Deuteronomy 26

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XXVI.—God faithfully and exactly fulfils his promises, even to the most unworthy. And a grateful acknowledgment thereof, and of our own meanness and guilt, is but a just tribute to him for his goodness. Past deliverances, granted to ourselves or others, ought never to be forgotten: and all our gifts of providence, as well as of redemption, must be acknowledged as coming from God’s hand. The first and best therefore of all that we have ought to be offered up to his service; and our earthly blessings will then be doubly sweet to us when we receive them as coming to us from God’s mercy and love. Let our distributions to the Lord’s ministers and poor be such as we can answer for at the judgment seat of God. Faithfulness in these will draw his blessing on our enjoyments: but, if we rob him in them, we may expect his curse on our basket and on our store. Let us then be hearty friends and well-wishers to the welfare of his church and people. Let our covenant relation to God, our solemn obligation to it, and the honours which he has given or promised to us, excite us to me most exact and universal obedience to his laws