Chapter III (13)

_Direct._ II. Let the greatness of the manifold mercies of God, be continually before your eyes.--Thankfulness is caused by the due apprehension of the greatness of mercies. If you either know them not to be mercies, or know not that they are mercies to you, or believe not what is said and promised in the gospel, or forget them, or think not of them, or make light of them through the corruption of your minds, you cannot be thankful for them. I have before spoken of mercy in order to the kindling of love, and therefore shall now only recite these following, to be always in our memories. 1. The love of God in giving you a Redeemer, and the love of Christ in giving his life for us, and in all the parts of our redemption. 2. The covenant of grace, the pardon of all our sins: the justification of our persons: our adoption, and title to eternal life. 3. The aptness of means for calling us to Christ: the gracious and wise disposals of Providence to that end: the gifts and compassion of our instructors: the care of parents: and the helps and examples of the servants of Christ. 4. The efficacy of all these means: the giving us to will and to do, and opening of our hearts, and giving us repentance unto life, and the Spirit of Christ to mortify our sins, and purify our nature, and dwell within us. 5. A standing in his church, under the care of faithful pastors: the liberty, comfort, and frequent benefit of his word and sacraments, and the public communion of his saints. 6. The company of those that fear the Lord, and their faithful admonitions, reproofs, and encouragements: the kindness they have showed us for body, or for soul. 7. The mercies of our relations, or habitations, our estates, and the notable alterations and passages of our lives. 8. The manifold preservations and deliverances of our souls, from errors and seducers; from terrors and distress; from dangerous temptations, and many a soul-wounding sin; and that we are not left to the errors and desires of our hearts, to seared consciences, as forsaken of God. 9. The manifold deliverances of our bodies from enemies, hurts, distresses, sicknesses, and death. 10. The mercies of adversity, in wholesome, necessary chastisements, or honourable sufferings for his sake, and support or comfort under all. 11. The communion which our souls have had with God, in the course of our private and public duties, in prayer, sacraments, and meditation. 12. The use which he hath made of us for the good of others; that our time hath not been wholly lost, and we have not lived as burdens of the world. 13. The mercies of all our friends and his servants, which were to us as our own; and our interest in the mercies and public welfare of his church, which are more than our own. 14. His patience and forbearance with us under our constant unprofitableness and provocations, and his renewed mercies notwithstanding our abuse: our perseverance until now. 15. Our hopes of everlasting rest and glory, when this sinful life is at an end. Aggravate these mercies in your more enlarged meditations, and they will sure constrain you to cry out, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies," Psal. ciii. 1-4. "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful to him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations," Psal. c. 4, 5. "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy to them that fear him," Psal. ciii. 8, 11. "O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever," Psal. cxxxvi. 1, &c. "O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the people. Sing ye unto him, sing psalms unto him; talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek him," Psal. cv. 1-3.

_Direct._ III. Be well acquainted with the greatness of your sins, and sensible of them as they are the aggravation of God's mercies to you.--This is the main end why God will humble those that he will save; not to drive them to despair of mercy, nor that he taketh pleasure in their sorrows for themselves; but to work the heart to a due esteem of saving mercy, and to a serious desire after it, that they may thankfully receive it, and carefully retain it, and faithfully use it. An unhumbled soul sets light by Christ, and grace, and glory: it relisheth no spiritual mercy: it cannot be thankful for that which it findeth no great need of. But true humiliation recovereth our appetite, and teacheth us to value mercy as it is. Think therefore what sin is, (as I have opened to you, direct, viii.) and think of your manifold aggravated sins: and then think how great those mercies are that are bestowed on so great, unworthy sinners! Then mercy will melt your humbled hearts, when you confess that you are "unworthy to be called sons," Luke xv.; and that you are "not worthy to look up to heaven," Luke xviii. 13; and that you are "not worthy of the least of all the mercies of God," Gen. xxxii. 10. The humble soul is the thankful soul, and therefore so greatly valued by the Lord.

_Direct._ IV. Understand what misery you were delivered from, and estimate the greatness of the mercy, by the greatness of the punishment which you had deserved.--Misery as well as sin must tell us the greatness of our mercies. This is before opened, chap. i. direct, ix.

_Direct._ V. Suppose you saw the damned souls, or suppose you had been one day in hell yourselves, bethink you then how thankful you would have been for Christ and mercy.--And you were condemned to it by the law of God, and if death had brought you to execution you had been there, and then mercy would have been more esteemed. If a preacher were sent to those miserable souls to offer them a pardon and eternal life on the terms as they are offered to us, do you think they would make as light of it as we do?

