as ſeaiunable to thele Theſſalonians to mnyuy t them under their p1 roſe ſufterings. The grounds of a Chriſtians Joy alwa ant he is not only to retain it in the habit, but co ms it with all 1 115 ſor FOWS,Q111 {ufferings, as I Pet. 1, 6, Te preas!y rejojer, thmgh jor p ſea fon bn; '" vineſs, Whereas carnal mirth is mist with fac lnels,. Prov. 14. 12. So that a Chriitian ought to rejyce in every Conc liion 1, not only in PE perity, but adveriity, _ eipecially when called to futter for right ouineſs ſake, 2s Mat. $. 12, 1 Pct 4. 12. It is not _— allowed es commanclec, This joy i 15 One great part of God's King 1 this Worid, Rom. 14. 17. much morc in tie Work! to come. And therefore the :\poſtle ſpeaks of reJoycing, CVCLINOTC, whcreas Muurts ing is but for a time, and ends to the Saints in this Lite,
17 Pray 72 without cealing 7.
2 This is a means to maintain our rejoycing, and therefore n«:! mentioned, Prayer iS a making known our req ueſts to God, 1 Ty 1 5s, And it is either menral in the heart only, as Fan bs was * * OF UVG- _ expreſt with the Voice: or as ſome add, vizal; { good works
ave a voice to bring down blefſings, as mens fins cry for 1 'CNgEANCes 1 Not 25 the Euchires and Meſſalians, of old, who hence thous)t no 0+
er duties were required, but always Praying ; but by the word in the
Tex t, 15 cither meant a praying without fainting, as in rh2 FACaINES Lite 13. 1, and which the Apoſtle calls a, pericverance in Prayer, Eph, 6.13, Col. 4.2. Te350zag]tgare, or Praying with Px, che greck word there imports, and lo not to faint, ſo Saws 2 £2 Ot
a praying in every thing,as Ph), 4. 6. In every thing Jer your requeit mad2 known, &c. Or, in every ſeaſon, as Eph. 6. 18. tO take | of © ſeaſons of Prayer. Or,in all ſeaſons and times, whether or bad yet ftill to Pray. Andall this is meant by the word in the 2c: ich is alſo uſed, Rom. 1, 9. 1 Thefſ. 1. 3. and 2. 13. and impiics in ww vat no more but a conftant courſe of Pr rayer, 6 Yager as that the courſe of it be not incerrupted by any diver itons, þ; allo to preſerve an heart diſpoſed to pray af. ll rimes ; amnu to num: ejaculatory prayers with the leveral actions of our lives; Our vv continual,aud God will be acknowle (Jood wall our tupphes, aud tic fore we ought to pray continually, |
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15 * In every thing give thanks o - for this is the will of God p in Chriff Jeſs q concerning you r.
o When we had obtained mercy by Prayer, then we are to vi? thanks, and whatever we may pray for, that we 6aght to gIVE (12 for. And to by that underſtand and limit the general e xprefion in th 1ext, Weare not to give thanks when we fall into ti n, tor that we
0!ght not to pray tor, Yet if we have the pardon of it, or g<t an! '"Z0OC 1 by it, we ſhould then zive thanks ; and ſo may be ſaid conc: rnung at A ton, We are to give thanks | in every condition, cither- of Pro! PErit y or adyertity. And with all our ſupplications, 'w<- are to join thankli:|- vings, Phtl, 4.6. Col. 4. 2. and thanklp, iving properly refers to ſomes mercy received, whether privative or poſitive,temporal or ſpiritual, vate or publick, and we are in all thele to give thanks. "Though prai- ng God may reach further, which is to adore the Excellencies of 1s Being as they are glorious in themſelves, or the EXC of his
works as they are in | themſelves praiſe worthy. Ani 1 hankſgiving fo ny received is, 1. A taking notice of it as candy from God.
2, Setting a due value upon it. 3. A ſenſe of God's goodneſs and our
OWn unworthineſs. 4. Praiting him for it, p Some carry this as a mo- e toall the preceding duties, but rather to this laſt mentioned : As
if this was 1 ſpecial the Will of God ; being a duty ſo much to his own lory and our 'good, and by will we muſt by a Metonymis underſtand
nature 701 written, which 1s part of God's NOW I he Heathen are re
proved for not being thankful, Rom. 1, 21. and they made Laws ty auniſh it, and accounted it the greateſt reproach, moratum * #txe12. mnt dixeris, anc! by the Law of (0d that is written, | he moral Law
requires it, and the Ceremonial Law required offerings by way
thankſgiving 3 which we call gratulatory, Ar > the Gol, ie SATINT
it being one of the GolÞel Sacrinccs, Heb. 17. 15.1 | pleaſe Ih the Tor netter than the greate f of thi legal Sacrifices, PC o, 65. 3042 ts ant it DEINg fail fo be the 17 7of Gol inthe | ext, it "1 m KC e&us Do pleaitmns 0 him. q Either meant 25 this will of his is fgnifed to 1 by him, o
only by the Law of nature, or of Mifes, but by Chrift. Jcjus, ant it may be of preater force "POO Chriſt ins 9H beriby it 1; to belootet upon as one of the Cumman.iments of C h;7:ft t allo, Or we may unacr- ſtand it, 1p0#r the account of Chriſt, and the wn - 20 In wh
| hous oh Thankigiving is due for the leatt myrey, yet Gatl's *vill e
cially 1 requires It with | reſpect to Chrift. And to cfpeciaily or Chriſt i-
at lo! re OI
ans Who partal: C OI i Chriſt, and the love of Goii in him: as. the Apo- tle here adds, &5 uuas. 7 Or, rrrirds you in Tpecial, the Heathen were obliged to thanktulnceſs for Rain Go Heaven, at truictul ſea [0ns, theſecommon bleſſings ; much mo;c are Cluiftians for the f1- cial bletiings they receive by Chriſt Jclus,
19 * Quench not the ipirir /. J That ye may be enahlel to pray and give thanks, as Þ-for?, 2 21. not the Spirit, Andby the figure AJ j0/s te wean che ih the opirir, The ſpirit is compared to Fi:e, Mar, 4. 11, and he came « the Apoſtles in the ftoilitude of 1 ongues of Fire, Acts 2, 2, Pi ſpirithimfelf cannot be quenched, he means it therefore of lis &itrs and operations ; which are either ordinary or cytraortinary, Many had extraordinary gitts n_ the primitive tim = of hea!in: ; government, Þ! rophecy, ©c, thoſe that ha WIENOUE quottion ſhould have taken care not, by any fault of th-ir own,to lole them, E1-
4©< C 3C 1,
pecially that ot prophette, which the A Ol we prefers | before ail others, 1 Cor, 14. 1. and mentions here in-the following veric, an ! the Apottle exhorted 74morhy to ſtir up in himivit, 2 Tim, x. 6, As ww
ſtir up the Fire to quicken it, ſo the word &ref@ric imports, | itt
like is required of Miniſters with reſpect toi het Minifieral gifts v are now giren, But there are or 4i7ary gitts and operations or-th rit common to all Chriſtians, as cnlightning, Guicinin::, comforting, the >oul; men by Mor! cority, carthly incu