1st, God, who is the author of all thy mercies and deliverances, gives you tongues for this very end, that you may bless and praise him for these mercies, James 3:9.  Hence man’s tongue is called his glory above the rest of the creatures, Psalms 47:8.  There is none in the creation so endued and qualified for praising God as man is.  Angels have reason and minds, whereby they adore and admire God’s goodness and excellency, but have no tongues to praise him; beasts have tongues, but without speech or reason to use them; but man hath both reason and speech, that he may both admire God’s goodness, and with his tongue sound forth God’s praise.  See then, O believer, that you use your tongue to answer the end of your creation.  God loseth his due rent of praise from the rest of the world, but he expects it from his children, whom he hath formed for this end, and on whom he hath bestowed many distinguishing favours.
     2ndly, The sacrifice of thanksgiving is most pleasing and acceptable to God.  He loves your tears and prayers, O believer, but much more your praises.  How well pleased was our Lord with the poor leper Samaritan, that returned and gave him thanks for curing his bodily distemper! Luke 17.  He dismissed him with a special blessing, and cured him of his soul’s diseases, as well as of his body’s.
     3rdly, Consider that thankfulness for any mercy received is a most profitable course for yourself; for it is the way to get more and better blessings bestowed upon you, according to Psalms 57:5-6. “Let the people praise thee, O God: then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.”  Thanksgiving for former mercies is a kindly way of petitioning for new favours, and God will understand it in this sense.
                                                                                                                               Reverend John Willison