1 For the first, the duty of provoking others is in Scripture applied to all points of piety, justice, and charity. For, what we find behoofull for our selves to do, we must thereunto incite others. In general therefore its said, bConsider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. cExhort one another. dEdify one another. But more particularly for inciting others to praise God, as other books of Scripture, so especially the book of Psalms doth abound with incitations thereto: stirring up eAngels, Kings, Princes, Judges, Priests, Levites, old, young, male, female, all of all sorts: yea by a Rhetorical Apostrophe he turns his speech unto unreasonable and senseless creatures, and calls on them to praise the Lord, thereby the more to quicken sensible and reasonable creatures thereunto. The 136 Psalm was purposely ⟨p. 270⟩penned and appointed to be sung time after time, both daily in the ftemple, and gon extraordinary occasions, to incense the spirits mutually of one another to praise God. The celestial spirits (though they be every one most forward to praise the Lord, and need no incitation, yet) to show their earnest and unsatiable desire to have it continually done by all, they cry one to another, Hallelu-jah praise ye the Lord, Rev. 19. •, 3, 4, 6. When we receive a good turn from man, we use to stir up others, to thank him in our behalf. Much more ought we to invite and incite others to praise God with us and for us.
1 For the first, the duty of provoking others is in Scripture applied to all points of piety, justice, and charity. For, what we find behoofull for our selves to do, we must thereunto incite others. In generall therefore its said, bConsider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. cExhort one another. dEdifie one another. But more particularly for inciting others to praise God, as other bookes of Scripture, so especially the booke of Psalmes doth abound with incitations thereto: stirring up eAngels, Kings, Princes, Iudges, Priests, Levites, old, young, male, female, all of all sorts: yea by a Rhetoricall Apostrophe he turns his speech unto unreasonable and senslesse creatures, and calls on them to praise the Lord, thereby the more to quicken sensible and reasonable creatures thereunto. The 136 Psalme was purposely ⟨p. 270⟩penned and appointed to be sung time after time, both daily in the ftemple, and gon extraordinary occasions, to incense the spirits mutually of one another to praise God. The celestiall spirits (though they be every one most forward to praise the Lord, and need no incitation, yet) to shew their earnest and unsatiable desire to have it continually done by all, they cry one to another, Hallelu-jah praise ye the Lord, Rev. 19. •, 3, 4, 6. When we receive a good turne from man, we use to stirre up others, to thanke him in our behalfe. Much more ought we to invite and incite others to praise God with us and for us.
- bHebr. 10. 24.
- c—3. 13.
- d1 Thes. 5. •1.
- ePsal. 148.—135. 19, &c.—149▪—150.
- f1 Chro. 16. 41 2 Chro. •. 13.—7. 3, 6.
- g— •0. •1. Ezr. 3. 11. Cum ab hominibus beneficium accepimus, alios quoque provocamus ad communem gratiarum actionem, multo magis ad Deum invitandi sunt, qui pro nobis gratias agant. Chrys. Hom. •. in 2 Cor. 1.
