The Saints Sacrifice, Section 76 – Section 78
§. 76. Of the interpretation and reſolution of the twelfth Verſe.
PSAL. CXVI. XII.
What ſhall I render unto the Lord: for all his benefits towards me?
HEre the Prophet returneth to his Proteſtation: which being generally manifeſted Verſ. 9. I will walke, &c. is here more particularly expreſſed.
*§. 2.This is ſet out
1 By way of Profeſſion in relation to himſelfe, I will, &c.
2 By way of Provocation in relation to others, Verſ. 19. Praiſe ye, &c.
His Profeſſion is Propounded
His Profeſſion is Repeated.
In his firſt propounding of it we may note
1 The Manner. Verſ. 12.
2 The Matter. Verſ. 13.
3 The Motives. Verſ. 14, 15, 16.
The Manner of expreſſing his profeſſion is very elegant foreign.by a Rhetoricall Addubitation, wherein he reaſoneth with himſelfe about the duty to be performed.
Of this Addubitation and kind of reaſoning there be two parts.
Meaning of words.1 A Queſtion. Verſ. 12.
2 An Anſwer (Verſ. 13.) which declareth the Matter.
As the Engliſh word (render) ſo *foreignthe Hebrew, importeth a kind of requitall. It is attributed to God and man: and that in relation to a good thing done, and ſignifieth to reward: or to an evill, and ſignifieth to revenge.
Where David ſaith of God, aPſal 18. 20.According to the cleanneſſe of my hands hath he recompenced me, he uſeth *foreignthis word: and where he prayeth to God for vengeance on the wicked, thus b—28▪ 4.Render to them their deſert. This word is alſo uſed, where the brethren of Ioſeph ſay of him, cGen. …0. 15. foreign redder. do reddet.He will certenly requite us all the evill which we have done unto him: and where the King of Iſrael giveth this charge for the Shunemite, d2 King 8. 6. foreignReſtore all that was hers. Here it is attributed to man in relation to God, but not as importing any poſſibility of ſatisfaction, but onelyonly a forwardneſſe to doe any thing that might be acceptable to God.
The word tranſlated *foreignbenefits, is derived of that verbe which in the 7th verſe is tranſlated, *foreigndealt bountifully. Theſe in relation to God he ſtileth HIS, his benefits, to teſtifie his acknowledgement of the good things which he had received to come from God: and to be given by him.
He addeth that generall particle ALL, to ſhew that from that preſent benefit which God had conferred upon him, his heart was extended unto a conſideration of other favours which the Lord from time to time had done him.
foreignThe word tranſlated towards me, properly ſignifieth Over or above me. For it commeth from a verbe that ſignifieth to aſcend: and to expreſſe the emphaſis thereof, ſome thus foreign Omnia benefits▪ tua …aperant m… Trem. & Iun.tranſlate it, All thy benefits go over me. But the prepoſition doth oft ſignifie (as our Engliſh tranſlateth it) towards me: and it may very fitly be ſo taken in this place.
The former part of the verſe ſet out interrogatively by way of queſtion (what ſhall I render to the Lord?) manifeſteth both an earneſt deſire to be truly and thorowly enformed of whatſoever may be acceptable and pleaſing to the Lord: and alſo a ſetled reſolution indeed to performe whatſoever he ſhalbe informed of concerning that point.
The latter part (all his benefits are towards me) are added as a reaſon of his reſolution. The firſt particle (for) is not in the Originall. It maketh the ſenſe ſomewhat doubtfull. Some ſet it downe as a prepoſition, without any ſtop betwixt the former and this part, making but one entire clauſe of all, and ſetting the interrogative point in the end of all, thus, eGenev. interpr.What ſhall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? Others make two diſtinct ſentences, and place the interrogative in the end of the firſt clauſe, thus, fTrem. & Iun.What ſhall I render to the Lord? all his benefits are towards me. The Kings Tranſlators ſet a colon betwixt the two parts: which doth ſo diſtinguiſh them as two ſentences. This difference is not great: howſoever the ſentences be pointed, it is evident that the latter is added as a reaſon of the former. He was inquiſitive what to render to God, becauſe God had beene beneficiall to him.
