A Practical and Polemical Commentary Upon 2 Timothy 3-4, Part 1 · Subpart 2 · Section 7
7, Vnthankefull. foreign, Ingrati.
foreign est ingrati animi crimen. Qui gratiam rependere benefactoribus non noverunt. Heming.The sin of Ingratitude is one of those sins which do more especially render these last times so perilous. Men will be unthankfull to their Benefactours for favours received: and how can it be otherwise? since they that are Blasphemers of God, the great Benefactor of all the world, and disobedient to Parents, who are the Instruments of their being, must needs be ungratefull to inferiour Benefactours, who have deserved better at their hands.
Quest. What kind of unthankefull persons doth the Apostle here speak of, whether such as are unthankefull to God, or man?
Answ. To both. In the last dayes men shall be ungratefull to God for peace and the Gospel of Peace; and to Parents Natural, Politicall, Spirituall, and to other their Benefactors. Those that bred them, bare them, and defended them; those that fed them with the bread of life, and spent themselves like Lamps, to give light to them; such is, and will be, the ingratitude of the last times, that men will seek their lives, who endeavoured to bring them to life,Ingratus est qui non reddit, ingratissimus omnium qui oblitus est. Seneca. and will labour to cast them into prison, and darknesse, who laboured to bring them to light, and liberty; and will tread them under feet, whose feet they shuld esteem pretious, and as for the God of their mercies, either they forget him and his wondrous works, Psal. 106.21.24, 25, 26. or else they ascribe all to themselves, as if if they had merited, and deserved them. Hab. 1.16.
2. They do not once think of the God of their mercies, they forget him dayes without number, he is seldom in their thought; like swine they eat the Mast, but look not to the Tree from whence it comes; like the Lepers, …en cleansed, and but one in ten that returnes to give thanks. Luke 17.17.18. Like Patients, when once cured, they forget the Physician. Like Mariners, when landed on the shore, forget what they promised in the storme. Psal. 78.34.36, 37.
2. Instead of acknowledging his favours, they fret and murmur at the least afflictions: if God bestow a thousand curtesies, and lay but one crosse on them, they forget their mercies, to think on the present misery.
3. In their works they render evill unto God for all the good which he hath shewed them,Most carry themselves as men to men, recompensing Love with Love again; but as Devills toward God, recompensing his Love with hatred. Clerk. (which is the highest ingratitude:) no favours can win them; but, if God had been their deadly enemy, they could not have acted more violently, and virulently against him.To do good to those that do ill to us, is foreign, 'tis a quid divinum. Matth. 5.44, 45. Rom. 12.20, 21. all love friends, onelyonly true Christians can love their enemies. This makes men like the Devill. To render good for evill, is Divine. To render Good for Good, is Humane. To render evill for evill, is Brutish. But to render evill for Good, is Devillish. This brings ruine to a man, and his house. Ier. 18.20, 21, 22. We know what befell Sauls family for his ingratitude to David. So true is that of Solomon, Prov. 17.13. Who so rewardeth evill for good, evill shall not depart from his house. Though such may escape the lash of mens Lawes, yet the revenging hand of God will find them out. This we see in the Jewes, who for their Ingratitude to Christ in cursing and crucifying him, who by his doctrine, labours and miracles, would have converted and saved them; are to this day the people of Gods curse, dispersed and despised over the face of the whole earth. And if he deserve punishment who renders evill for evill but to man,Absque dubio maximi criminis reus creditur qui malum pro bono reddidit, cui etiam malum pro malo reddere non liceret. Hoc nos, qui Christiani dicimur, facimus. Irritamus in no… misericordem Deum peccatis nostris, propitian…m sordibus laedimus. Salvian de Gubern. Dei. l. 6. what shall be done to him who renders evill for good, and to his God; who never did him hurt? This is not onelyonly notorious ingratitude, but perfidious violating the very Law of Nature, which the God of Nature will not suffer to passe unpunisht.
