Secondly, you must render according to the mercies 1received; that is, there must be a suitableness and proportion, between your thankfulness and the mercies bestowed. Wherein two things are to be observed. One is when you have many mercies you must be much in thankfulness, when all that you have are mercies, you must alway be giving thanks. You shall see it, 1 Thes. 5. In all things give thanks: for that is the will of God towards you, that is, it is not enough to be thankful to God for some mercies, no nor for mercies in general, to say, God be thanked for all his benefits, and so to name them in the gross; but in all things give thanks; that is, for every particular thing, for every mercy received. And this is a special thing, and a thing that we are exceedingly apt to fail in, that we do not give thanks for all things. If we could come once to take notice, and to particularize the variety of mercies that we have received; they would be as so many sparks to kindle a flame of love, and to knit us to the Lord, when as it may be mercies in the general will not so much affectus. And besides when we give thanks so in the general only, we are apt to forget them: but when we give thanks in particular for things, this quickens us, and keeps us near to the Lord. Therefore you must remember this, that in your giving thanks, you are to remember every thing in particular, to render to the Lord according to the mercies bestowed.
Secondly, you must render according to the mercies 1received; that is, there must be a suitableness and proportion, between your thankfulness and the mercies bestowed. Wherein two things are to be observed. One is when you have many mercies you must be much in thankfulness, when all that you have are mercies, you must alway be giving thanks. You shall see it, 1 Thes. 5. In all things give thanks: for that is the will of God towards you, that is, it is not enough to be thankful to God for some mercies, no nor for mercies in general, to say, God be thanked for all his benefits, and so to name them in the gross; but in all things give thanks; that is, for every particular thing, for every mercy received. And this is a special thing, and a thing that we are exceedingly apt to fail in, that we do not give thanks for all things. If we could come once to take notice, and to particularize the variety of mercies that we have received; they would be as so many sparks to kindle a flame of love, and to knit us to the Lord, when as it may be mercies in the general will not so much affectus. And besides when we give thanks so in the general onely, we are apt to forget them: but when we give thanks in particular for things, this quickens us, and keeps us near to the Lord. Therefore you must remember this, that in your giving thanks, you are to remember every thing in particular, to render to the Lord according to the mercies bestowed.
- 12. Proportionable to mercies received.
