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out this, as you bury former mercies, so you may deprive yourselves of future ones. For thankfulnefs for past favours, implies a fecret craving for more; but how can you expect that God will beflow on you what you ftill need, if you are not thankful for what you already poffefs? Labour therefore to rouse up your dull heart to the great and pleasant exercife of praife. Call upon your foul, and all that is within you, to bless the Lord, and not to forget his benefits. Let your language be, "What fhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me? I will take the cup of falvation, and call on the name of the Lord, I will pay my vows to the Lord, now in the presence of all his people."

When all thy mercies, O my God,
My rifing foul furveys,
Tranfported with the view, I'm loft
In wonder, love and praise.

But to go a step farther. The Lord's people are not only chargeable with unthankfulness, but, in fome cafes, with an unfuitable behaviour, amidst the favours they receive from his hand. When his benefits have been flowered down upon us in great abundance, our hearts have ftill been barren, and our lives unfruitful. Nay, perhaps, after sweet

enlargements, and divine manifeftations, we have funk into fupineness, and security, or been drawn afide by temptation, and captivated afresh by the fin which easily befets us. This is fhameful indeed. "The Lord will speak peace unto his people, and to his faints; but let them not turn again to folly." There is great need for this caution. And as it is an evil thing and bitter that any fhould fin against God, it is more especially so in thofe who have received peculiar favours from him. The more kindness he hath fhewn to any one, and the greater is the aggravation of his offences. On this ground it was, that the Lord thus fpoke to his ancient people; "O generation, fee ye the word of the Lord! Have I been a wilderness to Ifrael? a land of darknefs? Wherefore fay my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee? Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. The children of Ifrael and the children of Judah have only done evil before me,they have only provoked me to anger." As if all the world befide them were comparatively innocent.

For as those who have obtained mercy fin against greater profeffions and engagements on their part, fo they fin against the greatest advantages and ob. ligations conferred upon them by their gracious

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Benefactor. The principles he has implanted in their hearts are the effects of his favour, and in their own nature should be a defence against fin. To have an enlightened mind, a renewed will, fanctified affections, and an awakened conscience, are great advantages; and to fin against all these, is an high aggravation of the offence. David feems to have had a fenfe of this, when in his penitent acknowledgment of his crimes before God, he faid, "Thou defireft truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom;" or, as fome read it, thou haft made me to know wifdom as if he had faid, Thefe offences are worse in me than they would have been in those who have not thefe corrective principles to reftrain fin, and to lead to the practice of holiness.

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We have faid likewise, that those who have obtained mercy fin against greater obligations laid upon them by their heavenly Father. Thus he fpeaks by the prophet Hofea; " I taught Ephraim to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love.

But my people re
In another place,

bent to backfliding from me." "Though I have bound and ftrengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mifchief against me. I have written the great things of my law, but they were

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counted as a ftrange thing." By others of his holy prophets, the Lord fpeaks with great emphasis and energy on this head. "My covenant they brake, though I was an husband unto them." When the church is compared to a vineyard, it is asked, "What could have been done more to my vine. yard that I have not done unto it? Wherefore, when I looked that it fhould bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?* This strongly expreffes God's tender care of his people, and their unworthy return to his goodness.

If you, into whofe hands these papers may fall, have thus requited the Lord, let the following pointed addrefs take hold of your confciences, and fink deep into your hearts. "I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine efpoufals, when thou wenteft after me in the wilderness,

in a land that was not fown. Ifrael was holiness to the Lord, and the firft-fruits of his increase. What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, † and have walked after

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Wherefore brought it forth poisonous berries?
Dr. Lowth.

He that put away his wife was to give her a bill of divorcement, declaring the caufe of his feparating himself from her. Thus the Almighty condefcends

to

vanity, and become vain ? O my people, what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee? Teftify againft me." Have you any teftimony to bring against the Lord? Has he not always dealt with you in great mercy? And yet you have treacherously and ungratefully departed from him. Let your repentings be kindled, and your hearts be grieved within you, that you have thus requited your kind and compaflionate Father.

The fins of the ungodly world bring down the wrath of the Almighty upon them. But the fins of God's people grieve him at his heart, speaking after the manner of men. They vex his Holy Spirit, and provoke his fatherly displeasure. He looked, fo to fpeak, that it fhould be otherwife with those to whom he had manifested so much love." In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity.

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to expoftulate with us, and asks what evil we can charge upon him, his government, or his dealings. with us, that we forfake him. But here we must be filent, and lay our hands upon our mouths. No more caufe can be given, than why cattle feeding in a fweet and rich pasture, through their unruly difpofition, break down the hedge to get into a dirty lane, or a barren wilderness, where nothing is to be had to fatisfy hunger.