1. Let such consider that Ingratitude is a sin against the very Light of Nature. It's naturally ingraven in the hearts of men, to do good to those that do good to them.Clerks Mirrot car. 59 60. Ingratum qui dixerit, omne nefas dixerit▪ Mat. 6.46. Hence Heathens have condemned it, as one of the vilest sins; call a man an ungratefull man (say they) and you need to call him no more. Some vices are pleasing to Nature, and applauded by it; but Ingratitude is generally abhorred of all.
3. It debaseth men and sets them below the beasts that perish, all sinne doth so, but this especially. Hence the Lord complaines of ungratefull Israel, that they were worse then the Oxe and Asse, two creatures,Iudaei rebelles & ingrati hîc non assimulantur equo generoso, aut cani sugaci, & grato, sed stolido bovi & asino; quid enim stolidius bove? quid stupidius asino? his tamen stolidiores & stupidiores sunt omnes ingrati. Hieron. Officia etiam ferae sentiunt, nec ullum tam immansuetum animal quod non cura mitiget, & in amorem sui vertat. Granatensis in verbo (Gratitudo.) Vbi plura. the most dull and heavy of all the rest; yet these have some expression of affection to those that feed them, they know and acknowledge them, they be ready to serve and obey them. Isay 1.3. The kindnesse of the Lion to the man which pulled the thorn out of his foot, who lists may read in Aul. Gellius. Noct. At. lib. 5. cap. 14.
4. The Scripture sets a blot and a brand on such. Thus Laban is branded for his ingratitude to Iacob Gen. 31.2. &c. and Saul and Nabal to David. 1 Sam. 19.10. and 25.10. and Pharaoh's butler, who, when he was promoted, forgot Ioseph, Gen. 40.22. and Ioash who slew Zechariah, that had been loyall to him. 2 Chr. 24.22, 23. the Lord suddenly punisht him for it. 2 Chr. 24.25. Especially, the Scripture sets a black mark upon those sordid, unrighteous, disingenious spirits, who fight against God with his own blessings,Omnis ingratus est injustus. and bestow his silver and gold on Baal. Hos. 2.8. with the Israelites, they turn their jewels into an Idoll, and then dance before it, and worship it. Iesurun when fat and full, kicks at the God which fed him. Deut. 32.15. like Mules, which being filled with their dammes milk (matrem calcibus petunt) fall to kicking the damme that fed them. The Hebrewes have a Proverb. In fontem ex quo semel bibisti, ne projicito glebam, much lesse in fontem ex quo semper. God is our Creatour, Preserver, Father, and Friend; and therfore they do very foolishly, who do thus ill requite him. Deut. 32.6. Take heed therefore of this Spunge of the Devill (as Austin calls Ingratitude) wherewith he wipes all the favours of God out of our soules.
Qui non est gratus datis, non est dignus dandis. See more in Clerks Mirrour. cap, 73. Edit. 3,5. Unthankfullness stops the Current of Gods mercies, and provokes the Lord to strip us of all. Solomon forsakes the God of his mercies; by it he lost ten parts of his Kingdome, and had adversaries ever after 1 Kings 11.9. Hezekiah, when recovered, rendred not according to mercy received, therefore wrath came upon him from the Lord. 2 Chron. 32.25. It maks the Lord to repent of the blessings he hath given us. 1 Sa. 15.11. It made David repent of his care in protecting the flocks & servants of ungrateful Nabal from violence.Ingratitudo est ventus urens, siccans pietatis fontem, rorem misericordiae, fluenta gratia. Bern. 1 Saw. 25.15.16.21, 22. In vain have I kept all that this fellow hath, since he requites me evill for good; Ile destroy all that belongs to him. So saith God, in vain have I saved such a man from the Sword, Plague, Famine, therefore I will now destroy him utterly for his rebellion. God cannot endure these Sepulchra beneficiorum, these unthankfull buriers of his benefits.
6. 'Tis a sad aggravation of mens sins; This makes the sins of the Saints so exceeding sinfull, because they are committed against the greatest Light and Love. God Registers all the mercies which he bestowes on us, and when we sin against them,Ingratitudo velut fermentum omnia peccata permeat, ingratitudo materialis est in quolibel peccato. Aquinas 22. q. 107. art. 4. we shall be sure to hear of it. 2 Sam. 12.7, 8, 9, 10. 'Tis a sinne that levens and sowres our other sins, and makes them farre more loathsome. It stops mens mouthes, and makes them excuselesse, so that they have nothing to say for themselves. Ezra 9.9, 10. when he had set forth what God had done for them, and how they had rebelled against him, he cries, and now Lord what shall we say after all this? q. d. We have nothing to say for our selves, since we have again forsaken thy commandements, notwithstanding all thy mercies and deliverances given to us; this brought ruine on them. V. 13, 14.
