The Saints Sacrifice, Section 108 – Section 110
§. 108. Of a ſoule ſo raviſhed with Gods praiſes, as it cannot bee ſatisfied in ſetting them out.
BY the repetitions noted in the cloſe of this Pſalme, the Prophet manifeſteth a divine *foreign affectus concitatus.paſſion, thorow a deepe apprehenſion of Gods favour, and ſuccour ſhewed unto him; wherewith he was ſo raviſhed, as he could not be ſatisfied in ſetting it out: nor thought that he could ever ſay enough thereabouts. Wherefore he loves to ſpeake of it againe and againe; and oft to declare his purpoſe thereabouts, ſometimes in ſome other words, and ſometimes in the very ſame. Hereby he giveth inſtance, that,
A deepe and due apprehenſion of Gods mercies makes a ſoule unſatisfied in ſetting forth Gods praiſes. The divine hymnes that were penned by ſuch as did indeed deepely ponder on Gods mercies, are evident demonſtrations thereof. Among other the booke of Pſalmes: and in that booke the 47, 103, 107, 135, 136, 148, 149, & 150 Pſalmes.
Gods mercies, the more they are pondered, are the more admired: eſpecially when the greatneſſe, freeneſſe, ſeaſonableneſſe of them, and other like circumſtances, together with our unworthineſſe, and therewithall the need that wee have thereof, the ſweetneſſe that we taſte, and benefit that we reape thereby, are duely and deeply weighed. They are like a bottomleſſe ſea, which, the farther it is ſounded, the deeper it appeares to be: or like to the bright Sun, which, the more it is gazed upon, the more it dazleth the eye. Yea further, Gods mercies are ſo linked together, as when we have occaſion to meditate on one, many of them inſtantly preſent themſelves to the view of our mind: as he that in a cleare night lifteth up his eyes to ſee one ſtarre, hath millions on a ſudden in his ſight: or as he that in the banke of a deepe river maketh a gut for a little water to paſſe thorow, maketh way for a floud to follow after. Thus was this
page missing believe that God heares their prayers, cannot but hold themſelves much bound to teſtifie all poſſible thankfulneſſe.
4 He nVerſ. 3.keepes his diſtreſſe in mind and memory. So long as a mans mind is fixed on his danger and diſtreſſe, his heart remaines on fire with deſire of gratitude.
5 He was well inſtructed in Gods oVerſ. 5.goodneſſe, which doth moſt of all enlarge a mans heart unto all gratefulneſſe.
6 He acknowledged God to be his pVerſ. 6, 7, 8▪deliverer▪ whereby he ſaw himſelfe ſo engaged to God, as he could not but acknowledge all thanks to be moſt due unto him.
7 His qVerſ▪ 1.love was ſetled on God. Nothing can more enflame zeale then love.
8 He ſets God alwayes rVerſ 9.before him. The preſence of him that doth a kindneſſe, doth more and more egge a man on to praiſe him.
9 He remembred his owne ſVerſ. 10, 11.weakeneſſe in making queſtion of Gods promiſes: whereby he is moved the more to bleſſe God for bringing that to paſſe, whereof he doubted.
10 He obſerved that his tVerſ. 15.death was pretious in Gods ſight, and is enduced thereby to have Gods name in high eſteeme, and to praiſe him with the uttermoſt of his power.
11 He was aſſured of the uVerſ 16.mutuall relation betwixt God and himſelfe, which obliged him the more to God, and made him the more fervent in praiſing God.
12 By this benefit xVerſ. 12.all Gods benefits came to his mind, which much increaſed the heavenly fire of zeale in him.
13 yVerſ. 12.He knew nothing to render by way of ſatisfaction to God: therefore he is the more ſtirred up to praiſe him.
14 He uſeth zVerſ. 13.outward rites to quicken his ſpirit the more. No marvell then that he is ſo full of life in performing this duty.
15 aVerſ. 19.He goeth to the courts of the Lords houſe, where Gods people were aſſembled together: An eſpeciall means to quicken his ſpirit.