_Direct._ VI. Neglect not to keep clear the evidences of thy title to those especial mercies for which thou shouldst be most thankful: and hearken not to Satan when he would tempt thee to think that they are none of thine, that so he might make thee deny God the thanks for them which he expecteth.--Of this I have spoken in the directions for love.

_Direct._ VII. Think much of those personal mercies which God hath showed thee from thy youth up until now, by which he hath manifested his care of thee, and particular kindness to thee.--Though the common mercies of God's servants be the greatest, which all other christians share in with each one; yet personal favours peculiar to ourselves, are apt much to affect us, as being near our apprehension, and expressing a peculiar care and love of us. Therefore christians should mark God's dealings with them, and write down the great and notable mercies of their lives (which are not unfit for others to know, if they should see it).

_Direct._ VIII. Compare thy proportion of mercies with the rest of the people's in the world. And thou wilt find that it is not one of many thousands that hath thy proportion.--It is so small a part of the world that are christians, and of those so few that are orthodox, reformed christians, and of those so few that are seriously godly as devoted to God, and of those so few that fall not into some perplexities, errors, scandals, or great afflictions and distress, that those few that are in none of these ranks have cause of wondrous thankfulness to God; yea, the most afflicted christians in the world. Suppose God had divided his mercies equally to all men in the world, as health, and wealth, and honour, and grace, and the gospel, &c.; how little of them would have come to thy share in comparison of what thou now possessest! how many have less wealth or honour than thou! how many thousands have less of gospel and of grace! In reason therefore thy thankfulness should be proportionable and extraordinary.

_Direct._ IX. Compare the mercies which thou wantest, with those which thou possessest, and observe how much thy receivings are greater than thy sufferings.--Thou hast many meals' plenty, for one day of scarcity or pinching hunger; thou hast many days' health, for one day's sickness: and if one part be ill, there are more that are not; if one cross befall thee, thou escapest many more that might befall thee, and which thou deservest.

_Direct._ X. Bethink thee how thou wouldst value thy mercies, if thou wert deprived of them.--The want of them usually teacheth us most effectually to esteem them. Think how thou shouldst value Christ and hope, if thou wert in despair! and how thou wouldst value the mercies of earth, if thou wert in hell! and the mercies of England, if thou wert among bloody inquisitors and persecutors, and wicked, cruel heathens or Mahometans, or brutish, savage Americans! Think how good sleep would seem to thee, if thou couldst not sleep for pains! or how good thy meat, or drink, or clothes, or house, or maintenance, or friends, would all seem to thee, if they were taken from thee! and how great a mercy health would seem, if thou wert under some tormenting sickness! and what a mercy time would seem, if death were at hand, and time were ending! and what a mercy thy least sincere desires, or measure of grace, is, in comparison of their case that are the haters, despisers, and persecutors of holiness! These thoughts, if followed home, may shame thee into thankfulness.

_Direct._ XI. Let heaven be ever in thine eye, and still think of the endless joy which thou shalt have with Christ.--For that is the mercy of all mercies; and he that hath not that in hope to be thankful for, will never be thankful aright for any thing; and he that hath heaven in promise to be thankful for, hath still reason for the highest, joyful thanks, whatever worldly thing he want, or though he were sure never more to have comfort in any creature upon earth. He is unthankful indeed, that will not be thankful for heaven; but that is a mercy which will constrain to thankfulness, so far as our title is discerned. The more believing and heavenly the mind is, the more thankful.

_Direct._ XII. Look on earthly and present mercies in connexion with heaven which is their end, and as sweetened by our interest in God that giveth them.--You leave out all the life and sweetness, which must cause your thankfulness, if you leave out God and overlook him. A dead carcass hath not the loveliness or usefulness as a living man. You mortify your mercies, when you separate them from God and heaven, and then their beauty, and sweetness, and excellency are gone; and how can you be thankful for the husks and shells, when you foolishly neglect the kernel? Take every bit as from thy Father's hands: remember that he feedeth, and clotheth, and protecteth thee, as his child: it is to "Our Father which is in heaven," that we must go every day for our "daily bread." Taste his love in it, and thou wilt say that it is sweet. Remember whither all his mercies tend, and where they will leave thee, even in the bosom of Eternal love. Think with thyself, how good is this with the love of God! this and heaven are full enough for me. Coarse fare, and coarse clothing, and coarse usage in the world, and hard labour, and a poor habitation, with heaven after all, is mercy beyond all human estimation or conceiving. Nothing can be little, which is a token of the love of God, and leadeth to eternal glory. The relation to heaven is the life and glory of every mercy.

