[Peace-discuss] Fwd: The Meaning of Thanksgiving...

[Carl G. Estabrook]

[Selections from a sermon, for Thanksgiving; "passenger" in 17th  
century English means "emigrant."]

ABRAHAM THE PASSENGER, HIS PRIVILEGE AND DUTY
described in an election-sermon at Boston N.E. May 30, 1705
by Joseph Estabrook, A.M., and pastor of the Church of Christ at Concord

Gen. 12:2, "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless  
thee
         and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing."

When the world was deeply immersed in idolatry, God was pleased from  
his sovereign pleasure to call some out of darkness into his marvelous  
light, shedding down upon them the saving and regenerating influences  
of his spirit, whereby they were enabled to turn from idols to serve  
him, who is the true and living God.

Among the famous worthies that the sacred history makes mention of in  
the new world was Abraham, [who left] his native country and kindred  
at the command of God.

In transitu, two things seem not unworthy of our consideration, viz.,

(1) that God's people are sometimes called by him to remove from the  
places of their nativity info a country afar off. This call of God's  
is not now immediate, as Abraham's was, but mediate; namely, when they  
cannot live comfortably where they are and have a plain prospect of  
mending themselves in another land. Or when they cannot enjoy the  
ordinances of God with peace and purity: this latter was the case of  
our pious predecessors, the first planters of this land: many of which  
had fair accommodations and very considerable estates; who yet for the  
satisfaction of their consciences accounted it far more eligible to  
turn their backs upon all the good things in their own native country  
and expose themselves and their families to great hazards and  
difficulties by sea and land, than to abide where they were. Surely it  
was not to gain great estates but for the promotion of religion and  
the advancement of their own and their posterities' spiritual good,  
that was in their eyes which made them to come from a fruitful land  
into this Jeshimon and uncultivated wilderness.

(2) Another thing observable is that compliance with the revealed will  
of God is usually followed with manifold blessings. We have an express  
precept: "Be thou a blessing."

The more good God bestows upon any, the more service to his name he  
looks for from such. As for those that are by God called into places  
of authority over others, from such he looks for great diligence in  
order to the furtherance of the good of others, as it is expressed in  
Rom. 13:4, "He is the minister of God for good." People are not made  
for rulers, but rulers are set up for the sake and good of people.

One thing I would propose, viz., that we all endeavor after unity in  
our affections and, insofar as we can, in our apprehensions. It is a  
good rule delivered by some: in necessariis unitas, in nonnecessariis  
libertas, in utrisque charitas [unity in necessary things, liberty in  
things not necessary, charity in both]. We are all well agreed as to  
fundamentals of doctrine and order; we should therefore exercise  
charity towards such as may differ from us in matters that are not so  
plainly revealed in the word about church discipline, and may be  
looked upon as matters of a prudential nature, forbearing to brand  
such as differ from us and do not fully concur with such things as  
have been practiced with the ill-titles of 'apostates' and 'subverters  
of the order of the gospel'.

To conclude, let us endeavor to amend what is and hath been amiss,  
unfeignedly returning unto God. As one sinner destroys much good, so  
many repenting and reforming sinners may procure much good, whereby we  
shall be blessings in our places. Thereupon we may expect that God  
will be with us as he was with our fathers; he will not leave or  
forsake us. And in these perilous and burdensome times, the eternal  
God will be our refuge, and underneath us will be his everlasting  
arms. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all  
ages, world without end. Amen.

###

On Nov 23, 2011, at 6:08 PM, Brussel, Morton K wrote:

> I have great respect for Robert Jensen. I agree almost always with  
> what he says.
> Here's a very interesting interview with him about "Thanksgiving".
> What do you think of it?...

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