192 sermons upon psalm cxix. [Ser. CLXXVIII.
James iii. 5). As our understanding was given us to know God, and think on him, so our speech to speak of God, to declare his excellent perfections, and to stir up others to praise him with us.
4. Holiness, the fruit of it ; for as Job said, the sides of the poor blessed him, Job xxxi. 20, so must our lives praise God, 1 Peter ii. 9, show forth his virtues, not in word only, but in works. Our lives must be a constant hymn to God, though we should be silent. We remember the Lord's excellences, that we may imitate them, and express them to the life. The children of God serve only for this use, to represent God to the world, as the image in the glass representeth the person that looketh in it. So Isa. xl. 21, ' This people have I formed for myself ; they shall show forth my praise.' The impression of all the divine attributes and perfections must be left upon us, and copied out by us, plainly represented in our wisdom, purity, faithful- ness, and godliness
Secondly, The motives, because there is no part of God's worship to which we are more indisposed. Self-love will put us upon prayers and supplications, but love of God upon praises. We are inclined to the one by our own necessities, but we need to be stirred up to the other by pressing arguments. I will only mention those which are heaped up together in one place : Ps. cxlvii. 1, ' Praise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing praises unto our God ; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely.'
1. It is good and profitable, a piece of service acceptable in God's sight : Ps. 1. 23, 'Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me.' It is a part of that spiritual worship required under the gospel, beyond all the sacri- fices of the law. In other duties we expect something from God, but in this we bestow something on him.
All God's praises are a believer's advantage ; every attribute is his storehouse: 'This is my beloved and my friend,' Cant. v. 16; Ps. cxxxv. 5, ' For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.' Yea, it is profitable as it is acceptable : Ps. lxvii. 5-7, ' Let all the people praise thee, 0 God ; let all the people praise thee ; then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our God, shall bless us ; God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.' Pliny telleth us of a fountain that would rise, and swell, and overflow, at the playing of a pipe or flute, and when that ceased, would stop again. The fountain of mercy riseth, and swelleth, and overfloweth with new supplies of mercy when we praise and acknow- ledge the old.
2. It is pleasant and delightful, full of sweet refreshment. He that knoweth not this work is pleasant is unacquainted with it ; for this ravishing, transporting joy is matter of experience. When is the gracious heart more delighted than when it feasts with God ? All acts of obedience have a pleasure accompanying them, especially acts of worship, being the nobler part of the spiritual life ; and among them praise : Ps. cxxxv. 3, ' Sing praises unto his name, for it is good and pleasant.' It is our duty in heaven to praise God, when we are in our highest felicity ; therefore this is a work wherein we should rejoice to be employed. It is our reward rather than our work, the heaven that we have upon earth ; and nothing so fit to cheer up the spirit as to
VeR. 164.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 193
remember what a God we have in Christ. The very nature of it hath allurement enough to a gracious heart : Ps. xcii. 4, ' For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy works ;' when God blesseth our medi- tations of his works with gladness.
3. It is comely and honourable to be about the employment of angels, to be heralds to proclaim the Lord's glory ; nothing so comely for us as creatures, who have our whole being from him. As new creatures, we are set apart to be to the praise of his glorious grace in Christ, Eph. i. 12. It beareth all men as a debt, which they owe to God, though the wicked have no power to perform it. Indeed the new song doth ill become the old heart ; but when there is an obligation and a capacity, then it is comely indeed. It becometh them to pay, and God to receive it from them : Ps. xxxiii. 1, ' Praise is comely for the up- right.' All are bound to praise God, yet none will do it cheerfully and acceptably save the godly : they have obligations above all people in the world ; they have a capacity and a heart to do it, and from them God most expecteth it.
Secondly, The continuance, that we should never cease praising God. David saith here, ' Seven times a day,' which is the number of perfection ; and elsewhere you shall find equivalent expressions : Ps. xxxiv. 1, 'I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be con- tinually in my mouth.' So Heb. xiii. 15, ' Let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually, giving thanks unto his name.' So Eph. v. 20, ' Giving thanks always unto God for all things.' What is the meaning of these extensive particles, 'continually,' 'always,' 'and at all times' ? I answer — It is not to be understood as if we were without intermis- sion to be employed in the actual exercise of formal and distinct thanksgiving. No ; there are other necessary duties, which sometimes must divert us from it ; but the meaning is —