_Direct._ XIII. Think oft how great a mercy it is, that thankfulness for mercy is made so great a part of thy duty.--Is it not the sweetest employment in the world to be always thinking on so sweet a thing as the mercies of God, and to be mentioning them with glad and thankful hearts? Is not this a sweeter kind of work than to be abusing mercy, and casting it away upon fleshly lusts, and sinning it away, and turning it against us? Yea, is it not a sweeter work than to be groaning under sin and misery? If God had as much fixed your thoughts upon saddening, heart-breaking objects, as he hath (by his commands) upon reviving and delighting objects, you might have thought religion a melancholy life. But when sorrow is required but as preparatory to delight, and cheerful thanksgiving is made the life and sum of your religion, who but a monster will think it grievous to live in thankfulness to our great Benefactor? To think thus of the sweetness of it will do much to incline us to it, and make it easy to us.

_Direct._ XIV. Make conscience ordinarily of allowing God's mercies as great a room in thy thoughts and prayers, as thou allowest to thy sins, and wants, and troubles.--In a day of humiliation, or after some notable fall into sin, or in some special cases of distress, I confess sin and danger may have the greater share. But, ordinarily, mercy should take up more time in our remembrance and confession than our sins. Let the reasons of it first convince you, that this is your duty; and, when you are convinced, hold yourselves to the performance of it. If you cannot be so thankful as you desire, yet spend as much time in the confessing of God's mercy to you, as in confessing your sins and mentioning your wants. Thanksgiving is an effectual petitioning for more: it showeth that the soul is not drowned in selfishness, but would carry the fruit of all his mercies back to God. If you cannot think on mercy so thankfully as you would, yet see that it have a due proportion of your thoughts. This course (of allowing mercy its due time in our thoughts and prayers) would work the soul to greater thankfulness by degrees. Whereas, on the contrary, when men accustom themselves to have ten words or twenty of confession and petition for one of thanksgiving, and ten thoughts of sins, and wants, and troubles, for one of mercies, this starveth thankfulness and turneth it out of doors. You can command your words and thoughts if you will; resolve, therefore, on this duty.

_Direct._ XV. Take heed of a proud, a covetous, a fleshly, or a discontented mind; for all these are enemies to thankfulness.--A proud heart thinks itself the worthiest for more, and thinks diminutively of all. A covetous heart is still gaping after more, and never returning the fruit of what it hath received. A fleshly mind is an insatiable gulf of corporal mercies; like a greedy dog that is gaping for another bone when he hath devoured one, and sacrificeth all to his belly, which is his god, Phil. iii. 18. A discontented mind is always murmuring and never pleased, but findeth something still to quarrel at; and taketh more notice of the denying of its unjust desires, than of the giving of many undeserved mercies. Thankfulness prospereth not, where these vices prosper.

_Direct._ XVI. Avoid as much as may be a melancholy and over-fearful temper; for that will not suffer you to see or taste your greatest mercies, nor to be glad or thankful for any thing you have, but is still representing all things to you in a terrible or lamentable shape.--The grace of thankfulness may he habitually in a timorous, melancholy mind; and that appeareth in their valuation of the mercy. How glad and thankful would they be, if they were assured that the love of God is towards them! But it is next to impossible for them, ordinarily, to exercise thankfulness, because they cannot believe any thing of themselves that is good and comfortable. It is as natural for them to be still fearing, and despairing, and complaining, and troubling themselves, as for froward children to be crying, or sick men to groan. Befriend not therefore this miserable disease, but resist it by all due remedies.

_Direct._ XVII. Take heed of unthankful doctrines, which teach you to deny or undervalue mercy.--Such is, 1. The doctrines of the Pelagians, (whom Prosper calleth the Ungrateful,) that denied faith and special grace to be any special gift of God; and that teach you, that Peter is no more beholden to God than Judas, for his differencing grace. 2. The doctrine which denieth general grace, (which is presupposed unto special,) and tells the world, that Christ died only for the elect, and that all the mercy of the gospel is confined to them alone; and teacheth all men to deny God any thanks for Christ or any gospel mercy, till they know that they are elect and justified; and would teach the wicked, (on earth and in hell,) that they ought not to accuse themselves for sinning against any gospel mercy, or for rejecting a Christ that died for them. 3. All doctrine which makes God the physical, efficient predeterminer of every act of the creature considered in all its circumstances; and so tells you, that saving grace is no more, nor any otherwise caused, of God, than sin and every natural act is; and our thanks that we owe him for keeping us from sin is but for not irresistible premoving us to it. Such doctrines cut the veins of thankfulness; and being not doctrines according to godliness, the life of grace and spiritual sense of believers are against them.

