everlasting advancement in perfection and joy...

It is, of course, Thanksgiving week.  In the busyness and, for many, stress, of the "Holiday Season" it is, ironically, often the most difficult time to pause to offer thanks.  This week, excerpts from Thanksgiving Sermons beginning with Abiel Abbot. 

"THANKSGIVING

"I. Chronicles, xxix. 13. "Now, therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name."

IV. In calling to our minds some of the subjects of grateful thanksgiving this day, let me in the fourth and last place, mention the mercy of the gospel, the greatest blessing of Heaven to man. O that we had a heart in due degree' to estimate it! Other blessings chiefly regard our comfort, our outward welfare through this brief life; and are things, which perish with the using. The design of the gospel is to purify and exalt our nature; to provide, in the renovation of the heart, a durable foundation of happiness and joy. It is a blessing greater than all others to a community ; it promotes the love and practice of righteousness, renders magistrates just men, fearing God and hating covetousness, and the people submissive to wholesome laws, not only for wrath, but for conscience sake. Its higher office is to open to our view a glorious immortality. It is the counsel of God for our salvation from sin and misery, and our everlasting advancement in perfection and joy...

In offering thanksgiving to God this day, let us remember with the deepest emotion his unspeakable gift to the world and to us, and bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. O may each one of this assembly long and strive to praise him with that glowing joy and gratitude, which transport the real subjects of his grace... Continually let us pray, " Our Father who art in heaven ; thy kingdom come. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen,

Blessings

soberly, righteously, and godly...

In his memoir it is written of Abiel Abbot that "It was his constant aim to keep alive in his parish a temperate tone of serious piety, equally removed from indifference and fanaticism. " His "The Grace of God Bringing Salvation" continued:

2. "For what excellent purpose this grace was given. "

There are many, who are much inclined to put a period at the end of the first verse of the text, where the apostle intended only a comma.(see yesterday's post) They would consider the sense complete in that verse; but the apostle considers what follows as necessary to complete the meaning. They conclude, that, because the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath shined forth unto all men, all men must be saved. This is pleasing doctrine to men., determined to continue in sin. But it is doctrine, supported only by fragments of scripture wrested from their connexion. We learn, by the following words of the apostle, that the excellent design of the grace of God is to form the sinner into a holy character, as previously necessary to his enjoyment of salvation. " For the grace of God teacheth us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world."— What God hath joined together, never let man put asunder.—It is the grace of God, which bringeth salvation to men, yet it is by means of subduing their corruptions, and making them holy; it is by rescuing them from their sins, not saving them in them. And the apostle does not speak in general terms; he mentions particularly that ungodliness must be denied or renounced. By " ungodliness," we may understand the denial of the existence of God, or of his perfections, or of his government of the world, or of his righteous retribution in the world to come. This degree of ungodliness savours of atheism, and is impiety of the highest order. But there is ungodliness also in neglecting to worship God; in disregarding the manifestation of his will in divine revelation ; in profaning his name, and in speaking irreverently of his providence. These all are sins peculiarly against God, having direct respect to his person. They must be wholly renounced, before there can be the least hope of the salvation, which the grace of God bringeth.

Worldly lusts, also, must be denied. Under these terms are comprehended intemperance, anger, malice, revenge, which are so shockingly common in the world. They imply, also, the immoderate love of those three great idols of the world, riches, power, and fame, to which such multitudes are daily bowing down, in a manner, which makes it very manifest, that there is nothing which they regard in an equal degree. These, too, must be renounced, as productive of misery, and tending to ruin, and as inconsistent with the enjoyment of that salvation, which the grace of God bringeth.

The apostle proceeds to mention, more particularly, that this grace of God teaches us to live soberly. By sobriety, we understand the habit of self-government; the uniform restraint of the appetites, within such limits as reason and the Gospel prescribe ; as also the passions and affections, carefully avoiding all sinful irregularities and excess. The grace of God also teaches —to live righteously. By righteousness, we understand the habit of conducting equitably in all our relations to men ; that we abstain from injuries to them, in their persons, reputation, and fortunes ; that we fulfil the various duties we owe to them, in all our relations and stations in society ; sacredly performing our covenants and promises, in secular and spiritual concerns, and doing, in one word, unto all men, whatsoever we could reasonably desire, in exchange of circumstances, that they should do unto us. The Hebrews considered charity a branch of righteousness;—for saith the psalmist, " He hath dispersed; he hath given to the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever."

