(_A Thanksgiving Sermon._)
xxvi. 12. _Lord, Thou wilt ordain peace for us: for Thou
hast wrought all our work in us._
The joyfulness of the occasion. Peace a greater blessing than mere
victory; for he that celebrates victory celebrates an event which has
been produced by an incalculable measure of human suffering. Let us
consider--
+I. What there is in the restoration of peace, generally considered,
to excite our gratitude.+ 1. _The effusion of human blood is stayed,_
and all the suffering inescapable from war. 2. _The injurious effects
of war on human character_ afford another reason for thanksgiving on
the return of peace. War renders men callous to human misery. The
sacredness of human life is forgotten. Wars lead to intestine
dissensions, and embitter and perpetuate national animosities.
+II. What there is in the particular circumstances of this country to
warrant us in considering the blessing as of special and particular
value.+ 1. _The triumph of which this peace is the result is the
triumph of a righteous cause._ Peace is often the result of the
superiority acquired by the aggressor. The cause of right does not
always at once prevail. Unoffending natives are conquered, or obliged
to submissions contrary to their rights and interests, and then peace
follows; peace dictated, not argued. There is peace, but not the
spirit of peace. 2. _We have preserved our national honour._ Our
victory has not been purchased by any alliance of which we have cause
to be ashamed. 3. _Peace does not find us, as it finds many nations,
with our houses desolated and our cities destroyed by fire._ 4. _It
was seasonable._ We had put forth our utmost strength. Had we not
succeeded at the moment we should have fallen to rise no more as a
nation of the first order. 5. _It may be considered an indication of
the Divine approbation._ On this subject we would not be
presumptuous, but it may at least be affirmed that the happy change
in our affairs, which has ultimately led to peace, followed, and, in
some instances, immediately followed, certain acts of national
reformation (_e.g.,_ the emancipation of the slaves) and
acknowledgement of God which, from the condescending assurance of His
Word, we know must have been acceptable to Him. 6. _It will increase
our means of promoting the kingdom of Christ in the world, and thus
establish our national prosperity by continuing to us the blessing of
God._
+III. The reasons of our thankful acknowledgement of God on this
occasion.+ He is the giver of the blessing of peace. Text. This is a
most important principle, and if our hearts be not firmly grounded in
it, our thanksgiving is a mockery; for why do we thank Him if we
ascribe the work to second causes? He that excludes God from the
world of providence might as well exclude Him from the world of
nature. He who can attribute the events which are daily taking place
in society, and especially such events as are connected with the
celebration of this day, to mere human agency, is not less an atheist
than the man who ascribes the birth and being of the fair system of
the universe to chance or the dance of atoms.
CONCLUSION.--The proper expression of our thankfulness for this great
blessing will be to do our utmost in the diffusion of the Gospel,
that the final reign of the Prince of Peace may commence, and
"quietness and assurance for ever" becomes the lot of man.--_Richard
Watson: Works,_ vol. ii. pp. 20-40.