Part.II. gives us that which we had no Title to, by taking away his juft rights from him? God forbid that ever we fhould be fo unworthy and unjust.

(c) Deo gratios, Hoc nec dici brevius,

S.IV. II.TT is a moft eafie duty :`The antient way of Oblition and Sacrifices was troublesom and expenfive,and could not always be performed, nor by all perfons, but no time is too fhort, no place too narrow, no fortune too mean for the Duty of Thanksgiving; they that have not leisure or convenience, or ability to make more real returns, can pretend no excufe for the omitting of praifing God; we are none of us fo bufie, when we receive a mercy, but we may (as the Cuftom of the primitive Chriftians was) fay, the Lord be praised (c), we may eafily pre fent one of thefe brief Forms with hearty devotion. A poor requital indeed for Mercies fo great, and fo many, fo freely beftowed, frequently repeated and long continued; but our God is pleased with a thankful heart, and how inexcufable shall he be at laft, who out of pride or carelesness shall not give this? the easier the duty is the greater is the Sin of those who do omit it, and the heavier fhall be their doom,

nec audiri lætius, nec intelligi grandiùs,nec agi fructuofiùs pit. Aug Aur. Epift.77.

S.V. III. T is moft comfortable in the Performance: To reflect upon our fins as in Repentance, upon our wants as in prayer,upon our duty as in hearing the word of God, hath fome fhew of Trouble; but to behold the goodness and mercy of our heavenly Father, to recount the innumerable favours he hath done for us, and to hope for the continuance and encrease of them, this is nothing elfe but delight and the height of pleafure. It is a good thing to fing praises to our God, yea a

joyful

joyful and a pleasant thing it is to be thankful,Pfal.cxlvii. 1. My foul fhall be satisfied, as it were with marrow and fatness, when my mouth praiseth thee with joyful lips, Pfal. lxiii.6. faith holy David, the great Master of this bleffed exercise, which is the pleasanteft part of all Piety,and therefore it is to be the employment of Heaven, the Inhabitants of which are happy in beholding the goodness and finging the Praise of God: And they that can take no pleasure in this, are ftrangers to the joys of bleffed Souls, and unfit for those regions of eternal blifs, it may be at firft we may not be fo much exalted with Transports of pleasure in our Thanksgivings, but if we do it often and well, we shall perceive it grow ftill more fweet; fo that at length it will invite us to it by it's own loveliness; and a thankful heart will with no other reward for prailing God,than the very pleasure of performing it.

S.VI. IV. IT is most profitable in the event: This Duty brings glory to God, and benefit to our Neighbours, it publifheth his goodness, and difcovers the beauty of his Mercy, fo that it engageth many to admire and love him, and Religion is never more attractive, than when it is exercifed in the divine Praises. But perhaps we would know what good we our 5 felves fhall reap by praifing God. I answer, that the frequent exercife of this duty will encrease our Love to our heavenly Father, confirm our Faith in him, and enflame our defires after the enjoyment of him; it will expel our fears, and revive our hopes, quicken our care to please him, and awaken our anger against all that is difpleafing unto him; it will engage us to do good chearfully, and (as St. Ignatius obJerves) it will arm us against all manner of Temp

tations

(d)

*Y TURVOTESOV OLEszenan cis 'dzas siv der, us 40ZAN, år av yas BUXYS IT TO AUTO gives, daigorTaral Surques To EaTavas Ep. ad Epb (e) Fugiter fibi fubuenii facit cu collatum beneficium ante oculos femper a Stitit. Caffin Pfal.

1

Endaleetations (d), for he that often beholds God's goodness, and feels the fweetness of his Love, will not lightly difobey him, nor ea fily be inticed to take part with his Enemies, Befides there are temporal advantages also, which fpring from this duty, for there is not a more ready way to havea bletfing continued or encreased than to praise Almighty God heartily for it (e), He that bleffeth the Lord for aleffer, hall have a greater and he that takes the first fo thankfully, fhall quickly receive more: let the People praise thee, O God, (faith David) and then shall the Earth bring forth her encrease, and our own God fhall give his bleffing, Pfal. Ixvii. penult. Gratitude is ever rewarded, whereas on the contrary, when we swallow all we can get, and fill gape for more, without ever acknowledging the hand that fapplyeth us, we provoke him even to take away that which we have received;fo that by robbing God of his Honour, we deprive our felves of our own comfort; wherefore we cannot advise any thing more tending to our Spiritual and Temporal Good, than a due performance of this Duty of Thanks giving.

SECT.

S.I. W

SECTION XII.

Of the general Thanksgiving.

Hen the former Confiderations have rightly difpofed us, here is an excellent Form prepared for us, fit to be faid by all men at all times, when they would give God thanks, and yet peculiarly fitted - for thofe, who having received fome eminent perfonal Mercy, defire to offer up their publick Praises for it, which they will do with more Devotion, if they first confider, how rarely its Method fuits with their Occa

fion.

S.2. The general Thanksgiving hath three Parts.

The Analysis of the general Thanksgiving.

1. An hum

ble

Acknow

ledg

ment

of

Gods

mer

cies,

1. In

2. The manner of the ge- prefenting them.

neral

contai-
ning,

2.

More

par. ti

cu

lar

ly

2ther of all mercies, We thine unworthy Servants do give thee most humbis and hearty thanks For all the Good

3. The Subject) nefs and lovingkindmatter of them.ness to us,and to all

men,

Particularly to those who difire now to of

1. On fuch as defire) fer up their praises

and Thanksgivings for thy late mercies vouchsafed to them. We bless thee fo our Creation, Pr= ferbation, and all the blessings of this Life,

But above all for thine inestimable

for
those

Love in the Be

bc

our

And demp.

ftow. felvs

demption of the

ed,

World by our Lod

both Spi- tion.

Jelus Chrift,

For the means of
Grace,

And the hope of
Glozy.