_Direct._ XVIII. Put not God off with verbal thanks, but give him thyself and all thou hast.--Thankfulness causeth the soul to inquire, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me?" Psal. cxvi. 12. And it is no less than thyself and all thou hast that thou must render; that is, thou must give God not only thy tithes, and the sacrifice of Cain, but thyself to be entirely his servant, and all that thou hast to be at his command, and used in the order that he would have thee use it. A thankful soul devoteth itself to God; this is the "living, acceptable sacrifice," Rom. xii. 1. It studieth how to do him service, and how to do good with all his mercies. Thankfulness is a powerful spring of obedience, and makes men long to be fruitful and profitable, and glad of opportunities to be serviceable to God. Thus law and gospel, obedience and gratitude, concur. A thankful obedience and an obedient thankfulness are a christian's life. "Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows to the Most High: and call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me; and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, I will show the salvation of God," Psal. 1. 14, 15, 23.

I beseech thee now that readest these lines, be so true to God, be so ingenuous, be so much a friend to the comfort of thy soul, and so much love a life of pleasure, as to set thyself for the time to come to a more conscionable performance of this noble work; and steep thy thoughts in the abundant mercies of thy God, and express them more in all thy speech to God and man. Say as David, "O Lord, truly I am thy servant; thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord," Psal. cxvi. 16, 17. "I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave; thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. Thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever," Psal. xxx. 1-4, 11, 12. "I will praise the name of God with a song, and magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox," Psal. lxix. 30, 31. "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High; to show forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night," Psal. xcii. 1, 2. "At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments," Psal. cxix. 62. "Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence," Psal. cxl. 13. Remember that you are commanded "in every thing to give thanks," 1 Thess. v. 18. When God is scant in mercy to thee, then be thou scant in thankfulness to him; and not when the devil, and a forgetful, or unbelieving, or discontented heart, would hide his greatest mercies from thee. It is just with God to give up that person to sadness of heart, and to uncomfortable, self-tormenting melancholy, that will not be persuaded by the greatness and multitude of mercies, to be frequent in the sweet returns of thanks.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: To glorify God.]

_Grand Direct._ XV. Let thy very heart be set to glorify God, thy Creator Redeemer, and Sanctifier; both with the estimation of thy mind, the praises of thy mouth, and the holiness of thy life.

The glorifying of God, being the end of man and the whole creation, must be the highest duty of our lives; and therefore deserveth our distinct consideration. "Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God," 1 Cor. x. 31. "That God in all things might be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen," 1 Pet. iv. 11. I shall therefore first show you what it is to glorify God, and then give directions how to do it.

To glorify God is not to add to his essential perfections, or felicity, or real glory.[127] The glory of God is a word that is taken in these various senses: 1. Sometimes it signifieth the essential, transcendent excellencies of God in himself considered; so Rom. vi. 4; Psal. xix. 2. 2. Sometimes it signifieth that glory which the angels and saints behold in heaven: what this is, a soul in flesh cannot formally conceive or comprehend. It seemeth not to be the essence of God, because that is every where, and so is not that glory; or if any think that his essence is that glory, and is every where alike, and that the creature's capacity is all the difference betwixt heaven and earth, he seems confuted in that the glory of heaven will be seen by the glorified body itself, which it is thought cannot see the essence of God. Whether, then, that glory be the essence of God, or any immediate emanation from his excellency, as the beams and light that are sent forth by the sun, or a created glory for the felicity of his servants, we shall know when with the blessed we enjoy it. 3. Sometimes it is taken for the appearance of God's perfections in his creatures, either natural or free agents, as discerned by man, and for his honour in the esteem of man. John xi. 4, 40; 1 Cor. xi. 7; 2 Cor. iv. 15; Phil. i. 11; ii. 11; Isa. xxxv. 2; xl. 5, &c. And so to glorify God is, 1. Objectively, to represent his excellencies or glory; 2. Mentally, to conceive of them; 3. and Verbally, to declare them. I shall therefore distinctly direct you, 1. How to glorify God in your minds. 2. By your tongues. 3. By your lives.

_Directions for glorifying God with the Heart._

_Direct._ I. Abhor all blasphemous representations and thoughts of God, and think not of him lamely, unequally, or diminutively, nor as under any corporeal shape; nor think not to comprehend him, but reverently admire him.--Conceive of him as incomprehensible and infinite: and if Satan would tempt thee to think meanly of any thing in God, or to think highly of one of his perfections, and meanly of another, abhor such temptations; and think of his power, knowledge, and goodness, equally as the infinite perfections of God.[128]

_Direct._ II. Behold his glory in the glory of his works of nature and of grace, and see him in all as the soul, the glory, the all of the whole creation.--What a power is that which made and preserveth all the world! What a wisdom is that which set in joint the universal frame of heaven and earth, and keepeth all things in their order! How good is he that made all good, and gave the creatures all their goodness, both natural and spiritual, by creation and renewing grace! Thus "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work," Psal. xix. 1. "His glory covereth the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise," Hab. iii. 3. "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thundereth," Psal. xxix. 3; cxlv.

