Ca~,P. XIII.

OF THANKFULNESS TO GOD.

which they were subject by sin; and from hell and
wrath, and from every enemy of their souls.--(4.) It
is an eternal one; Having obtained eternal redemption
for us, Heb. ix. 12. which will always continue; the
redeemed will never more return to a captive state, or
be brought into subjection to what they are redeemed
from; but will always enjoy the benefits arising from
this grace; and if therefore Moses and the children of
Israel had reason to sing unto the Lord, who in his
mercy had redeemed them out of Egypt, which was
but a temporal redemption; much more reason have
we to praise the Lord, and give thanks to him for eter-
nal redemption by Christ.
3. Thanks are to be given for pardoning grace and
mercy. This is the first thing the Psalmist mentions
after stirring up himself to bless and praise the Lord
for all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities,
Psalm ciii. t, 2, 3. and indeed pardon of sin is a great
blessing; and he is an happy man whose transgression
is forgiven, and his sin covered, and to whom the Lord
imputeth not iniquity! and therefore should express
his thankfulness for it. And, -- ( I. ) Because it is
entirely free with r. espect to the perso.us wh.o partake of
it. It proceeds, indeed, upon a sattsfaction made by
another; for God, though he forgives sin, will by no
means clear the guilty, without a full satisfaction to his
justice; Without shedding of blood there is no remission;
but though Christ's blood has been shed for the remis-
sion of sins, yet that is according to the riches of divine
grace; it is free to men, though it cost Christ dear, his
blood and life, lsa. xliii. 25. some, theirdebts are more,
and others less numerous; one owes five hundred pence,
and another fifty; but whereas neither the one nor the
other have any thing to pay, God, the creditor,frankly
forgives them both, Luke vii. 41, 42.--(2.) Pardon of
sin, is not only free, but full and complete; and there-
fore sinful men should be thankful for it; God not
only forgives all manner of sin, signified by iniquity,
transgression, and sin; greater or lesser sins, such as
are more or less aggravated; but all acts of sin com-
mitted by his people; God, for Christ's sake, forgives
all; Having forgiven all trespasses, Col. ii. 13. no one
sin is left unforgiven; the Lord's name be praised!
4. Thanks are to be given for adopting grace; this
is one of the spiritual blessings with which tim Lord's
people are blessed in Christ, according. to the good plea-
sure of his will, Eph. i. 3, 5. Th.ere n such a display
of grace in the blessing of adoption as ravished the
apostle John, and caused him to break forth in a rap-
ture, and say, Behold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons
of God .t 1 John iii. 1. Two things serve to excite
thankfulness for this grace:--(1.) That it is be-
stowed on persons very unworthy; such who are by
nature children of wrath, as others; and yet by this
grace, children of God; such of whom God himself
says, ttow shall I put them among the children ? and
yet of his grace puts them there; such who are like
the wretched infant, east out into the open field, in the
day it was born, to the loathing of its person, and yet
taken into the family of God; who have nothing lovely
in them to recommend them, as Moses to Pharaoh's

daughter, and Esther to Mordecai had; but all the
reverse.--(2.) The various blessings annexed to this
grace; such have the glorious liberty of the children
of God; liberty of access to God, as children to a fa-
ther; and a right to all privileges and immunities,
which fellow-citizens with the saints, and those of the
household of God have; these are never more servants,
but heirs, and have a right to the heavenly inheritance.
5. Thanks are to be given to God for regenerating
grace, 1 Pet. i. 3, 4. This is wholly owing to the free
grace and rich mercy of God; it is denied to be of
blood, or of the will of men, or of the will of the flesh;
but of God, of his sovereign grace and favour; who,
of his own will, begat us with the word of truth; and
the rather should we be thankful for this grace, since
without it there can be no enjoyment of eternal. life;
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God, James i. 18. John i. 13. and iii. 3.
6. Thanks are to be given as for a right to eternal
life; which lies not in the righteousness of men, but in
the righteousness of Christ; so for a meethess for it,
which is all of grace, Col. i. 12.
7. Thanks are to be given for victory over all spiritual
enemies; and so for persevering grace in faith and
holiness to glory, notwithstanding them all; nothing
more distressing than a body of sin and death, and
nothing more desirable than a deliverance from it; and
yet no hope of it but through Christ; and having hope
of it in this way, such a soul may say with the apostle,
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord/that is,
that there will be a deliverance from it; and not from
that only, but from every enemy, sin, law, and death;
and therefore can say, Thanks be to God, which giveth
us the victory; over death and the grave; over sin, the
sting of death; and over the law, the strength of sin;
so that nothing shall hinder an abundant entrance into
the kingdom and glory of God, Rom. vii. 23, 24. 1 Cor.
xv. 57.
Thirdly, For Christ, the great blessing of grace and
ift of God: Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable
2 Cor. ix. 15. the donor of this gift is God, of
are all things; hence Christ is called the g.ift of
God, by way of eminence, John iv. 10. who is a sove-
reign Being, and disposes of all his gifts, and so this,
to whomsoever he pleases; it is his own he gives, and
he may do with that what he will; and this is a gift like
himself, suitable to the greatness of his Majesty, as
King of kings; it is a royal gift, like that Araunah, as
a king, gave unto the king, 2 Sam. xxiv. 23. the ,gift is
the Son of God; To us a Son is given; the only be-
loootten Son of God, his own Son, the dear Son of his
re, his Son and Heir; him he has given to be for a
covenant of the people, the Mediator and Surety of
it, and with whom he has entrusted all the blessings
and promises of it; and to be an head over all things
to the church; and to be the Saviour of the body. the
church; even to be God's salvation unto the ends of
the earth; for which purpose he has not spared him,
but has delivered him up into the hands of men, justice,
and death; and for which those to and for whom he is
given, have reason to be thankful; when, besides these
things, the nature of the gift is observed. As,. .