Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/329

 Rh wonderful deliverances vouchsafed to our forefathers time out of mind, those to our immediate parents, and those to ourselves without number? Let these reflections, my brethren, be a spur to all noble and generous exercises; and as God hath thought fit to distinguish us by his miraculous care and protection, and hath increased our family considerably, let us distinguish ourselves by our virtue, and our zeal for his service. Let our eyes, instructed to survey higher objects, overlook the dazzling and false grandeur of the world, pierce through the clouds and vapors which intercept, and fix upon the Sun of Righteousness only. Let our hearts admit of no affections or passions to the prejudice of those which are due to our great Deliverer, and let the whole man, body and soul, be dedicated to his service. Let us, as the Apostle in the text enjoins, with one heart and one mind glorify God. Let us, upon no trivial occasion, omit assembling ourselves together, for God, without exception of one more than the other, in the day that our enemies pressed sore upon us, delivered us all; and shall any of us be backward to return him thanks? No, certainly; I hope better things of you, my brethren, and that none of you can be so degenerate as to return his loving-kindness thus with ingratitude.

It is the joy and happiness of angels, and their continual exercise by praise and thanksgiving, to glorify the Lord of the whole universe. Why may not we take the opportunity to imitate them, by joining our hearts and voices to the heavenly chorus? Our deliverances have been wonderful and miraculous, and why may not our thanks be accompanied with rapture? Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name. Let the people praise thee, O God; yea, let all the people praise thee. These should be upon all