_Direct._ III. Behold him in the person, miracles, resurrection, dominion, and glory of his blessed Son:--"who is the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person; upholding all things by the word of his power, and having by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, being made better than the angels," Heb. i. 3, 4. "By him" it is that "glory is given to God in the church," Eph. iii. 21. "God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father," Phil. ii. 9-11. "Pray," therefore, that the "God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the acknowledgment of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his right hand in the celestials, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be Head over all things to his church," Eph. i. 17, &c. "The Father hath glorified his name in his Son," John xii. 28; xiii. 31, 32; xiv. 13; xvii. 1.

_Direct._ IV. Behold God as the end of the whole creation, and intend him as the end of all the actions of thy life.--You honour him not as God, if you practically esteem him not as your ultimate end; even the pleasing of his will, and the honouring him in the world. If any thing else be made your chiefest end, you honour it before him, and make a god of it.

_Direct._ V. Answer all his blessed attributes with suitable affections, (as I have directed in my "Treatise of the Knowledge of God," and here briefly direct. iv.) and his relations to us with the duty which they command, (subjection, love, &c.) as I have opened in the foregoing directions. We glorify him in our hearts, when the image of his attributes is there received.

_Direct._ VI. Behold him by faith as always present with you.--And then every attribute will the more affect you, and you will not admit dishonourable thoughts of him. Pray to him as if you saw him, and you will speak to him with reverence. Speak of him as if you saw him, and you dare not take his name in vain, nor talk of God with a common frame of mind, nor in a common manner, as of common things. "By faith Moses forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing him that is invisible," Heb. xi. 27. God is contemned by them that think they are behind his back.

_Direct._ VII. Think of him as in heaven where he is revealed in glory to the blessed, and magnified by their high, everlasting praise.--Nothing so much helpeth us to glorify God in our minds, as by faith to behold him where he is most glorious. The very reading over the description of the glory of the New Jerusalem, Rev. xxi. and xxii. will much affect a believing mind with a sense of the gloriousness of God. Suppose, with Stephen, we saw heaven opened, and the Ancient of days, the great Jehovah, gloriously illustrating the city of God, and Jesus in glory at his right hand, and the innumerable army of glorified spirits before his throne, praising and magnifying him with the highest admirations, and joyfullest acclamations, that creatures are capable of; would it not raise us to some of the same admirations? The soul that by faith is much above, doth most glorify God, as being nearest to his glory.

_Direct._ VIII. Foresee by faith the coming of Christ, and the day of the universal judgment, when Christ shall come in flaming fire with thousands of his holy angels, to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that do believe, 2 Thess. i. 10.

_Direct._ IX. Abhor all doctrines, which blaspheme or dishonour the name of God, and would blemish and hide the glory of his majesty.--I give you this rule for your own preservation, and not in imitation of uncharitable firebrands and dividers of the church, to exercise your pride and imperious humour, in condemning all men, to whose opinions you can maliciously affix a blasphemous consequence, which either followeth but in your own imagination, or is not acknowledged, but hated, by those on whom you do affix it. Let it suffice you to detest false doctrines, without detesting the persons that you imagine guilty of them, who profess to believe the contrary truth as stedfastly as you yourselves.

_Direct._ X. Take heed of sinking into flesh and earth, and being diverted by things sensible from the daily contemplation of the glory of God.--If your belly become your god, and you mind earthly things, and are set upon the honours, or profits, or pleasures of the world, when your conversation should be in heaven, you will be glorying in your shame, when you should be admiring the glory of your Maker, Phil. iii. 18-20; and you will have so much to do on earth, that you will find no leisure (because you have no hearts) to look up seriously to God.

_Directions for glorifying God with our Tongues in his
Praises._

[Sidenote: How great a duty praising God is.]

_Direct._ I. Conceive of this duty of praising God according to its superlative excellencies, as being the highest service that the tongue of men or angels can perform. To bless, or praise, or magnify God, is not to make him greater, or better, or happier than he is; but to declare and extol his greatness, goodness, and felicity. And that your hearts may be inflamed to this excellent work, I will here show you how great and necessary, how high and acceptable a work it is.

