in the Expectation of future Blessedness, we should be enduc'd to praise that God from whom those Blessings flow. Espe­cially considering

4thly. That there are additional Excite­ments in the Nature of the Duty itself. This the Psalmist observes in the following Words, Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing Praises unto our God; for it is Plea­sant, [Page 27] and Praise is comely. Here several Arguments are at once suggested by the sweet Singer of Israel, concerning the a­miable Properties of Praise.

(1.) It is profitable. The best Way to obtain new Mercies is to be thankful for the Past. Praise is good, ‘It is our Duty and therefore Good in itself, it is our Interest and therefore Good for us, it is acceptable to our Creator, and answers the End of our Creation, the Law for it is Holy, Just and Good, and the Practice of it will turn to a good Ac­count.’ This enlarges and enobles our rational Powers by fixing them upon the sublimest Objects, viz. The divine Attri­butes and Benefits; This Facilitates the Performance of other Duties, by increasing the Springs of Love and Delight from which they proceed; this contents the Mind with present Circumstances, and confirms our Expectation of Future Mercies: In this Way we may hum­bly hope that a gracious God will rejoice over us to do us Good.

But on the Contrary, Ingratitude be­reaves [Page 28] us of present Mercies, and prevents future Benefits: When the People of Israel took no thankful Notice of the Corn, and Wine and Oyl that God gave them, he threatned to take them away: She did not know, saith the Almighty by the Prophet, that I gave her Corn, and Wine, and Oyl, therefore will I return and take away my Corn in the Time thereof, and my Wine in the Season thereof: And will recover my Wool and my Flax. ^* Likewise when Is­rael cry'd to God by Reason of the Op­pression of the Ammonites, the Lord an­swer'd them in the following Manner, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the Children of A­mon, and from the Philistines? The Zidoni­ans also and the Amalekites, and the Ma­onites did oppress you, and ye cry'd to me and I delivered you out of their Hand, yet ye have forsaken me and served other Gods, wherefore I will deliver you no more, go and cry unto the God's ye have chosen, let them deliver you in the Time of your Tri­bulation. ^† But

[Page 29](2dly.) Praise says the Psalmist is Plea­sant, ‘ Joy, which is the Source of it, is Pleasant to us as Men; and the Glory of God, which is the Scope of it, is Plea­sant to us as Saints, who are devoted to his Honour.’ Praising God is a Work which is its own Wages, that Love from which it proceeds is a pleasing Passion, which gives every Thing its true Relish, and is as Oyl to the Wheels of Devotion. Praise unbends the pious Mind, which is never more gratify'd than in making Returns for Kindnesses received: Praise gives a re­peated Enjoyment of past Benefits by a Reflection upon them. In a Word, it is the exactest Emblem we have on Earth of the Temper and Employment of the Inhabitants of Heaven. Again,

(3dly) Praise is comely, it is rational and ornamental, it becomes us as Men, who are endowed with Reason and Reflection, which should direct and induce us to take thankful Notice of Benefits, and to abhor the contrary Practice as base and brutish, and every Way unworthy of the human Nature. It becomes us as Christi­ans [Page 30] who are under additional Engagements to this by Covenant, and under special Ad­vantages directing and inclining to it, by Gospel Light and Grace. What is more amiable than a just Sense of the divine Goodness, and a Celebration of it with adoring Reverence, and grateful Hosannas? Surely Sirs our Tongues are never so much our Glory, as when employ'd in expressing the Divine Praise; and indeed Praise seems to be one of the most generous Parts of Divine Worship, while Prayer seeks a selfish Good, Praise attempts the requital of Benefits receiv'd, by rendering a tribute of Honour for them, agreeable to the Directi­ons of Reason and of God.

I may add to what has been said this Consideration, that our Lord Jesus Christ, has recommended the Duty of Praise and Thanksgiving, both by Precept and Exam­ple, he reprov'd the Nine Lepers for their Ingratitude, and commended the Sama­ritan who glorified God on the Occasion of his Cure; and Jesus answering said, were there not ten cleansed? But where are the Nine? There are not found that return'd [Page 31] to give Glory to God save this Stranger.

^* The Life of our dear Lord was a Pat­tern of Thankfulness and Praise, and in this he was a true Son of David. When he rais'd Lazarus from the Dead, he thank'd his Father that he heard him. ^† Yea he didn't eat common Bread without first blessing of it by giving of Thanks. ^‡ But I proceed to the Improvement of this Discourse. And

First. If it be an important Duty to praise God for Mercies receiv'd, then surely those are to be reprov'd, who take no Notice of the divine Benefits, such are more stupid than the Ox and Ass, that know their Owner and Master's Crib; they resemble the Swine, who greedily devour falling Fruit, but look not up to the Tree from whence they come.

