The Saints Sacrifice, Section 89
§. 89. Of the ſenſe and parts of the foureteenth Verſe.
PSAL. CXVI. XIIII.
I will pay my vowes unto the LORD, now i… the preſence of all his people.
*… 2.THe firſt motive which the Prophet uſeth to quicken him the more to performe the forementioned duty of ſolemne praiſe is laid downe in this verſe. It is taken from that bond whereby he had voluntarily tied himſelfe, his Vow.
The argument may be thus framed.
That which by vow I am bound to pay, I will pay.
But by vow I am bound to take the cup of ſalvation, &c.
Therefore I will take the cup of ſalvation, &c.
It appeareth by the manner of expreſſing this point, that in his diſtreſſe he had vowed a ſolemne, publike ſacrifice of praiſe unto the Lord, if the Lord would be pleaſed to releaſe him. For he ſaith not, I vow to pay this and that, but, I will pay what I have vowed.
The word thus tranſlated aforeignI will pay, ſignifieth to finiſh and perfect a thing: and is here fitly uſed, to ſhew, that a vow till it be performed, is as an imperfect thing: performing of it, is the perfecting of it: if at leaſt it be rightly made, and rightly accompliſhed.
He mentioneth bforeignvowes in the plurall number for emphaſis ſake: either becauſe he oft vowed one and the ſame thing: or becauſe he vowed many things: or one ſolemne thing accompanied with many circumſtances about the manner of performing it. Neither of theſe do ſo croſſe the other, but but that all of them or many of them may ſtand together.
By a kind of property he applieth them to himſelfe, (my vowes) becauſe he himſelfe was the author of them: they were not impoſed upon him, but he voluntarily bound himſelfe thereto: and thereby he made them his owne proper debt, which he himſelfe ſtood bound to pay.
Theſe vowes were for performing of divine ſervices, ſuch as appertained onelyonly to the true God. Wherefore, as they were made, ſo he promiſeth to performe them to the onelyonly true God, the LORD.
The latter clauſe ſetteth out the manner of performing the ſaid vowes. Wherein
1 He implieth the time, when he would do it, now. This ſignifieth the preſent time, and is oppoſed to all procraſtination and delay.
2 He intimateth the place, in the preſence of people, in ſuch places where people meet, which are publike aſſemblies: and thoſe not the leaſt, but the greateſt and ſolemneſt aſſemblies, where not a few, but all the people meet. And that it might not be thought that he intended any profane aſſemblies, he adds this particle of limitation, his, which hath relation to the LORD: ſo as he meaneth all Gods people who were wont all to meet together at the Tabernacle, where God was moſt ſolemnly worſhipped.
Summe.In this patterne we have The diſpoſition of a Saint delivered out of a diſtreſſe.
His diſpoſition is manifeſted two waies.
1 While he was in diſtreſſe.
2 When he was delivered out of it.
The former is implied under the mention of vowes. For, from thence we may well inferre that in his diſtreſſe he made vowes.
Here obſerve,
1 What was done▪ Vowes
2 To whom, To the LORD.
The latter is expreſſed. In which expreſſion is noted
1 The Matter or thing to be done. I will pay my vowes.
2 The Manner of doing it: and that in three branches.
1 The time. Without delay, ſpeedily, Now.
2 The Place. In a moſt publike place. In the preſence of all the people.
3 The perſons; Saints, whom he ſtileth HIS people.
The thing implied, and taken for grant to be done, importeth, that
I. Vowes may be made.
The Object to whom they are directed, The Lord, declareth, that
II. Sacred vowes muſt be made to God.
The promiſe of performing them, I will pay, ſheweth, that
III. Vowes made muſt be paid.
The time here ſet downe being the preſent, Now, implieth that
IIII. The first opportunity to pay a vow must be taken.
The place where he profeſſeth to performe this duty is in the preſence of all people; It is very probable that his vowes were made in ſecret betwixt God and himſelfe. This promiſe then to performe them openly, and publikely intimateth, that
V. Vowes ſeceetly made may be openly performed.
The limitation of the perſons with this particle of relation, HIS, which hath reference to God, doth us to wit, that
VI. Saints are fitteſt witneſſes of ſacred duties.