96 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 3.
therein. Not bis affection, but bis judgment inclined bim to tbink so ; tbe cburcb of tbe Tbessalonians and every member tbereof bad given sucb real and evident signs of tbe grace of God in them, tbat be was bound to give God special tbanks for tbis grace. Tbe gospel batb and may be blessed in some places, so fju- tbat all tbe members of particular cburcbes bave given positive evidences of true grace in them, and tbat to the most discerning christians, and tbose v\'bo were best able to judge. It is yet possible, and therefore why should we not endeavour after it? It is meet for me to judge so; I hope you are so ; therefore I count myself bound to give tbanks to God. From this preface four points are observable —
1. Tbat it is a debt we owe to God to give thanks for his benefits.
2. Tbat in thanksgiving to God we should specially own his spiritual benefits.
3. Tbat not only the spiritual benefits vouchsafed to ourselves, but to others also, must be acknowledged with thankfulness.
4. Tbat in thanksgiving for spiritual benefits, whether to ourselves or others, the increase of grace must be acknowledged, as well as the beginnings of it.
In the former epistle he gave tbanks to God for their faith and love, here for the increase and growth of both, ' Your faith groweth exceed- ingl}^, and your love aboundetb.'
Doct. 1. That it is a debt we owe to God to give thanks for his benefits.
Paul saith here not only, ' We do,' but, * We are bound.'
1, Justice requireth it, for the benefits were given upon this condi- tion, that we should praise God for them : Ps. 1. 15, ' Call upon me in tbe day of trouble ; I will deliver thee, and thou sbalt glorify me.' Tbis is God's pact and agreement with us, that we shall bave the bene- fit, and be will have the glory. As the king of Sodom said to Abraham, Give me the persons, and take tbe goods to thyself again. Gen. xiv. 21 ; so in effect God saith to us. You shall have the comfort, but let me have the honour. We ourselves consent to tbis covenant ; we seldom make prayers in our distress but we promise thankfulness : Hosea xiv. 2, ' Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously, so will we render the calves of our lips.' We engage to offer praise when our requests are beard. Now, when God bearetb and granteth our requests, there is an obligation upon us to glorify God for the mercies received. But now, though God be sougbt to in our necessities, tbere is no more mention of bim when our turns are served. We are forward in suppli- cations, but backward in gratulations. All tbe lepers could beg bealtb, yet ' But one returned to give God the glory,' Luke xvii. 18. Surely we should be as much affected, orratber more, in receiving the mercies tban we were in asking them ; for before we only knew tbem by guess and imagination, but then by actual feeling or experience of the com- fort of them. But chiefly the argument is, that justice requireth it. It is a kind of theft, and unjust detention of what is another's, if in our necessities we crave help, and afterward tbere is no more mention of God than as if we bad these blessings from ourselves.
2. God by his precept commanding it and we in our distress pro- mising it, he expecteth that there should be thankful returns of tbe
SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 3. 97
mercies afforded to us. That is the second argument, God's expectatioa ; which must he interpreted OeoTrpeTrco^, hecomiug the excellency of his being. One may be said to expect a thing dejure, rightfully, or de facto, really and actually. God knowetli that he hath to do with unthankful creatures, and that the stupid world will not take notice of his kind- ness ; therefore de facto, actually, he expectetli no more than is given him. having a full and clear prospect of all future events ; hut dejure, of right, he might expect. So these expressions are to be interpreted : Luke xiii. 7, ' These three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none.' So Isa. v. 4, ' When I looked it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes.' So we may fail his expectation, but still to our loss : 2 Chron. xxxii. 25, ' Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was lifted up ; therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judali and Jerusalem.' All our receipts call for a return, and a return suitable, which if we })erform not, God's wi-ath is kindled against us, and therefore a good man should make conscience of his returns : Ps. cxvi. 12, ' What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me ? '
3. It keepeth up the intercourse between us and God, which would be interrupted and broken off if we should discontinue our addresses to him as soon as we have what we would have, and when our wants are supplied God should hear no more from us. By the laws of Ezekiel's temple, the worshippers were so required to go in at one door and out at another, that none of them might at any time turn their backs upon the mercy-seat, Ezek. xlvi. 9, but which way soever they entered they were to go away rigbt against it. God cannot endure men should turn their backs upon him when their turn is served. Prayer and praise still keep up communion and familiarity witb God, that still there may be a commerce between us and him, by asking all things, and taking all things out of his hands. Prayer and praise are our continual work : Heb. xiii. 15, ' By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise con- tinually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks unto his name.' The supreme benefactor and fountain of all goodness must still be owned ; there must be a constant course in it. Some mercies are so general and beneficial that they should be remembered before God every day ; and God is still blessing his people, and by new mercies giving new matter of praise and thanksgiving.