1To satisfy Gods expectation, and to testify that respect you owe▪ him, and bear to him, O ye Kingdoms and nations that have had those bonds loosed, whereby you have been bound by your enemies, render that unto the Lord which is most due, solemn, hearty thanks and praise. Do so ye countries and people that have been bound and pinched ⟨p. 229⟩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 been in prison, but are now loosed, praise the Lord. Ye that have gone forth against your enemies, and having been compassed about by them before and behind (as Abijah and his armies were) are loosed 2and freed, be forward to perform your bounden duty, praise the Lord. Praise the Lord ye that go down to the sea in ships, and have there been bound with vehement and violent storms, and in great hazard of death, but are loosed: Especially if ye have been taken by pirates, made bondslaves, bound to galleys, or bound in dungeons, and are loosed. Yea and ye principal debtors, or sureties, that have been fast bound to hard and cruel creditors, whereby your whole estate hath been in hazard, and you have feared your own, your wives, and children's utter undoing, but are loosed from those bonds, offer to the Lord your sacrifice of thanksgiving. And ye O women who have been bound with the strait and painful bonds of travel, which are loosed, and whereof you are eased. All ye also that have been hard girt with the bonds of the stone, the strangury, the gout, the colic, or any other painful malady: or have been fast tied to your beds with the cords of any sickness, and are loosed, give thanks unto the Lord. Whosoever ye be that have with any manner of bonds been bound, say unto the Lord, Thou hast loosed my bonds: and as you say it, 3so know the end why ye ought to say it, namely to convince your souls of the equity of giving thanks to God, and to provoke them to do it the more readily and cheerfully. When you are about to render solemn praise to God, do as this Prophet did, think of your bonds which God hath loosed. Meditation thereon will much inflame▪ your holy zeal of praising God.
1To 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 ⟨p. 229⟩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 2and 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, 3so 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.
- 1Exhortation to all that are loosed to be free in praising God.
- 22 Chro. 13. 13.
- 3Vausquisque nostrum excitet & ex•or•c•ur animam suam, & dicat •i, benedi• anima mea Domium, &c. Aug. Enar. in Psal. 102.
