The Saints Sacrifice, Section 121
§. 121. Of teſtifying gratitude by piety.
I. TRue gratitude to God is to be testified by performing due worſhip to him. As this is implied under offering of ſacrifices, (whereby the Iewes were wont to teſtifie their gratefulneſſe when they had more then ordinary occaſion to do ſo) ſo is it in other places more plainely and expreſly ſet downe: as where the Pſalmiſt ſaith, bPſal. 5. 7.I will come into thine houſe in the multitude of thy mercies, and in thy feare will I worſhip toward thy holy temple. c—138. 1, 2.I will ſing praiſe unto thee: I will worſhip toward thy holy temple, and praiſe thy name for thy loving kindneſſe. As he promiſeth for himſelfe, ſo he ſtirreth up others after the ſame manner to teſtifie their gratitude, ſaying, d—29 2.—95. 2, 6.—96. 8, 9.Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: worſhip the Lord. Where Iacob in his vow of thankſgiving uſeth this phraſe, eGen. 28. 22. Locus dignus qui conſecratur precibus ſundendis Deo. Trem. & Iun in ScholijsThis ſtone ſhalbe Gods houſe, what els doth he meane, but that that place ſhould be conſecrated to duties of piety, for worſhipping of God. Thus Abrahams ſervant in teſtimony of his thankfulneſſe to God for the good ſucceſſe which hee gave him, fGen 24. 26.Worſhipped the Lord: ſo did the gExod. 4 …1.—12▪ 27.Iſraelites after Moſes had brought them newes of their deliverance from Egypt. So hIoſ. 5. 14.Ioſhua, iIud. 7. 1….Gedeon, k2 Chr. 20. 18Iehoſaphat with his people, l—29. 29.Hezekiah with his alſo, and many others. Yea the mRev 4. 10.—5. 14.—7. 11.—11. 16.—19 4▪celeſtiall ſpirits do uſe in praiſing God to worſhip him.
1 A maine end of praiſing is to glorifie God. For, ſaith the Lord himſelfe, Who ſo offereth praiſe, glorifieth me, (Pſal. 50 23.) But there is nothing wherein and whereby we may more glorifie God then by worſhipping him. Witneſſe the practice, not onelyonly of them who on earth are inſtructed by the ſpirit of illumination in the good acceptable, and perfect will of God, but alſo of them in heaven, who are made perfect in all knowledge and underſtanding thereof.
&c.2 Workes of piety, wherein the worſhip of God conſiſteth, are the workes wherein God moſt delighteth, and which he beſt accepteth. The ſpouſe therefore of the Lord, that the King might greatly delight in her, hath this advice given to her, Worſhip thou him, Pſal. 45. 11.
3 By workes of piety all other actions of rejoycing are ſeaſoned, and ſanctified. This moved the pious Iewes to begin their weighty affaires with ſacrifices, (which were then, as we have heard, principall parts of piety, and of divine worſhip) and therewith to end the ſame, compare 1 Sam. 10. 8. with 1 Chro. 16. 1.
Continuam gratiarum actionem Domino exhibete. Hoc maximum eſt ſacrificium: haec oblatio perfecta. Hoc ſi ducia nobis fiet occaſio: Chryſ. Hom. 72. ad Pop. Direction. Learne wherin Gods worſhip conſiſteth.4 By giving thanks in and by ſuch duties as are preſcribed for Gods worſhip, we ſhew that our hearts are ſet on God, and prepared to doe ſervice to him, who hath done kindneſſe to us. Yea the duties wherein ſervice is done to God will raiſe our minds unto God, and fix them the more ſtedfaſtly on him. So as this kind of ſacrifice is queſtionleſſe the beſt and greateſt that we can offer up: a perfect oblation in the kind of it. And this will prove an occaſion of much confidence to us.
As occaſions of thankfulneſſe are offered unto us, and as by Gods Spirit we are moved to take thoſe occaſions for giuing thanks, let us here learne how to order, how to ſanctifie, how to make the ſame acceptable to God. Though the particular ceremony of worſhipping God by ſacrifices be now abrogated, yet the generall equity of performing due worſhip to God, doth ſtill, and ever ſhall remaine in force. Take notice therefore of that manner of worſhipping God which now under the Goſpell is warrantable. The parts of divine worſhip are prayer, ſinging of Pſalmes, reading, preaching, hearing the Word, and celebrating the Sacraments. Theſe are as ſacrifices of bullocks and calves, goats and kids, ſheepe and lambs, turtles, pigeons, ſpartowes: and all manner of meat and drink-offerings. By a pious, devout, reverend, Hoc eſt ſacrificiùm acceptabile: hoc eſt holocaustum pingue, us laudetur Deus, &c Hier. Comment. in Pſal. 49.and upright manner of performing theſe, thou teſtifieſt, and ſanctifieſt thy thankſgiving to God. When theſe holy duties of piety are performed for gratitude ſake, when in, with, and by them thanks is given to God, then are they for ſubſtance in a ſpirituall reſpect ſacrifices of thanksgiving: and the Lord will accept them as ſacrifices of thanksgiving.