1. It is the giving to God his chiefest due.[129] A speaking of him as he is; and when we have spoken the highest, how far fall we short of the due expression of his glorious perfections! Oh how great praise doth that almightiness deserve, which created and conserveth all the world, and overruleth all the sons of men, and is able to do whatsoever he will! "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise his works to another and declare his mighty acts: I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty, and of thy wondrous works; and men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts, and I will declare thy greatness," Psal. cxlv. 3-5. What praise doth that knowledge deserve which extendeth to all things that are, or were, or ever shall be! and that wisdom which ordereth all the world! He knoweth every thought of man, and all the secrets of the heart, Psal. xliv. 21; xciv. 11. "Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the world," Acts xv. 18. "His understanding is infinite," Psal. cxlvii. 5. What praise doth that goodness and mercy deserve, which is diffused throughout all the world, and is the life, and hope, and happiness of men and angels! "His mercy is great unto the heavens, and his truth unto the clouds," Psal. lvii. 10. "Oh how great is his goodness to them that fear him!" Psal. xxxi. 19; and therefore how great should be his praise! "Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord, and who can show forth all his praise?" Psal. cvi. 2. "For great is the glory of the Lord," Psal. cxxxviii. 5.

2. It is the end of all God's wondrous works, and especially the end which man was made for, that all things might praise him objectively, and men (and angels) in estimation and expression. That his glorious excellency might be visible in his works, and be admired and extolled by the rational creature: for this all things were created and are continued: for this we have our understanding and our speech: this is the fruit that God expecteth from all his works. Deny him this, and you are guilty of frustrating the whole creation, as much as in you lieth. You would have the sun to shine in vain, and the heavens and earth to stand in vain, and man and all things to live in vain, if you would not have God have the praise and glory of his works. Therefore, sun, and moon, and stars, and firmament, are called on to praise the Lord, Psal. cxlviii. 2-4, as they are the matter for which he must by us be praised. "O praise him therefore for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness," Psal. cl. 2. "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare his wondrous works for the children of men," Psal. cvii. 8, &c. Yea, it is the end of Christ in the redemption of the world, and in saving his elect, that God might, in the church, in earth and heaven, have the "praise and glory of his grace," Eph. i. 6, 12, 14. "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name," Heb. xiii. 15. "And let the redeemed of the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever," Psal. cvii. 2. For this, all his saints "are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that they should show forth the praises of him that hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light," 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9.

3. The praise of God is the highest and noblest work in itself. (1.) It hath the highest object, even the glorious excellencies of God. Thanksgiving is somewhat lower, as having more respect to ourselves and the benefits received; but praise is terminated directly on the perfections of God himself. (2.) It is the work that is most immediately nearest on God, as he is our end: and as the end, as such, is better than all the means set together, as such, so are the final duties about the end greater than all the immediate duties. (3.) It is the work of the most excellent creatures of God, the holy angels: they proclaimed the coming of Christ, by way of praise, Luke ii. 13, 14, "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men:" see Psal. ciii. 20; cxlviii. 2. And as we must be equal to the angels, it must be in equal praising God, or else it will not be in equality of glory. (4.) It is the work of heaven, the place and state of all perfection; and that is best and highest which is nearest heaven; where "they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.--Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created," Rev. iv. 8, 10. Chap. xix. 5, "A voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great." Ver. 6, 7, "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluiah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready."

4. It beseemeth us, and much concerneth us, to learn and exercise that work, which in heaven we must do for ever; and that is, to love and joyfully praise the Lord: for earth is but the place of our apprenticeship for heaven. The preparing works of mortifying repentance must in their place be done; but only as subservient to these which we must ever do: when we shall sing the "new song" before the Lamb, "Thou art worthy;--for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us kings and priests unto our God," Rev. v. 9, 10. Therefore the primitive church of believers is described as most like to heaven; Luke xxiv. 53, "With great joy they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God." "O praise the Lord therefore in the congregation of the saints: let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King," Psal. cxlix. 1, 2. "Let the saints be joyful in glory: let the high praises of God be in their mouths," ver. 5, 6.

