days be an unprofitable servant. I had nothing to recommend me to his favour, nor was the conti nuance of my guilty being of the smallest possible moment for his glory or happiness. "The wages of sin is death" and my sins have been more than I can number. Why was I thus preserved? But life is the least of the blessings which we owe to the condescension and long-suffering of our God. He pitied us in our wretched and desperate condition, and opened our eyes to see the light of his Gospel. He turned our hearts to obey his will, and made us to taste of the blessedness of his service. He bore with all our provocations, and pardoned our constant ingratitude; and when we had rebelled wilfully against him, he sought us, and brought us back, and revived again the vital warmthi which was almost extinguished in our bosoms. He chastened us for our iniquities, that we might remember and sin no more; and in the midst of suffering he cheered and comforted our drooping spirits; and in every situation and under every vis cissitude he has been with us and blessed us, and taught our trembling steps to move in the right path, and raised our hearts to love his will, and understand his righteousness, and hope for his glory Is there in the universe an understanding so perverse, that it can hear these things, and not acknowledge the loving kindness of the Lord? Is there a heart so insensible; that it can consider them, and still be unthankful?

There is yet another cause for gratitude which

will ever be cherished with peculiar feeling by all who have the happiness in any measure to experience it. Are we sensible, can we entertain an humble hope, that, through the directing and vital influence of the Spirit of God, we have made some advances in holiness, and are daily more and more "transformed by the renewing of our minds, to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God?" Undoubtedly the best will always entertain the deepest sense of their own unworthiness, and be slow to be convinced that they have made any considerable progress in the Christian life. But no one, who is diligent to watch the motions of his soul can be wholly ignorant of the changes which are wrought in it, whether for good or evil; and the deep anxiety which is felt by every advanced Christian to be entirely conformed to the image of his Saviour, will make him recognize, with the most lively sensibility and thankfulness, every, even the smallest indication of spiritual improvement. It is evident, from the writings of St. Paul, that the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit on his heart were the subject of his continual rejoicing and gratitude. He knew them; he spoke of them; not in the language of exultation or complacency, but in the deepest self-abasement, recognizing and adoring the unmerited mercies of his God. How should it be otherwise? Can we receive the best gifts of our Heavenly Father without even knowing that he bestows them? Can his power be exerted in its most glorious operations, yet leave no distinctive

traces of its energy? But the very supposition excludes the idea of a sinful elation of mind. Humility is the unfailing companion of true sanctification. And consider what it is that sanctification implies. It implies the reduction or discipline of all our appetites; the expulsion of every unkind and resentful passion; the exile of pride and vanity; the mortification of all those affections by which we are powerfully attracted towards the pleasures, the honours, and vain gratifications of this life. It implies the communication of faith and holy fortitude; the diffusion through the soul of every generous, gentle, and affectionate disposition; and such a constant growth in the knowledge and love of God, as shall make us to delight continually more and more in the performance of his will and the contemplation of his perfections; "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity; and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." The greatest blessings naturally awaken the deepest thankfulness; and what are the blessings which, singly, or in union, can be compared with deliverance from the slavery of sin and the communication of a Divine nature? The Christian must feel them, and feeling he must rejoice with grateful adoration. But his gratitude will be rooted in the deepest humility; and he will ever delight to abase himself that he may glorify his Heavenly Bene factor.

And yet, after all, something must be allowed to human infirmity. For the present, we are unavoidably conversant with earthly things; and these by their frequent recurrence, as well as from the imperfection of our nature, will, especially in early life, very considerably affect our happiness. It is a matter, therefore, both of wisdom and duty, to accustom ourselves habitually to consider not only our chief spiritual privileges and mercies, but also our ordinary temporal enjoyments, as flowing from the bounty of God; that the idea of his beneficence may be associated with the whole system of life, and a perpetual spring of thankfulness be cherished in our bosoms. More especially if there are any blessings peculiarly dear to us, to which our thoughts are often involuntarily directed, and which have acquired, by their excellence, a just pre-eminence in our affections, it is highly necessary that we connect them, by pious reflections and frequent aspirations of gratitude, with the great Author of all things. Whatever they are, from him undoubtedly they proceed, and by his mercy only are they preserved to us. In themselves they are but vanity; short in their duration, uncertain in their continuance, and even dangerous in proportion to the ascendancy they acquire over us. Contemplated as his gifts, they assume in some measure a sacred character; they render the exercise of a thankful piety familiar and delightful; and connecting themselves with hopes and prospects beyond the grave, instead of drawing down the soul to this world, the

scene of their infancy, they raise it by an easy flight to those better regions, where happiness shall know neither interruption nor anxiety, is without alloy and without end. The image of our Maker, which, seen in its own glory, appears almost too bright for our weakness, when reflected from the blessings which he has given us, assumes a gracious, benign, and endearing aspect; we acquire the power and the habit of committing whatever is most dear to us with a cheerful faith to his parental providence; and see, in his perfect wisdom and goodness, the source, the security, and the consummation of all our happiness.

Enough has been said of the motives to thankfulness let us now consider the blessedness which attends it.

It is certainly the highest excellence of this grace, and that which ought to constitute its greatest value in our eyes, that we know it to be peculiarly acceptable to God. Other privileges belong to it, and well deserve our admiration ; but this is its real glory. For God is the only true fountain of honour, and his approbation the only unquestionable test of perfection. Deep, constant, fervent thankfulness, has been in every age the service which he has asked, and which his saints have delighted to render. It is a free-will offering, the homage of the heart, better than the most costly sacrifices and oblations. It is a spiritual exercise, the proper worship of a spiritual religion. It is the language of the Church on earth; " Bless the Lord, O house