And ift, Confider the Baseness of Ingratitude.

Ingratitude, though it be but to Men, is the fouleft Imputation, and the Vilest Character that a Man can have. A Generous Spirit is impatient under the Charge, and it is a Character of fo ill a Sound, that a Man fcarce ever gets clear of it; He never thoroughly recovers his Credit, nor ever afterwards appears well in the World, that has show'd himself Ungrateful to his Friend and Benefactor.

But what then shall we fay of Ingratitude to God? to whom we have fuch Infinite Obligations; from whom we receive our Life and all the Comforts of it; and of whofe Mercy it is that we are not confumed every Moment. And This we are fo Senfible of in Sickness or any other Danger, that when all Human Help fails, we fly to Him as our only Help in Trouble, and humbly proftrate ourselves before him. And when he has heard and Delivered us, it not the Basest and most Difingenuous Pf.cvi. Temper of Soul, to forget God our Saviour and mighty Deliverer, after he has done fo great Things for Us? Have we a God to receive our Prayers, and have we none to receive our humble Returns

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is

of

of Praise and Thanksgiving? The Holy David was of another Spirit: He thought he could never fufficiently acknowledge God's Mercies, or ever do enough to make Sutable Returns: He is therefore often calling upon himself, and as it were putting himself in mind to contrive and do what ever he can to exprefs his Gratitude What shall I render un-Pf. cxvi. to the Lord for all his Benefits towards me?12. Who can utter the mighty Acts of the

Lord, or show forth all his Praife? Bless the Lord, O my Soul; and All that is within me Blefs his Holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his Benefits.

Who redeemeth thy Life from DeftruEtion, and Crowneth thee with Loving kindnefs and tender Mercies; as in the forementioned Place, Pf. ciii.

Pf.cvi. 2.

But This Leffon of Gratitude we might learn even from the Heathens. The incomparable Emperor Marcus Antoninus does particularly recount, and very Thankfully acknowledge the Many Bleffings that himself had received from the Gods. But That of Epictetus,as Lib. we find it in his Difciple Arrian, is a very remarkable Piece of Heathen Gratitude;

After he had been confidering what Care the Divine Providence takes of us, he argues, that fince we receive fo many Benefits from God, it is highly rea

fonable

fonable that, whatever we are doing his Praises fhould ever be in our Mouths. "But fince the Common People (fays "he) are fo Blinded and Careless, "were it not fit that fome One fhould "be publickly Deputed to That Em"ployment, who fhould in the Name " and Stead of all the Reft, conftantly “fing Hymns to God of Praise and "Thanksgiving?" And then he shows how ready he himself fhould be for that Office.- "I (fays he) being "both Old and Lame, what elfe can "I do but celebrate God's Glory? If "I were a Nightingale or a Swan, I "should Do what belong'd to my Na26 ture; but now I am a Reasonable "Creature, I ought to fing the Praises "of God. This is my Business, and "This I Do, neither will I ever quit 66 my Employment as long as I am "able to Discharge it; And I exhort you all to join in the Confort.

66

And All This from a poor Heathen. If we Chriftians will not Imitate it, I am fure we ought to Blush to Read it; We that lie under fo much Greater, fuch infinitely Greater Obligations to the Divine Beneficence and Mercy.

2dly, Let us confider alfo the Folly of Ingratitude. There

There is great Folly even in Ingratitude to Men: We fhall be fure to meet with Enemies enough, and therefore in common Prudence a Man would not loose his Friends. The Scenes of this Life are so very Changeable, that we know not when we are Paft wanting Friends; and therefore fhould not of Friends make Ourselves Enemies; which Ingratitude will commonly Do, till Men are got to be more perfect in That Chriftian Leffon of Doing Good for Evil.

But however we may flatter ourfelves, that we are now in Circumftances to defie all Mankind; yet can we think that we fhall never more have need of God? Because he has once Delivered us, when Death was ready to have swallow'd us up; do we therefore think that the Evil Day will never overtake us more? And that we shall ne ver again have any Need of his Favour? Will the Day of Sicknefs, and the Day of Death never return upon us? If we can never be Sure of That, but may be very fure of the Contrary, that we shall fome time or other have occafion again to fly for Refuge to the fame Sanctuary of Grace and Goodness; can there be greater Folly and Madness than to Abufe that Goodness, and there

by

by not only preclude ourselves from all Hopes of Future Mercy; but also provoke his Vengeance, and treasure up Wrath for ourselves against the Return of that Evil Day? For can we think that God will time after time prostitute his Favours, and ftill obtrude them upon the Ungrateful? Because he has Vouchfaf'd us fo many Mercies notwithstanding our Unworthinefs, fhall we prefume he will always continue them to us notwithstanding our Unthankfulness? But do ye thus (fays Moses Deut. 32. to his Ungrateful Ifraelites,) Do ye thus Requite the Lord, O foolish People and Unwife! Of the Rock that begat thee thou art Unmindful, and haft forgotten God that formed thee. it follows-When the

6.

V. 18.

v.18.

Lord faw it, he abhorred them, and he faid, I will hide my Face from them, I will Gal.vi. 7. fee what their End will be. Let us not Deceive ourselves; God is not Mocked. If we will thus Requite him, he will Mock Prov.i. when our Fear cometh When Distress and Anguish cometh again upon us, we may them call upon him but he will not Answer.

3dly, Let us confider the Easiness of the Duty required of us. We are neither to compass Sea and Land, nor pass through the Fire to it; It puts us upon Nothing extremely Difficult or against

the