The third, and last part of Prayer is Thanksgiving: This (according to the method proposed) may be connected with the former, by some fitting Transition, which for the matter of it, may consist of some such considerations as these.
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Our confidence of obtaining the things we petition for, by our experience of former mercies; though they are many and great things, which we are suiters for, yet when we reflect upon Gods continual bounty towards us, and how much we do every day receive from him, we have no reason to doubt of his favour, but still to depend upon him in every condition.
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The danger of ingratitude, in hindering the successe of our petitions: He that is not careful to pay his old debts, cannot expect so much credit, as to run upon a new score. Under the Law, when any one came before God, to make any special request for himself, he was to bring with him a peace-offering, that is, an offering of thanks for the favours he had already enjoyed, thereby to prepare himself for what he expected.
The matter of our Thanksgiving is reducible to these two general heads. 1. The Enumeration of mercies. 2. The Amplification, or heightning of them.
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In our Enumeration of mercies, those particulars before mentioned in our Confessions, Deprecations, Petitions, will each of them administer some help, both in respect of matter & expression, according as our conditions may be in respect of freedom, or deliverance from those evils which we confesse, or deprecate, or the enjoyment of those good things which we have petitioned for, and upon this account, I shall not need to be so large upon this head as the former.
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The Amplification or heightning of mercies may be either in General, by their multitude, greatnesse, continuance, which is capable of a distinct enlargement by its self. Or else in particular, by their circumstances, degrees, contraries, which are to be insisted upon in the mention of those particular mercies to which they belong.
In the Enumeration of mercies, we are to take notice of those that are either Ordinary. Occasional.
By Ordinary I understand such as we enjoy in our common course, without relation to any particular necessity, or deliverance; these again are either Temporal. Spiritual. Temporal, are those which concern our well-beings in this life, as we are men, whether in our Private Publick capacities.
The Private, or personal favours, which we are to acknowledge, do belong, either Generally to the whole man, in respect of his being, nature, birth, education, preservation; or more Particularly in regard of his Soul, Body, Friends, Name, Estate.
In the recital of the mercies which we enjoy, we are not to be unmindeful of those common favours which are bestowed upon us; in respect
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Of our Creation and Beings, that God did not suffer us to beswallow’d up in our primitive nothing
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Our noble Natures, that we were not made senslesse things, but endowed with living souls, Men, and not beasts. He might have made us wormes and no men; of a despicable, perishable condition, whereas he hath created us after his own image, but little lower then the Angels, (Ps. 8.5, 6) capable of injoying eternity with himself in the heavens; Crowning us with glory and honour, putting all things in subjection under our feet.
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Our Birth, that we are free-born, not slaves; of generous, not base and ignominious parentage; that we were brought forth in a place and time of Religion. He might have sent us into the world without the pale of the Church, in some place of idolatry, or ignorance; amongst the blaspheming Turks, or wilde Americans; We might have been born in those bloody times of persecution and martyrdom: And therefore we have reason to acknowledge it for a great mercy, that he hath brought us into this world, both when and where his Gospel hath been professed and flourished.
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Our Education, by honest, loving, careful Parents and Tutors; under good Magistrates, pious Ministers, in Religious families: We might have been forlorn, & exposed to the wide world, as many others are, following the dictates of our own corrupt natures, without any restraint upon us: We might have been put under the Tuition of such Governours, as by their Negligence, Example, Advice, would have encouraged us in evil courses; and therefore we ought to acknowledge it for a great mercy, that we have had such Religious, and ingenuous education.
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Our Preservation: God might have cut us off in the womb, and being children of wrath, he might from thence have cast us into hell, and therefore we have reason to praise him; in that he hath covered us in our mothers womb, (Psal. 139.13, 14) where we were fearfully and wonderfully made, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth: Being cloathed with skin, and flesh, fenced with bones and sinews:1 Where he granted us life and favour, and by his visitation hath preserved our spirits. He took us out of the womb, (Ps. 22.9, 10) and made us hope when we were yet on our mothers breasts; We were cast upon him from the womb, and he is our God from our mothers belly: He might many times since justly have snatched us out of this world, with our sins, and fears upon us: It is from the Lords mercies that we are not yet consumed, because his compassions faile not.2