The Saints Sacrifice, Section 106
§. 106. Of their forwardneſſe to praiſe God who have beene ſuccoured by God.
VI. *§. 104.THey that are delivered from diſtreſſe are eſpecially bound to praiſe the Lord. This duty is in ſpeciall aPſal. 107▪ 2, &c.enjoyned to them: and where it is enjoyned, this patheticall exclamation of deſire is as the ſtaffe of a divine hymne foure ſeverall times repeated, Oh that men would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſſe, and for his wondrous workes to the children of men. b—103: 1, &c:On this ground doth the Pſalmiſt vehemently incite his ſoule to this duty. And it hath beene the conſtant practiſe of Gods ſervants after God hath delivered them from danger, and looſed their bonds to praiſe him: as cExo▪ 15. 1, &cMoſes and Miriam, dIudg. 5. 1, &c▪Barak and Deborah, e2 Sam. 22. 1, &c.David, f2 Chro 20. 26Iehoſaphat, gIſa 38. 9.Hezekiah, and many others.
1 Praiſe is that which God expecteth for his kindneſſe in delivering us: for ſaith he, hPſal 50. 15. Propheta dicit, immola Deo ſacrificium laudis. Et cur hac faciat adiecit, quoniam eripuit animam meam de morte. Hier. Comment. in Pſal. 55.I will deliver thee and thou ſhalt glorifie me: ſo as if any juſt occaſion can be given for performing this duty, this is eſpecially a moſt juſt occaſion. Yea this being the end why God delivereth thee, it lieth on thee as a debt, a moſt due debt which thou art to pay. The Pſalmiſt therefore where he ſpeaketh of praiſing God, gives this reaſon thereof, Thou hast delivered my ſoule from death, Pſal. 56. 12, 13.
2 Diſtreſſe makes men to call upon God. If upon deliverance from diſtreſſe they are not carefull to praiſe God, they ſhew that they performe duties of piety for their own advantage: and give juſt cauſe to ſuſpect, that if it were not to reape benefit to themſelves thereby, they would performe no duty at all to God.
Exhortation to all that are looſed to be free in praiſing God.To ſatisfie Gods expectation, and to teſtifie that reſpect you owe▪ him, and bear to him, O ye Kingdomes and nations that have had thoſe bonds looſed, whereby you have beene bound by your enemies, render that unto the Lord which is moſt due, ſolemne, hearty thankes and praiſe. Doe ſo ye countries and people that have beene bound and pinched with the bonds of dearth and famine. And ye O cities and ſocieties that have had the deadly bonds of the plague, and other contagious ſickneſſes (wherewith multitudes lie ſtill bound) looſed. Ye alſo that have beene in priſon, but are now looſed, praiſe the Lord. Ye that have gone forth againſt your enemies, and having beene compaſſed about by them before and behind (as Abijah and his armies were) are looſed 2 Chro. 13. 13.and freed, be forward to performe your bounden duty, praiſe the Lord. Praiſe the Lord ye that goe downe to the ſea in ſhips, and have there beene bound with vehement and violent ſtormes, and in great hazard of death, but are looſed: Eſpecially if ye have beene taken by pyrates, made bondſlaves, bound to gallies, or bound in dungeons, and are looſed. Yea and ye principall debters, or ſureties, that have been faſt bound to hard and cruell creditors, whereby your whole eſtate hath beene in hazard, and you have feared your owne, your wives, and childrens utter undoing, but are looſed from thoſe bonds, offer to the Lord your ſacrifice of thankſgiving. And ye O women who have beene bound with the ſtrait and painefull bonds of travell, which are looſed, and whereof you are eaſed. All ye alſo that have beene hard girt with the bonds of the ſtone, the ſtrangurie, the goute, the cholick, or any other painefull malady: or have beene faſt tied to your beds with the cords of any ſickneſſe, and are looſed, give thanks unto the Lord. Whoſoever ye be that have with any manner of bonds beene bound, ſay unto the Lord, Thou haſt looſed my bonds: and as you ſay it, Vauſquis que noſtrum excitet & ex…or…c…ur animam ſuam, & dicat …i, benedi… anima mea Domium, &c. Aug. Enar. in Pſal. 102.ſo know the end why ye ought to ſay it, namely to convince your ſoules of the equity of giving thankes to God, and to provoke them to doe it the more readily and cheerefully. When you are about to render ſolemne praiſe to God, doe as this Prophet did, thinke of your bonds which God hath looſed. Meditation thereon will much enſlame▪ your holy zeale of praiſing God. When the thought of your bonds which God hath looſed commeth to your mind, then withall enquire (as Ahaſhueroſh did when he heard of the kindneſſe done to him by Mordecai) what hath beene rendred unto the Lord, what is to be rendred to him. This will make thee with ſuch a mind as the Prophet did, uſe theſe words to the Lord, Thou haſt looſed my bond. I will offer to thee a ſacrifice of thankeſgiving.