5 Marks of True and False Gratitude
Richard Baxter (1615–1691) was a pastor, author, and theologian. He was passionate about the gospel, loved his small flock well, and always preached “as a dying man to dying men.”
In A Christian Directory, Baxter writes of 5 ways to distinguish between true and false gratitude.
True thankfulness to God is discerned from counterfeit by these qualifications:
True thankfulness, having a just estimate of mercies comparatively, prefers spiritual and everlasting mercies before those that are merely corporal and transitory. But carnal thankfulness chiefly values carnal mercies, though notionally it may confess that the spiritual are the greater.
True thankfulness inclines the soul to a spiritual rejoicing in God and to desire after more of his spiritual mercies. But carnal thankfulness is only a delight in the prosperity of the flesh or the delusion and carnal security of the mind, inclining men to carnal, empty mirth and to a desire of more such fleshly pleasure.
True thankfulness kindles in the heart a love to the giver above the gift, or at least a love to God above our carnal prosperity and pleasure, and brings the heart still nearer unto God in all his mercies.
True thankfulness inclines us to obey and please him that obliges us by his benefits. But carnal thankfulness puts God off with the hypocritical, compliment thanks of the lips and spends the mercy in the pleasing of the flesh and makes it but the fuel of lust and sin.
True thankfulness to God is necessarily transcendent…and causes the thankful person to devote himself and all that he has to God, to answer so great an obligation. But carnal thankfulness falls short this absolute and total dedication and still leaves the sinner in the power of self-love, devoting himself (really) to himself, and using all that he has or is to the pleasing of the fleshly mind.