SERM. fuch pride, and fo much engroffed with XIV. his present happy circumftances, that he forgot the great Author of all his happiness. Strange corruption of the human heart! ftrange perverfion of the Divine bounty! that those very gifts which ought to raise our minds in gratitude to God, should have the contrary effect to withdraw our hearts. from him! Thus then it appears, that it is neither a mind dejected with forrow, nor elated. with profperity, which is in the most proper difpofition for praifing God. But the mind is then moft difpofed for this facred exercise, when it is in a calm and ferene state, capable of reflecting upon its manifold mercies, and of looking up to the great Giver of them all. To proceed : 3dly, Another great obftacle to the exercise of thanksgiving and praise, is a kind of discontent, or at least a want of full fatisfaction with our prefent condition. This is too common among a great part of mankind. Men are prone to place their happiness in the abundance of worldly things, and few, perhaps very few, think that they are already in poffeffion of that abundance XIV. abundance which is neceffary to full con- SER M. tentment. Hence a certain degree of diffatisfaction with what they enjoy at prefent. There is fomething wanting,-fomething yet unattained, which, could they once attain, they flatter themselves would go near to complete their happiness. But this fomething unpoffeffed, unenjoyed, fpoils the relish of the numberless good things they already enjoy. While under the power of those uneafy feelings, they are incapable of fetting a juft value on the materials for happiness which they have already in their poffeffion. Indeed the least reflection may easily convince every one, that while he is in this diffatisfied state of mind, it is impoffible to entertain that lively and affecting sense of the Divine bounty which is due to the many undeserved mercies we enjoy, and have enjoyed, through the various ftages of life. 4thly and lastly, Another cause of men's ingratitude to God, is their partiality for themselves, arifing from their self-love and vanity. The greatest part of mankind are apt to think of themselves with a fondness and XIV. SERM. and partiality which make them prefer themselves to others, while there is no real ground for fuch preference. When therefore they fee others whom they look upon as not fuperior, nay not equal to themselves in point of worth,-when they fee fuch perfons in more flourishing and fplendid circumftances than themselves, they murmur and repine that they are not treated according to the estimate they fet on themselves. Though poffeffed, therefore, of a variety of enjoyments, they are unfatisfied and unhappy. And while they look up with an envious eye to thofe above them, they overlook their own enjoyments, and become quite infenfible of their many and great obligations to the Divine benignity, which has given them many good things richly to enjoy; nay, all the good things neceffary to the real happiness of human life. These then are a few of the chief fources of the unthankfulness of men to Divine Providence, even when they are loaded with its benefits. These things are not fpeculations. They are fad realities. They fre quently Let us XIV. quently and effectually damp the fpirit of SERM, gratitude both to God and men. therefore be upon our guard against these and every other hindrance to our religious gratitude and praise. Let us look upon them as the fecret enemies of our piety and of our happiness. The truly thankful man, and he only, is the truly happy man. SERMON XV. Motives to Religious Gratitude. SERM. PSALM Cvii. 8. Ob! that men would praife the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. LUKE, xvii. 17, 18. And Jefus anfwering faid, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found who have returned to give glory to God, fave this firanger. I NOW proceed to direct your thoughts to the practical improvement of what was fuggefted in the two former Difcourfes. In the first place, Is gratitude to God a reasonable, an excellent, a delightful exercife of the foul? and is it attended with great, |