And such are also to be reprov'd, who tho' they take some Notice of Mercies con­ferr'd, return but superficial Praises for them: Such Hypocrites refuse to the Al­mighty the Male of their Flock, and offer [Page 32] the Lame and the blind in Sacrifice: Those the Almighty denounces a Curse upon, and rejects their Service; for they draw nigh to God only with their Lips, but their Hearts are far from him.

Farther: Such are to be reprov'd who tho' they have had some Sense of the Mercy of God, do not retain the Impres­sion and Remembrance of them; nor are thereby induc'd to Repentance and Refor­mation of Life: The Almighty complains of such in very affecting Language; O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee? O Ju­dah what shall I do unto thee? For thy Goodness is as the Morning Cloud, and as the early Dew which soon passeth away. Ye did run well who hindred you. O Sirs! unless the Blossoms of our religious Affec­tions and Resolutions ripen into the Fruits of a holy Practice, we are still unthankful and unfruitful in the Eye of God; and have reason to fear his eternal Indignation!

Again: Such are also to be reprov'd, who arrogates the Honours of Mercies re­ceiv'd to themselves, and so sacrifice to their own Net, and burn Incence to their [Page 33] own Dreg. Thus Nebuchadnezer vainly boasted of the Babel he had built, and for this was turn'd among the Beasts, and Herod for not giving God the Glory was devoured by Worms.

Let us therefore, Dear Brethren! avoid those Evils, and speak in Ezra's Language; Seeing that thou our God hast punish'd us less than our Iniquities deserve, and hast given us such a Deliverance as this, should we again break thy Commandments? Would'st thou not be angry with us, till thou hadst consum'd us, so that there should be no Rem­nant or escaping? ^* But

Secondly. Is it a Duty to praise God for Mercies receiv'd? Then let us be intreated to perform it with Speed and Sincerity, to this End think often on your Unworthiness by reason of Sin; this tends to affect the Heart with every Mercy, and make us speak in the Language of Mephibosheth, who when David told him that he should have his Lands, and eat Bread at his Table, bowed himself and said, what is thy Servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead [Page 34] Dog as I am? And seek for the Assistance and Influence of God's Holy Spirit, with­out which ye cannot Praise God to Pur­pose; Be not drunk with Wine wherein is Excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns, giving thanks always for all Things unto God and the Father, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear Brethren! shall we be stupid and insensible, and indulge a sinful Silence, while we are encompassed with innumer­able Mercies? Mercies freely vouchsafed without any Desert of ours, yea contrary to our Desert: Mercies seasonably voucsafed in the very nick of Extremity: Mercies long continued after a vile Abuse: Mercies distinguishing in their Kind: While many grope in the thickest Darkness, we enjoy the Light of the glorious Gospel: While many are oppress'd by Tyranny and Want, we enjoy both civil and religious Liberty and Plenty. O the amazing Mercy of God! Let our Souls and all that is within us, bless his holy Name!

Surely Sirs, there is no Disposition more deeply engraven in the original Constituti­on [Page 35] of Human Nature, than a Sense of Be­nefits receiv'd; the very worst of Men have some Remains of this; Do not the Publicans so? said our Lord. Yea divers of the Beasts who are devoid of the Direc­tion of Reason, do by natural Instinct ex­press a Kind of Gratitude; the Ox knows his Owner, and the Ass his Master's Crib; and not only the gentle and sociable, but those of a fiercer Kind, express a Kindness to Benefactors; even the Lyon and the Tyger are not wholly lost to a Sense of this, if we may credit civil Story.

And the inanimate Creatures seem not altogether insensible of Benefits; the Rivers return to the Ocean these Waters they de­rive from it, by obscure, meandrine Con­duits; the Heavens return to the Earth in balmy Dews and fruitful Showers, the Wa­ters exhal'd from it by the Sun's Influence, and the teeming Earth by its Fruits requites the Labours of the Husband Man.

The Obligation to Praise and Gratitude is most rational; surely he unjustly asks a Bene­fit, who is not dispos'd to requite it; we are indebted for what is freely given, as well as for what is lent; the Freeness of the [Page 36] Giver, does not diminish but increase the Debt to a generous and considerate Mind.

But on the contrary, Ingratitude is the Sin of Sins, it rebels against God's commanding Authority, is disingenuous to his Love, and exposes us to his fearful Displeasure; it is like a froward Child's attempting to beat his Mo­ther's Breasts, and kick his Father's Bowels.

You are doubtless aware, my Brethren, that the Occasion of this Discourse, is the late me­morable Success with which it has pleas'd in­dulgent Heaven to crown his Majesty's Arms, in the late Expedition against the City and Fortresses of Louisburgh on Cape Breton, on the Account of which this Town was so lately illuminated, and so justly and generally expressed a joyful Sense of the Benefit.

