The Saints Sacrifice, Section 85 – Section 87
§. 85. Of praiſe the beſt that man can render unto God.
I. *§ 83. Ante omnia Deo gratias agamus, cui nibil gratius, nibil acceptius eſt Chryſ. Hom 2. in 1 Cor. 1.GRatitude is the beſt recompence that man can render unto God. Surely this Prophet that made ſuch enquiry of what he might render unto God, if he had knowne a better, would have here mentioned it. Where bulls, goats, and ſuch like ſacrifices are refuſed, it is ſaid, Offer unto God thanksgiving. (Pſal. 50. 13, 14.) Praiſe is one of the ſacrifices with which God is well pleaſed, (Hebr. 13. 15. 16.) Expreſly it is ſaid of praiſing God, that it pleaſeth the Lord better then an oxe or bullocke, (Pſal. 69▪ 30, 31.) yet were thoſe ordained for ſolemne ſacrifices under the Law. Praiſe therfore is it which the Pſalmiſt doth eſpeciall vow to God, (verſ. 17.)
Deus alic nius noſtri non eget, …ed nos omnium quae illius ſunt i…digemus. Siquidem gratiarum actio illi quidem nihil omnino addit, nos autem illi magis familiores ponit. Chryſ. Hom. 26 in Mat, 8.God ſtandeth in need of nothing that we can doe, or beſtow. But we ſtand in need of all that is his. Our thankes which we give him addes nothing to him, but makes him the more to reſpect us. By it (if it be rightly performed) God is acknowledged to be what he is, to give what he gives, and to doe what he doth. More then this the creature cannot doe: more then this the Creator nor exacteth nor expecteth, provided that it be not a meere lippe-labour, but come from an heart thorowly affected with his excellencies and kindneſſes, and be ratified by an anſwerable carriage towards him.
page missing ſpirit and truth. Yet this hindreth not but that he may and muſt be alſo worſhipped in body, and in outward actions. He muſt euer be worſhipped in ſpirit, whether with the body, or without the body. Spirituall worſhip may be without bodily worſhip, and alſo ſtand with bodily worſhip: but bodily worſhip cannot ſtand without ſpirituall worſhip.
2 The Spirits of others are ſtirred up to joyne with us in congratulation, and mutuall thankſgiving. pNeh. 8. 6.When the people ſaw and heard Ezra bleſſe the Lord, they anſwered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands. When q2 Chro. 30. 5. &c.Hezekiah made it knowne that he meant to celebrate a ſolemne paſſeover, many of Ephraim, Manaſſeh, Iſhaker and Zebulon came thereto. This is one principall end of externall rites of gratulation, mutually to ſtirre up one anothers ſpirit.
3 Our owne ſpirits are much rouſed and quickened hereby. Outward gratulatory actions, as they manifeſt an inward gratefull affection, ſo they are meanes, as it were by a reflection, to increaſe the heate of gratitude, and enflame our zealous affection the more. Now our dulneſſe and coldneſſe in all pious duties giveth evidence that all meanes that can bee uſed for quickening our ſpirits, are little enough.
Reprehenſion of indiſcreet reprehenders.Too auſtere and ſevere are they, who cenſure as unlawfull, and condemne all chearefull rites, and actions of gratulation. Their maine ground is the evill conſequence which followeth from thence. But that followeth not from a lawfull uſe of warrantable rites, but from an abuſe of them, which is indeed unlawfull. If abuſe of a thing were ſufficient to prohibit the uſe of it, the uſe of the moſt neceſſary and bounden duties which the word commandeth, ſhould be prohibited. It is an eſpeciall point of wiſdome to diſcerne whence every evill ariſeth, and accordingly to be ſo circumſpect in avoiding the evill, as a warrantable, commendable, needfull, uſefull duty be not forborne thereby. The wiſe farmer neglecteth not to ſow his ground becauſe weeds uſe to grow among the corne. No wiſe man will forbid the drinking of wine becauſe ſome by intemperancy are made drunke. Evill conſequences ariſing from good things, give juſt occaſion to be watchfull over our ſelves in the doing of thoſe good things, that by our careleſneſſe they prove not pernicious. So as, it is not a ſufficient plea for intemperancy, to ſay, the thing that we doe is lawfull. He that hath warranted a thing to be done, hath preſcribed rules for the manner of doing it, by a due obſervation whereof good things wilbe well done.