Summe.Behold here A gratefull diſpoſition: which is manifeſted,
Parts.By his Inquiſition
By his Profeſſion.
In the former there is conſiderable
1 The Subject, or matter enquired after. What ſhall I render?
2 The Object, or perſon concerning whom the enquirie is made, The Lord.
The latter manifeſteth the juſt occaſion of the former, His benefits: which are ſet out
1 By an amplification, all
2 By an application, towards me.
Theſe ſeverall branches note out ſundry properties of a gratefull mind.
The Inquiſition, (What ſhall I, &c.) ſheweth that
I. Gratefulneſſe makes men inquiſitive.
The thing enquired after being indefinitely ſet downe, (What?) implieth that
II. A gratefull mind is ready to do any thing.
The perſon (the Lord) for whoſe ſake this enquiry is made, declareth that
III. True gratefulneſſe hath eſpeciall relation to the Lord.
The reaſon hereof being His benefits, giveth evidence that
IIII. A right underſtanding of Gods benefits worketh gratefulneſſe.
The ample mention of Gods benefits in this generall particle all, manifeſteth that
V. Gratefulneſſe raiſeth the mind from ſome favours to all.
The application of theſe benefits to himſelf in this phraſe towards me giveth proofe that
VI. Senſe of Gods kindneſſe to ones ſelfe doth most enlarge the heart to thankefulneſſe.
The Prophets profeſſion of Gods benefits, thus, All his benefits are towards me, demonſtrateth that
VII. Gratefulneſſe works acknowledgement of kindneſſe.
§. 77. Of the propertie of gratefulneſſe to make men inquiſitive.
I. *§. 76.GRatefulneſſe makes men inquiſitive. All manner of gratefulneſſe whether to God or man hath this property. When David thought on Ionathans kindneſſe to him, though Ionathan were dead, yet a2 Sam 9. 1.he enquireth whether any were left of the houſe of Saul, that he might ſhew him kindneſſe for Ionathans ſake. And when he conſidered how God had eſtabliſhed peace to his people, firſt b1 Chro. 13. 2.he enquireth and conſulteth about bringing the Arke to the Tabernacle: and then c—17. 1.adviſeth about building a temple for the Lord. Hypocrites had learned this of the upright: and therefore they from teeth outward are inquiſitive, and ſay, dMic. 6. 6, &c.Wherewith ſhall I come before the Lord? &c.
In gratefull perſons there is a good and high eſteeme of the kindneſſe that is ſhewed to them. With this eſteeme the heart is affected. True affection of the heart is of an hot temper: it can no more be ſuppreſſed, and kept within the heart, then an hot vapour, which the more it is ſuppreſſed, the more violent it waxeth, till it have got vent. Such an affection therefore will ſhew it ſelfe. And that it may manifeſt it ſelfe in the beſt manner to the beſt content of him to whom they intend their thankfulneſſe, they content not Dabo quidem quicquid in me primum eſt: ſed nihil dignum dare potero. Hier. Comment. in Mic. 6. Demonſtration of a gratefull heart.themſelves with that which may firſt riſe in their minde, or offer it ſelfe to their thought, but diligently enquire what may give beſt content, and what may be moſt acceptable. Which they are the rather moved to do, becauſe they can do or give nothing worthy of God, and his kindneſſe to them.
By this outward evidence may men give evidence of their inward diſpoſition; and make others ſee how they are affected with the kindneſſes that are done to them. They who care not to know what may be acceptable to ſuch as do good to them, have aſſuredly an ungratefull heart. How can it be thought that they would do the things that pleaſe, when they care not to know what may pleaſe? By this may gratefull ſubjects, people, children, ſervants, friends, and neighbours be knowne. Yea by this may gratefull ſubjects, people, children and ſervants of the great Lord of heaven and earth be knowne: if, at leaſt, their enquiring after that which may be acceptable to God, come from an upright and honeſt heart: and from a full and faithfull purpoſe to performe what they ſhalbe rightly informed in, and indeed to render what they ſhall learne to be acceptable to the Lord.