5. Though we are yet diseased sinners, and in our warfare, among enemies, dangers, and perplexities, yet praise is seasonable and suitable to our condition here, as the greatest part of our duty, which all the rest must but promote. Pretend not that it is not fit for you because you are sinners, and that humiliation only is suitable to your state. For the design of your redemption, the tenor of the gospel, and your own condition, engage you to it. Are they not engaged to praise the Lord, that are brought so near him to that end? 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9;--that are reconciled to him?--to whom he hath given and forgiven so much? 1 Tim. i. 15; Tit. iii. 3, 5; Psal. ciii. 1-3;--that have so many great and precious promises? 2 Pet. i. 4;--that are the temples of the Holy Ghost, who dwelleth in them, and sanctifieth them to God?--that have a Christ interceding for them in the highest? Rom. viii. 33, 34;--that are always safe in the arms of Christ; that are guarded by angels; and devils and enemies forbidden to touch them, further than their Father seeth necessary for their good?--that have the Lord for their God? Psal. xxxiii. 12; iv. 8;--that have his saints for their companions and helpers?--that have so many ordinances to help their souls; and so many creatures and comforts for their bodies?--that live continually upon the plenty of his love?--that have received so much, and are still receiving? Should we not bless him every day with praise, that blesseth us every day with benefits? Should we not praise the bridge that we go over?--the friend that we have tried so oft? And resolve, as Psal. cxlv. "Every day will I bless thee: I will praise thy name for ever and ever." Psal. lxiii. 3, 4, "Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee: thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name." Are they not bound to praise him on earth, that must reign with Christ for ever in heaven? Rom. viii. 17, 33; Rev. i. 5, 6; Col. i. 12; 1 Pet. i. 4.

6. The praises of God do exercise our highest graces: praise is the very breath of love, and joy, and gratitude: it tendeth to raise us above ourselves, and make our hearts to burn within us, while the glorious name of God is magnified: it hath the most pure, and spiritual, and elevating effect upon the soul; and therefore tendeth most effectually to make us more holy, by the increase of these graces.

7. To be much employed in the praise of God, doth tend exceedingly to the vanquishing all hurtful doubts, and fears, and sorrows. Joy and praise promote each other. And this it doth, (1.) By keeping the soul near to God, and within the warmth of his love and goodness, Psal. cxl. 13. (2.) By the exercise of love and joy, which are the cordial, reviving, strengthening graces, Psal. xciv. 19; cxvi. 1. (3.) By dissipating distrustful, vexing thoughts, and diverting the mind to sweeter things, Psal. civ. 34. (4.) By keeping off the tempter, who usually is least able to follow us with his molestations, when we are highest in the praises of our God. (5.) By bringing out the evidences of our sincerity into the light, while the chiefest graces are in exercise, 2 Cor. iii. 18. (6.) And by way of reward from God, that loveth the praises of his meanest servants. And here I would commend this experiment, to uncomfortable, troubled souls, that have not found comfort by long searching after evidences in themselves. Exercise yourselves much in the praises of God: this is a duty that you have no pretence against. Against thanksgiving for his grace, you pretend that you know not that you have received his grace; but to praise him in the excellency of his perfections, his power, and wisdom, and goodness, and mercy, and truth, is the duty of all men in the world. While you are doing this, you will feel your graces stir, and feel that comfort from the face of God, which you are not like to meet with in any other way whatsoever. Evidences are exceeding useful to our ordinary stated peace and comfort; but it is oft long before we confidently discern them: and they are oft discerned when yet the soul is not excited to much sense of comfort and delight: and we quickly lose the sight of evidences, if we be not very wise and careful. But a life of praise bringeth comfort to the soul, as standing in the sunshine bringeth light and warmth: or as labouring doth warm the body: or as the sight and converse of our dearest friend, or the hearing of glad tidings, doth rejoice the heart, without any great reasoning or arguing the case. This is the way to have comfort by feeling, to be much in the hearty praises of the Lord. When we come to heaven we shall have our joy, by immediate vision, and the delightful exercise of love and praise. And if you would taste the heavenly joys on earth, you must imitate them in heaven as near as possibly you can; and this is your work of nearest imitation.

8. To live a life of praising God, will make religion sweet and easy to us, and take off the wearisomeness of it, and make the word of God a pleasure to us. Whereas they that set themselves only to the works of humiliation, and leave out these soul-delighting exercises, do cast themselves into exceeding danger, by making religion seem to them a grievous and undesirable life. This makes men backward to every duty, and do it heartlessly, and easily yield to temptations of omission and neglect, if not at last fall off through weariness: whereas the soul that is daily employed in the high and holy praises of his God, is still drawn on by encouraging experience, and doth all with a willing, ready mind.

9. No duty is more pleasing to God, than the cheerful praises of his servants. He loveth your prayers, tears, and groans; but your praises much more: and that which pleaseth God most, must be most pleasing to his servants; for to please him is their end: this is the end of all their labour, that "whether present or absent, they may be accepted of him," 2 Cor. v. 9. So that it is a final enjoying, and therefore a delighting duty.