There is a third branch of christian duty, which the apostle proceeds to mention, as taught by the grace of God, which bringeth salvation.—We must live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world. Godliness, or piety, is the duty, which we owe to God; and " consists in that high veneration, and those just conceptions, which we should entertain of the Supreme Being, and these expressed by prayer and thanksgiving ; by loving and fearing him ; by putting our trust in him, and submitting ourselves to his blessed will, in all events." Now when we seriously consider the doctrine which the grace of God teaches; the excellency of that character, which it is intended to form, subduing the corruptions of the human heart, reforming the vices and errors of human conduct, and teaching to fulfil the duties of those three grand relations, in which we stand, to ourselves, to our fellow men, and to God ; how precious, and worthy of all gratitude and praise, is that grace in this single point of view ! It tends to render us healthful in body, and at ease in mind, a blessing to our fellow-men, at peace with God, and exalted into a holy communion and friendship with him. If there be a happy man on earth, it is he who is the subject of that grace; who submits himself to this divine teaching; who renounces ungodliness and worldly lusts, and lives soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. " Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them." But the comforts, which immediately flow from sobriety, righteousness, and godliness, are but the beginning of the salvation, mentioned in the text; comforts often interrupted by the afflictions of life, often by a bad frame, and the great imperfection of the graces even of the best."

blessings

to shine forth as the sun...

Abiel Abbot was never a very well man.  His body sometimes did not support the deep dedication of his heart and mind to his congregation.  But "The mode of [his] preaching," it is recorded in his memoirs, "was eminently practical. Religion was with him a deep personal feeling, founded on a delicate and tender sense of the divine mercies. It was this feeling, that he laboured to inspire in others. Hence his preaching was characterized by the closeness of its application to the heart and conduct, and its topics often suggested by passing events in his parish. An intimate acquaintance with the situation and wants of his hearers was the source of his successful appeals from the pulpit."  His sermon, "The Grace of God Bringing Salvation" continued:

"For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men..."  Titus

"1. This weighty passage declares the wonderful grace of God in the Gospel, and the universality of it. "The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men." 'We perceive, that the grace of God is the original cause of . salvation ; there was none to move him to his purpose of mercy ; he was self moved. He so loved the world, as to provide for its salvation. The motive, the scheme, the whole was of God ; the party offended was the first to seek reconciliation. How benign and paternal appears his character. Has it not been without due respect to the text, and similar passages, which are innumerable, that God has been represented as wrathful and vengeful towards sinners, till pacified by the more merciful son ? It is quite observable, that in all the passages of scripture, where reconciliation is mentioned, the reconciling of men to God is uniformly intended, and not of God to men. Men are the estranged, and alienated party ; God is kindly disposed, desires not the death of sinners; but their salvation and happiness.—" You," saith the apostle, " that were sometime alienated, and enemies by wicked works, now hath he reconciled;" and again—" all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing to them their trespasses; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you, by us; we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Such is the affecting language of the New Testament. It is God, who desires our reconciliation to himself. He has sent his own Son to accomplish this blessed end ; and he again employs ministers as his ambassadors, and all to reconcile us to God. We find, among men, that the offending party is the most difficult to be reconciled, and that it is usually harder for the injurious to accept of forgiveness, than for the injured to grant it. And is it not so with our gracious and offended Heavenly Father? Such is " the grace of God which bringeth salvation."

This grace hath appeared unto all men.—The Greek verb here used signifies, to shine forth as the sun. The grace of God in the gospel," hath shone forth like the sun, and giveth light to all." Hence Christ, the author of the gospel, is called " the day spring from on high," " the sun of righteousness," " the light of the world." The blessings of the gospel were not intended for one nation alone, as the Jews hoped, nor for a few selected and favored persons, of different nations, while others were passed by. No, this grace of God hath shone forth unto all men, as universal as the beams of the natural sun, as impartial as the rain of heaven, as free as the blessing of water, " for whosoever will may take the water of life freely." I come now to observe"...(that observation tomorrow.)

Blessings

a comprhensive passage...

Abiel Abbot (August 17, 1770 – June 7, 1828) was a Unitarian minister at Haverhill, MA and, until his death, Beverly, MA. More on Rev. Abbot throughout this week. This the beginning of his sermon: on the "comprehensive passage" Titus 2: 11-14:

"THE GRACE OF GOD BRINGING SALVATION.

(Titus 2. II-14 )For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

It was on this comprehensive passage, that one of the greatest of men, who had accurately surveyed almost every department of science and literature, held in the highest estimation among men, and whose name was venerated throughout Europe, amidst all the learning, and all the wisdom he had collected from ancient and modern languages, is said to have reposed with the greatest satisfaction, and to have found in it, the only effectual solace of a dying hour. There are few things of substantial importance in the christian dispensation, which may not be said to be included in it. It declares—

I. The wonderful grace of God in the Gospel, and the universality of it;
II. The excellent purpose for which it is given ;
III. The coming of Christ to judgment;
IV. The end for which he died; and,
V. The character of his peculiar people.

I shall attempt a brief discussion of these five particulars"

And we shall hear his "brief discussion" of each as the week goes on.

Blessings