An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

Let us consider how much goeth to make a thankful spirit; what will enable ¹us, that we shall not always lie among the tombs (as it were) affright our selves with our own sad thoughts, but entertain comfortable and thankful thoughts, which shall constantly lodge in our souls. And

Let us consider how much goeth to make a thankfull spirit; what will enable ¹us, that we shall not alwayes lie among the tombs (as it were) affright our selves with our own sad thoughts, but entertain comfortable and thankfull thoughts, which shall constantly lodge in our souls. And

1. 1What goeth to the making up a thankful spirit.What goeth to the making up a thankfull spirit.

First, To this duty of blessing of God, there is required, as the foundation stone, A deep sense of our own unworthiness of the least mercy that God bestoweth upon us. That is excellent of Jacob, Gen. 32. 10. I am less than all thy mercies. A man that would shoot his arrow high, draweth it backward first. The lower we are in our own eyes, the more unworthy in our own thoughts; then a very crumb of bread, a very drop of water will be acknowledged a great mercy. Arminian, Popish and Socinian Doctrines do all hinder a man in his thankfulness, because they do not in a Scripture way, level the mountains of our hearts; they leave something of our own still, that we must secretly uphold our selves with. When God gave the people of Israel, Canaan, Deut. 9 4. How zealously doth Moses endeavour to take them off from their own righteousness? They must take heed, that they have not the least thought in their hearts about their righteousness. Oh then consider, what is that Locust and Caterpillar, which devoureth all the sweet fruit of thy praise, and thy joy in God? Is it not want of a true consideration, how unworthy thou art? Wouldst thou not call thy self beast for murmuring and grieving under any burden God layeth upon thee, if thou hadst a feeling of thy meanness and lowliness? Those therefore who are constantly in a tender feeling and apprehension of their own unworthiness, if God give them the least temporal mercy, but especially if they have a drop of any spiritual mercy; that the light of Gods countenance, though but in glimpses shine upon them, they cry out, Who am I Lord, and what am I that thou shouldst visit so unworthy a wretch?