10. To be much employed in the praises of God, will acquaint the world with the nature of true religion, and remove their prejudice, and confute their dishonourable thoughts and accusations of it, and recover the honour of Christ, and his holy ways, and servants. Many are averse to a holy life, because they think that it consisteth but of melancholy fears or scrupulosity: but who dare open his mouth against the joyful praises of his Maker? I have heard and read of several enemies and murderers, that have broke in upon christians with an intent to kill them, or carry them away, that finding them on their knees in prayer, and reverencing the work so much as to stay and hear them till they had done, have reverenced the persons also, and departed, and durst not touch the heavenly worshippers of God. This life of praise is a continual pleasure to the soul; clean contrary to a melancholy life. It is recreating to the spirits, and healthful to the body, which is consumed by cares, and fears, and sorrows. It is the way that yieldeth that "mirth which doth good like a medicine, and is a continual feast," Prov. xvii. 22; xv. 15. Therefore saith the apostle, "Is any merry, let him sing psalms," James v. 13. He cannot better exercise mirth, than in singing praises to his God. This keeps the soul continually on the wing, desiring still to be nearer God, that it may have more of these delights: and so it overcomes the sense of persecutions and afflictions, and the fears of death, and is a most excellent cordial and companion in the greatest sufferings. Was it not an excellent hearing, to have been a witness of the joy of Paul and Silas, when in the prison and stocks, with their backs sore with scourges, they sang at midnight the praises of the Lord? Acts xvi. 25; so that all the doors were opened, and all the prisoners' bonds were loosed, that had been their auditors; so great was God's acceptance of their work. Oh that we would do that honour and right to true religion, as to show the world the nature and use of it, by living in the cheerful praises of our God, and did not teach them to blaspheme it, by our misdoings!

I have said the more of the excellency and benefits of this work, because it is one of your best helps to perform it, to know the reasons of it, and how much of your religion, and duty, and comfort consisteth in it: and the forgetting of this, is the common cause that it is so boldly and ordinarily neglected, or slubbered over as it is.

_Direct._ II. The keeping of the heart in the admiration and glorifying of God, according to the foregoing directions, is the principal help to the right praising of him with our lips.--For out of the heart's abundance the mouth will speak: and if the heart do not bear its part, no praise is melodious to God.

_Direct._ III. Read much those Scriptures which speak of the praises of God; especially the Psalms: and furnish your memories with store of those holy expressions of the excellencies of God, which he himself hath taught you in his word.--None knoweth the things of God, but the Spirit of God; who teacheth us in the Scripture to speak divinely of things divine. No other dialect so well becometh the work of praise. God, that best knoweth himself, doth best teach us how to know and praise him. Every christian should have a treasury of these sacred materials in his memory, that he may be able at all times, in conference and in worship, to speak of God in the words of God.

_Direct._ IV. Be much in singing psalms of praise, and that with the most heart-raising cheerfulness and melody; especially in the holy assemblies.--The melody and the conjunction of many serious, holy souls, doth tend much to elevate the heart. And where it is done intelligibly, reverently, in conjunction with a rational, spiritual, serious worship, the use of musical instruments are not to be scrupled or refused; any more than the tunes or melody of the voice.

_Direct._ V. Remember to allow the praises of God their due proportion in all your prayers.--Use not to shut it out, or forget it, or cut it short with two or three words in the conclusion. The Lord's prayer begins and ends with it: and the three first petitions are for the glorifying the name of God, and the coming of his kingdom, and the doing of his will, by which he is glorified: and all this before we ask any thing directly for ourselves. Use will much help you in the praise of God.

_Direct._ VI. Especially let the Lord's day be principally spent in praises and thanksgivings for the work of our redemption, and the benefits thereof.--This day is separated by God himself to this holy work; and if you spend it (ordinarily) in other religious duties, that subserve not this, you spend it not as God requireth you. The thankful and praiseful commemoration of the work of man's redemption, is the special work of the day: and the celebrating of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, (which is therefore called the Eucharist,) was part of these laudatory exercises, and used every Lord's day by the primitive church. It is not only a holy day, separated to God's worship in general; but to this eucharistical worship in special above the rest, as a day of praises and thanksgiving unto God: and thus all christians (ordinarily) should use it.

_Direct._ VII. Let your holy conference with others be much about the glorious excellencies, works, and mercies of the Lord, in way of praise and admiration.--This is indeed to speak to edification, and as the "oracles of God," Eph. iv. 29; "that God in all things may be glorified," 1 Pet. iv. 11. Psal. xxix. 9, "In his temple doth every one speak of his glory." Psal. xxxv. 28, "My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, and of thy praises all the day long." Psal. cxlv. 6, 11, 21, "And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts.--They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power: to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.--My mouth shall speak of the praises of the Lord; and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever." Psal. cv. 2, 3, "Talk ye of all his wondrous works: glory ye in his holy name."