Direction for ſuch as are inquiſitive.They who are ſo minded, have an excellent help to be well informed. That help is Gods word, which diſtinctly and ſufficiently revealeth what is the good, acceptable, & perfect will of God. Let all ſuch therefore as are intirely provoked to enquire after that which may be pleaſing to God, by the holy Scriptures mRom. 12. 2.prove, and nEph 5. 17.underſtand the ſame. oIoh. 5. 39.Search the Scriptures, (ſaith our Lord Chriſt) for they are they which teſtifie of me. They teſtifie of him, what he is. They teſtifie of him, what he accepteth, what he approveth: in what and by what he accounteth himſelfe honoured, and ſufficiently recompenced for the kindneſſe he ſheweth.
§. 78. Of a ſecond propertie of gratefulneſſe to doe any thing.
II. *§ 76.A Gratefull mind is ready to do any thing. The Prophet doth not here determine any ſet and particular things which he would be willing to render, but without limitation or exception of any thing, ſaith indefinitely, What? What ſhall I render? When Ahaſhucroſh had heard out of the Chronicles what a great good-turne Mordecai had done him, in revealing a dangerous treaſon plotted againſt his life, in true deſire of thankfull requitall he ſaith, aEſt. 6. 6.What ſhalbe done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour? He preſcribeth not any particular thing, but enquiteth wherein he may make the beſt requitall: and it appeareth that he did make that enquirie with a true intent to do any thing: for though Haman thorow his ambition (ſuppoſing that the honour ſhould have beene done to himſelfe) adviſed the King to do more then was meet to be done to a ſubject, yet the King commanded all to be done to Mordecai. Though David was not permitted to build a temple for the Lord, yet ſuch was his deſire to teſtifie his gratefull mind to God, as b1 Chro. 29. 2.he prepared what he could, even with all his might, for the building thereof. Zacchous was ſo raviſhed with that favour and honour that Chriſt did him in comming to his houſe, as in way of gratefulneſſe cLuk. 19. 8.He giveth halfe of his goods to the poore, and promiſeth to reſtore fourefold to all whom he had wronged.
Gratefulneſſe ſo enamoureth the ſoule of a man, as it makes him thinke that he can never doe enough, and therefore he is ready to do any thing that he may and can do. It will not ſuffer a man to hold any thing too deare for him, on whō his thankfull mind is ſet: eſpecially when ſuch a mind is ſet on God, who every way infinitely ſurpaſſeth us, who is ſo abſolutely perfect in himſelfe, as he needeth nothing that we Quis non appetat gaudebundus & laetus in quo aliquid & ipſe Domino ſ…o retribuat? Cyp Epiſt. l. … ep. 25▪ Direction how to bring men to pleaſe God in all things.have or can do, nor can receive any thing but that which is his owne, yet daily ladeth, with all manner of bleſſings, us who are leſſe then any of his mercies, moſt unworthy of the leaſt? Who then would not willingly and gladly have what he might render to the Lord his God?
Behold here the moſt ready way that poſſibly can be preſcribed to bring men to endeavour with the uttermoſt of their power in all things to pleaſe the Lord. Worke in them ſuch an apprehenſion, a ſenſe of Gods kindneſſe to them, as their hearts may be ſtirred up to thankfulneſſe: Then nor hope of reward, nor fear of revenge can ſo incite, or quicken them up to any duty, as their owne gratefull diſpoſition. An ingenuous and generous mind (as every gratefull mind is) will do much more in thankfulnes for a kindneſſe done, then in expectation of a kindneſſe to come. Perſwade men therefore of the goodneſſe and kindneſſe that God hath done for them, as you deſire that they ſhould be willing, ready and forward to do any duty to God.