is doing, and will everlastingly do, to his church and people; I would beg to call the regenerated child of God, (and it is of such only I speak) to the consideration of the peculiar privilege and blessedness, which every one of this description becomes interested in, from being enabled to bless Jehovah for what he is in himself. And, indeed, it is not more a claim, than it is a matter of heartfelt joy, when we can and do bless God for his own transcendant glory. For this riseth above all his works, and above all his love tokens, to his people. God is infinitely good, and infinitely gracious; but his nature and being, which gives source to those actions, is of necessity higher, just as much as the cause transcends the effect. Moreover, when we can, and do, bless God, on his own account, it becomes the truest mark of sonship. For the whole creation of God, may be said, in a certain sense, to praise him, for they praise him passively. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handy work." Psalm xix. 1. But the Holy Ghost, by David, hath drawn a line of distinction, when he saith, “all thy works shall praise thee, O Lord!" but he adds, thy saints shall bless thee." And who but a saint of God can say, it matters not what becomes of me, and of the whole creation of God, let God be but praised: and puts his hearty amen, to every thing which relates to the divine glory, without an eye to himself? Here is a true mark of a saint of God. 2 Sam. xv. 26.

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SECONDLY.-Scriptures for blessing and praising God in his Trinity of Persons, for what he hath done, is doing, and will everlastingly do to his church and people.

I begin this head of division, in gathering scriptures, for the adoration of Jehovah in his Trinity of Persons, as I did the former, with a representation the Holy Ghost himself hath given of the church of God on this

point, blessing God for the grace shewn his people; as the other was for the glory in himself. Thus, in the vision John saw of the throne of God, and the church around. Rev. v. 6-8.

"And they sung a new song; saying, thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." Rev. v. 9.

"Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Rev. v. 13.

"Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb! Amen. Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever." Amen. Rev. vii. 10-12.

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly places, in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will; to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved." Ephes. i. 3-6.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away; reserved in heaven for them who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Pet. i. 3-5.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits! Who forgiveth all thine

iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm ciii. 1—5.

"We give thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." Colos. i. 12.

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May grace and peace be, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come: and from the seven spirits which are before his throne; and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth: unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father: to him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen." Rev. i. 4—6.

"Blessed be God, that after the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, and not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus iii. 4-7.

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people! And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David: as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began; that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath

which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life." Luke i. 68-75.

"We bless God, because happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God; which made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that therein is, which keepeth truth for ever." Psalm cxlvi. 5, 6.

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High! To shew forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night." Psalm xcii. 1, 2. Deut. vii. 9. Psalm ix. 1, 2.

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"O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name, for thou hast done wonderful things." Isaiah xxv. 1.

"O sing praises, sing praises to God, sing praises unto our King; sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing ye praises with understanding." Psalm xlvii. 6, 7.

And to add no more. As God the Holy Ghost furnisheth us with that beautiful vision referred to, Rev. v. 6-9. of the church adoring God and the Lamb, with which I opened this part; so hath the same gracious Lord drawn as lively a picture of the whole creation of God, as engaged in the same employment. Psalm cxlviii. throughout.

"Praise ye the Lord! praise ye the Lord from the heavens! praise him in the heights! praise ye him all his angels! praise ye him all his hosts! Praise ye him sun and moon; praise him all ye stars of light. Praise him ye heaven of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord; for he commanded, and they were created: he hath also established them for ever and ever: he hath made

a decree which shall not pass. Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons and all deeps; fire and hail, snow and vapors; stormy wind fulfilling his word. Mountains and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars; beasts and all cattle; creeping things and flying fowls: kings of the earth and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth; both young men and maidens, old men and children; let them praise the name of the Lord; for his name alone is excellent: his glory is above the earth and heaven. He also exalteth the horn of his people; the praise of all his saints, even of the children of Israel; a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord."

I hope that I have gathered enough, by way of sample, from the holy scriptures, to shew the plentiful provision that is there made, under the second particular, as well as in the former for the regenerated child of God, (and it is of such only I speak) to frame suitable expressions for approaching the throne of grace, in blessing and praising God; for what he hath done, is doing, and will everlastingly do for his church and people. And before I prosecute the subject further, I would entreat him to pause over what is here brought before him; and, looking up to the Lord for his decision, say, whether there can be any form of words like God's own words, to speak to God, of what God hath first said to us, of the great love wherewith he hath loved us; and that his mercy endureth for ever? Can there be any plan equal to open, and keep open, a perpetual communion between the Lord in his Trinity of Persons, and his people, than what is here done, in those, and the numberless other scriptures of the same kind, which are furnished from the Lord himself in his holy scriptures, that we may come before the Lord, "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." 1 Cor. ii. 13.