I need not inform you Sirs, of how great Im­portance this Conquest is to all the British Do­minions in general, and to this English Main in particular; hereby our Commerce is both protected and encreas'd, and a Barrier fix'd which may be of great Service to prevent the Inroads of the French and Indians, upon the Eastern Inhabitants of this Continent.

But that which peculiarly enhances the Value of this Mercy is, that it gives some [Page 37] check to the ambitious Designs and cruel Intrigues of a proud and potent Prince, who unweariedly labours to rob us of our civil and religious Liberties, and bring us into the most wretched Vassalage to arbi­trary Power and Church Tyranny. A Prince who disturbs all Europe by his Coun­cils and Arms, in order to erect a univer­sal Monarchy upon the Ruins of other King­doms and States. How admirable there­fore is the Mercy of God in giving into our Hands this strong Hold of the Enemy of our Religion and Liberties!

What Cause have we, dear Sirs! to praise a gracious God, for his propitious Smiles on this Expedition? especially when we consider how remarkably divine Pro­vidence has appear'd in it, by a Train of surprizing Incidents!

That a City so well fortify'd by Nature and Art as Louisburgh, a City almost impregna­ble, shou'd be so soon reduc'd by so small and unexperienced an Army, and that with so little Effusion of Blood, is truly amazing!

Altho' the prudent Council's of the Mas­sachusetts Government, in forming the Plan of the Expedition, and the discreet Conduct [Page 38] and intrepid Courage of their Forces, in the Prosecution of it, in Conjunction with the Naval Armament, under the Command and Direction of brave Commodore WAR­REN, are much to be commended. Yet surely it was the blessed God, my Brethren▪ that directed them to it, and spirited them for it: 'Twas He that conducted them in it, and gave the Success: 'Twas He that enclin'd our gracious Sovereign to favour the prudent Project: 'Twas He who gave such a Scene of uncommon, but agreeable Weather, as serv'd to accelerate the Design: 'Twas He who preserv'd Health in the Camp and in the Fleet, and made their Councils harmonious: 'Twas He that prefac'd this memorable Event by the Capture of the Vi­gilant:—And therefore to him let us ascribe the Glory; Whose right Hand and holy Arm hath given us the Victory, and made us tread upon the high Places of our Enemies.

Surely the same superintending Providence, that directed the Arrow to pierce between the Joynts of Ahab's Harnace, guided the Bombs to the Annoyance of the Island-Battery.

Neither should the seasonable Juncture of the Surrender, be passed over in sordid [Page 39] Silence and stupid Neglect, when it is con­sidered, that the very Day after it, news were brought to our Army of Two Thousand five Hundred French and Indians within seven Miles of them, design'd for the Relief of Louis­burgh; which if they had heard of before the Surrender, would probably have encouraged them to a vigorous and obstinate Resistance.

I may add my Brethren, that this merciful Success has been given in answer to Prayer, which should excite the more our Love and Praise; I love the Lord, saith the Psalmist, because he hath heard my Supplication, because he hath enclin'd his Ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The Army that Almighty God chiefly used in bringing to pass this great Event, were a pray­ing Army; of which, as it is reported, General PEPPEREL gave them a noble Example!

Sirs, when we consider how much we have by Sin abus'd the past Mercies that a gracious God has vouchsaf'd upon us, we have Reason to be astonish'd at this additi­onal immerited and important Benefit! therefore, praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new Song, and his Praise in the Congregation of Saints. Let Israel re­joice [Page 40] in him that made him: Let the Chil­dren of Zyon be joyful in their King. Let them Praise his Name in the Dance: Let them sing Praises with the Timbrel and Harp; for the Lord taketh Pleasure in his People: He will beautify the Meek with Salvation. Let the Saints be joyful in Glo­ry: Let them sing aloud upon their Beds.

GOD's People are especially call'd upon to praise their God, with all proper Ex­pressions of Esteem and Honour, both in their private Retirements and publick As­semblies, from a Principle of Love to and Joy in him, because of his Dominion over them, delight in them, and marvelous Do­ings for them, as well as gracious Designs to­wards them in after Time. He is a King that taketh Pleasure in his Peoples Prosperity, and has made Israel what she is in Point of Priviledge both Civil and Religious, and will beautify the Meek with Salvation, i. e. adorn the humble with temporal Delive­rances, crown their attempts with Successes, and at last instate their Persons in eternal Happiness. In the Expectation of which, let us all with united Ardor say, Glory to GOD the Father, Son, and Holy-Ghost, for Ever and Ever, Amen, Amen.