16 bIbid.He provokes others to praiſe God: and thereby incites himſelfe the more to that duty.
§. 109. Of expreſsing the ſame thing in differing phraſes.
THe firſt branch of the Repetition of the Prophets proteſtation concerneth the principall duty here promiſed, thus expreſſed,
I will offer to thee the ſacrifice of thanksgiving.
Though the Prophet for ſubſtance of matter intends no more here then he did before, verſ. 13. yet the different manner of expreſſing the ſame, affordeth ſome other uſefull inſtructions: which that we may the better diſcerne, let us take a view of the different phraſes.
1 What he ſtiled before, cup of ſalvations, here he termeth, ſacrifice of thanksgiving.
2 Where, before he ſaid, I will take, or lift up, here he ſaith, I will offer up.
This latter manner of expreſſing his mind, is the more plaine and perſpicuous: and ſerveth as a commentary to the former: in which reſpect it is not in vaine, but to very good purpoſe, added.
In and by this patterne a uſefull rule for repeating one and the ſame thing in different words, is ſet out, which is, In the latter place to uſe ſuch words and phraſes as are in themſelves more eaſie, and better knowne then the former, and which may give ſome light for a better underſtanding of the Debet id, quod illuſtranda alte riu… rei gratia aſſumitur, ipſum eſſe clarius …o▪ quod illuminat. Quintil lib. 8. cap 3▪former: For, why are phraſes added to phraſes in and about the ſame thing, but for illuſtration ſake, to make the point the more perſpicuous? That therefore which is added for this end, muſt be more cleare and evident: otherwiſe multiplication of words and phraſes is idle and abſurd.
§. 110. Of offering a ſacrifice of praiſe.
WHere the Ptophet ſaith *foreignI will offer, he uſeth a word that ſignifieth to flay, but is moſt uſually applied to the ſlaying of beaſts or birds for feaſts or ſacrifices: a nowne therefore derived from that verbe is here and in many other places put for a ſacrifice. Our Engliſh, as well as other tongues, can well expreſſe this derivation thus, aforeignI will ſacrifice the ſacrifice of thankes. The expreſſe relation of this oblation to God, in this phraſe bforeignto thee, importeth a kind of donation, that thereby ſomething was given to God. The attribute of thanksgiving, diſtinguiſheth the kind of ſacrifice. The cforeignword ſignifieth confeſſion, and it is applied ſometimes to mans ſinnes, and ſometimes to Gods properties and works. Ioſhua uſeth this word where he ſaith to A. chan, dIoſ. 7. 19. foreignMake confeſſion to God, meaning confeſſion of ſinne. And the Pſalmiſt uſeth this very word where he ſaith to God, ePſal. 26. 7. foreignI will publiſh with the voice of confeſſion, (or thankesgiving) and tell of all thy wondrous workes. In this ſenſe this word is oft uſed. That ſtaffe of the Pſalme of praiſe which is foure ſeverall times repeated, by this word, doth ſet out praiſe and thanksgiving to God, thus, fPſal. 107. 8, 15, 21, 31. foreign Conſiteantur Domino, &c. vet. tranſl.Let men confeſſe before the Lord his goodneſſe. Hereupon that ſacrifice which was offered up when men recounted and acknowledged Gods mercies towards them, was called a gLev. 7. 1…. foreignſacrifice of confeſſion: which phraſe is here uſed in this text, and tranſlated▪ ſacrifice of thanksgiving, or ſacrifice of praiſe. The ſignification of the Hebrew word, is the rather to be obſerved, becauſe it doth excellently ſet out the nature of thanksgiving, or praiſe, as it hath reference to God, which is, *See The Guide to go to God, on the concluſion of the Lords Prayer. §. 239.to confeſſe and acknowledge God to be what he is, to do what he doth, and to give what he giveth. To offer a ſacrifice at ſuch a confeſſion, or thankſgiving, added much to the ſolemnity thereof: and made it more honourable in it ſelfe, and more acceptable to God: which that we may ſomewhat the more diſtinctly diſcerne, let us take a briefe view of the ſeverall ſacrifices which were appointed by the law to be offered.