7. Idolaters will rise in Judgement against such; if they will praise their dung-hill-Gods, shall not we praise the living God? Iudg. 16.23.
8. Unthankfull men are unfit for Heaven, for there the Saints do nothing but sing Hallelujahs and praises to their God for ever. Revel. 5.12, 13. Luke 2.13.
This is one of the crying sins of England, Ingratitude both to God and man, never raigned nor raged more amongst us then at this day; As the Lord loads us with mercies, so we load him with our Apostasies. No Nation under heaven so beloved as we, and no Nation under Heaven, that have worse requited his love. 'Tis a Miracle of mercy that he yet continues his mercies to us, and that he hath not long agoe stript us naked, as in the day when we were born. Let it therefore repent us of our unkindnesse to our good and gracious God, and, for the time to come, let us expresse our Thankfulnesse in Reall obedience.Iustitia postulat ut quid cuique debetur, reddamus. Zanchy. Vnusquisque debetur ex debito honestatis (ut loquuntur Scholastici aliquid ei reddere, qui sibi gratiam fecit. We have nothing else to give unto God but Thanksgiving, that is his Rent and due. Psal. 29.2. and 50.14. every honest man will pay his Rent, onelyonly take heed that you pay it not to a wrong Land-Lord; ascribe not the glory of what you are, or have to your selves, or to the Creature; all must be given primarily to God: 'tis true, we may thank, and pay the messenger, but not like the Doner. Cant. 8.12. the Keepers of the Vine-yard have two hundred, but Solomon himself hath a thousand. Secondarily, we may give Thanks to Gods Instruments, whose hearts he moves to help us. Thus David first blesseth God, and then Abigail. 1 Sam. 25.32, 33. 'Tis the Almes (if I may so say) which we give unto God; in all other things, God blesseth us, but in Thanksgiving, we bless God. Psal. 50.22. Iames 3.9. God blesseth us Imperatively, we bless him Optatively, when we desire and endeavo…r to set forth his promises. This is the way to increase and preserve our blessings,Gratitudo est non solum maxima, sed & mater virtutum. Gratiarum actio est ad amplius dandum invitatio. Bern. We love to sow in fruitfull ground. both Temporall and Spirituall, and if we merit in any duty, 'tis in Thanksgivings. He that gives Thanks for an old mercy, makes way for a new one. This is more pleasing unto God then all legall Sacrifices. Psal. 50.8. and 69.30, 31. 'Tis one of the most excellent parts of Gods worship, whereby we do in a speciall manner glorify him. Psal. 50. ult. yea in some respects God hath more glory from the Saints on Earth, then from the Saints in Heaven: for they praise him without opposition, in the middest of his friends; but we praise him with much danger and difficulty in the middest of his enemies. This is the end of our Creation. Prov. 16.4. Isay 43.21. every member, every sense, every faculty of soul, and part of our bodies, calls for Thankfulnesse. Quot membra, tot ora. Had we but wanted a Legge, or an Arm, or an Eye, we should know the price of that mercy. 'Tis the end of our Predestination. Ephes. 1.11, 12. The end of our Redemption. Isay 51.11. Luke 1.74. The end of our Adoption. Ephes. 1.5, 6. In a word, 'tis the end of all Gods Mercies, that we should praise him for them, Psal. 50.15. Quot beneficia, tot ora. When the Lord had delivered Israel out of Egypt, he makes it an Argument to quicken them to obey all his commandements. Exod. 20.2. when the Lord plants his Vine-yard in a very fruitfull hill, then he expects the pleasant Grapes of Thankfull obedience. Isay 5.1, 2. Even the Devill could say, Iob had good Reason to expresse his Thankfulnesse in serving God, who had made the hedge of his protection round about him. Iob 1.9.