§. 21. I beseech thee now that readest these Lines, be so true to God, be so ingenuous; be so much a friend to the comfort of thy soul, and so much love a life of pleasure, as to set thy self for the time to come, to a more conscionable performance of this noble work: and steep thy thoughts in the abundant mercies of thy God, and express them more in all thy speech to God and man. Say as David, [Psal. 116. 16, 17. O Lord, truly I am thy servant—thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. Psal. 30. 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12. I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye Saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness—Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent: O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever. Psal. 69. 30. I will praise the name of God with a Song, and magnify him with thanksgiving: This also shall please the Lord better than an Ox—Psal. 92. 1, 2. It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing unto thy Name, O Most High: To show forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Psal. 119. 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgements, Psal. 140. 13. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy Name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.] Remember that you are commanded, in every thing to give thanks. 1 Thess. 5. 18. When God is scant in mercy to thee, then be thou scant in thankfulness to him; and not when the Devil and a forgetful, or unbelieving, or discontented heart, would hide his greatest mercies from thee. It is just with God to give up that person to sadness of heart, and to uncomfortable self-tormenting melancholy, that will not be persuaded by the greatness and multitude of mercies, to be frequent in the sweet returns of Thanks.
§. 21. I beseech thee now that readest these Lines, be so true to God, be so ingenuous; be so much a friend to the comfort of thy soul, and so much love a life of pleasure, as to set thy self for the time to come, to a more conscionable performance of this noble work: and steep thy thoughts in the abundant mercies of thy God, and express them more in all thy speech to God and man. Say as David, [Psal. 116. 16, 17. O Lord, truly I am thy servant—thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. Psal. 30. 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12. I will extoll thee, O Lord, for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me. O Lord my God, I cryed unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye Saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness—Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent: O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever. Psal. 69. 30. I will praise the name of God with a Song, and magnifie him with thanksgiving: This also shall please the Lord better than an Oxe—Psal. 92. 1, 2. It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing unto thy Name, O Most High: To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Psal. 119. 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgements, Psal. 140. 13. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy Name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.] Remember that you are commanded, in every thing to give thanks. 1 Thess. 5. 18. When God is scant in mercy to thee, then be thou scant in thankfulness to him; and not when the Devil and a forgetful, or unbelieving, or discontented heart, would hide his greatest mercies from thee. It is just with God to give up that person to sadness of heart, and to uncomfortable self-tormenting melancholly, that will not be perswaded by the greatness and multitude of mercies, to be frequent in the sweet returns of Thanks.
