The Christian thank-offering. A brief discourse on the returns of gratitude & obedience whereto…

Gratitude, as one says, Like the Blood in the Body, runs through the whole Practice of Christianity. The whole of that Obedience which we render into God, is to be a continued Expression of Gratitude unto Him. Thus the Schoolmen make ingratitude, a General Circumstance of sin; inasmuch as though it be not in the Definition of sin, yet it is always in the Perpetration of it.

Gratitude, as one says, Like the Blood in the Body, runs through the whole Practice of Christianity. The whole of that Obedience which we render into God, is to be a continued Expression of Gratitude unto Him. Thus the Schoolmen make •ngratitude, a General Circumstance of sin; inasmuch as though it be not in the Definition of sin, yet it is alwayes in the Perpretration of it.

It has been sometimes a Question very unsafely handled in the Books of some English Writers, What place in the Christian Religion is to •e assigned unto Evangelical Obedience? Now we are not so grossly Ignorant of the Gospel, as •o assert, That our Hearty and Honest Endeavour •f Obeying the whole Will of God, is the condition upon which the Benefits purchased by Christ, belong into us. God forbid, that we should Swallow down all the Poison Comprehended in that Assertion! We say, The only Condition on our Art, Entitling us to the Benefits Purchased by ⟨p. 14⟩our Lord-Redeemer, is our Faith in Him, or the Reliance of our Souls upon the Free-Grace of God, in Him alone, for the Communication of those Benefits. And, Aliter qui vadit, Cadit! But then, the Place which we assign unto Evangelical Obedience, is, that of Gratitude unto God, for the Benefits of Redemption; and we think, that the Principle which disposes us to Believe on the Lord JESUS CHRIST, and on His Righteousness, will also dispose us to an Hearty and Honest Endeavour of Obeying the whole will of God, in Gratitude unto Him, for what Provision He ha's made for our Happiness in our Lord JESUS CHRIST. The Connection between Justifying Faith and Obedience, Holy, Sincere Thankful Obedience, is Infallible, and Inseparable; though we say likewise, that no man can do any Good Works of Obedience, until he be Justified. Nor does this place of Gratitude for our Happiness, which we assign to Obedience, hinder us, from Considering it, as the Way to our Happiness, Yea, as a Part of our Happiness. There is no true Believer, who not of this Persuasion, I am an Happy man, i I may but Serve my Lord Jesus Christ.