In generall, outward gratulatory actions muſt be
1 Such as are approved by God himſelfe, as thoſe were which we noted in the proofe of the point. For, how can we thinke that thoſe things which he approveth not, will pleaſe him?
2 Such as may beſeeme the occaſion: even ſuch chearefull actions as may revive mens ſpirits: ſuch alſo were thoſe that are before mentioned. As outward rites of humiliation muſt be ſuch as may humble the ſoule: ſo of gratulation, ſuch as may quicken it, Pſal. 81. 1, &c.
3 Such as are not offenſive: nor occaſions to any corruption: As are drinking healths, eſpecially on bare knees, and in meaſure above that which ſober men are able to beare: laſcivious dauncing: revelling on the Lords Daies, and other the like.
Among other externall rites of gratulation, that which is here intended (feaſting) is a principall one. Thereof See The Whole Armour of God, Treat. 3. Part. 2. §. 73.
§. 87. Of joyning prayer with praiſe.
III. *§. 84. Vide Hippocrat. de Nat▪ pueri. Sect 44. de Gemellorum partu. Item lib. 1 de Di…ta Sect. 23. ubi tres reddit rationes ob quas Gemelli fiunt ſimiles inter ſe.VVIth gratulation, invocation muſt be joyned. As with our petitions we muſt ioyne praiſes: ſo, with theſe, thoſe. Prayer and praiſe are like two twinnes, which though they have each of them their ſeverall and diſtinct members, yet by the navell are from their birth knit together, and ſo grow together, as if you force them aſunder, you kill them both: one without the other cannot live. They are therefore in ſacred Scripture oft joyned together: ſometimes one, ſometimes another ſet in the former place, thus, aPhil 4. 6.In every thing by prayer and ſupplication with thankeſgiving let your requeſt be made knowne to God. b1 Theſ 5. 17, 18.Pray without ceaſing: in every thing give thanks. cPſal 105▪ 1.Give thankes unto the Lord: call upon his name. dIſa. 12. 4.Praiſe the Lord: call upon his name. Obſerve the formes of praiſes, and of prayers noted in Scripture, and you ſhall finde, where the principall occaſion hath beene gratulation, ſupplication to be added: and alſo where the principall occaſion hath beene ſupplication, gratulation to be added.
Such is our eſtate here in this world, and ſuch is Gods dealing with us, as there never wanteth occaſion of both. Never was any Saint brought into ſo deſperate a diſtreſſe▪ but that thorow the miſt of his miſery ſweet beames of Gods mercy have ſhined upon him. Nor ever was there any ſet in ſo bright and cleare a ſun-ſhine of Gods favour, but that ſome clouds have let fall ſhowers of ſorrowes▪ if not in outward troubles, yet in regard of inward corruptions, yea and in the thought or feare of ſome eclipſes of that ſun-ſhine. Thus in greateſt occaſion of hearty thankſgiving, there is juſt occaſion of humble petition. And where there is moſt cauſe of humiliation, there is alſo much cauſe of exultation.
Herein lyeth a maine difference betwixt mens eſtates here and hereafter. Hereafter in Heauen is nothing but matter of gratulation: in Hell is nothing but matter of exclamation and ejulation. On Earth there is a mixture of both.
As for adding invocation to gratulation, which is the particular here expreſſed, thereby our ſacrifice of praiſe is 1 Tim. 4. 5.ſanctified. As every creature of God is ſanctified by the word and prayer, ſo the actions that we performe, not pious and religious duties, and among them not the moſt principall, praiſing of God, excepted. The Word ſheweth it to be a warrantable duty. Prayer preſented to God in the name of Chriſt, maketh it an acceptable duty. And whereas every thing that paſſeth from us, is not onelyonly imperfect thorow the defect thereof, but alſo polluted by that ſinke of corruption Gratias Deo ag… mus propter tentationum reſolutionem & horum …nquam obliviſcamur▪ crat… nibus vaccmus, ſupplication: bus continu…, …i…tat… multae. Chryſ. Hom. 17. ad Pop.which is in us, by faithfull prayer the defect is ſupplied, the pollution is purged away.
What therefore God hath joyned together, let no man put aſunder, Matth. 19. 6. Let us for removing evills, or for conferring any good thing, give all due thankes, and never forget the one or the other: but withall give our ſelves to prayer, to continuall ſupplications and much piety.