Use. Let me press you now to three things : —
1. To the work.
2. Frequency and constancy herein.
3. To suit often God's word and works together.
First, To the work of praising God. Many are often complaining or begging, but seldom praising or giving thanks. Oh ! surely this should be more regarded, not always taken up with complaints against ourselves, and supplications for mercies ; but should some time give thanks, and praise the Lord ; it is the noblest part of our work, it is nearest the work of heaven. As love is the grace of heaven, so praise is the duty then in season. It is good to be preparing, setting our hearts in order for our eternal estate ; it is the work of angels ; when we praise God, we do the work of angels. The angels, according to the opinion of the ancient Hebrews, do every day sing praises to God, and that in the morning ; which they gather because the angel said to Jacob, Gen. xxxii. 26, ' Let me go, for the day breaketh ; ' which place the Targum of Jerusalem thus explaineth, Let me go, for the pillar
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of the morning ascendeth, and behold the hour approacheth that the angels are to sing. However that opinion be, sure we are that the angels ever bless God, and laud his holy name : Isa. vi. 1-3, the angels cried one to another, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts ; the whole earth is full of his glory.' They were blessing God for creation ; then the morning stars sang for joy, Job xxxviii. 4-6, for the nativity of Christ, Luke ii. 13, 14. They apprehend more of God's excellency and perfection in himself and in his works than we do, and are more sensible of his benefits than we are. Now if this be the work of angels, the highest and greatest of them, surely this work should be more prized by us. It is nobler than other duties ; we serve God in our callings, but this work is a part of our misery, this burden was laid upon Adam after his fall, that in the sweat of his brow he should eat his bread, Gen. iii. 19. Though honest labour be a part of our obedience, yet it is also a part of our trouble and exercise. There are works of righteousness ; as to give every man his due, these are good works ; but they concern the benefit of man, the good of human society ; whereas praise is more immediately directed to the honour of God. There are works of mercy, to relieve the poor, to help the dis- tressed, to support the weak, to comfort the afflicted ; these are good works indeed, and a very noble part of our service, to be reckoned to our thank-offerings as praise: Heb. xiii. 15, 16, '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 : but to do good and to com- municate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.' It is godlike to do good, and a more blessed thing to give than to receive, Acts xx. 35 ; as God giveth to all, and receiveth of none ; but still this redoundeth to men. There are opera cultus, the fourth sort of works, works of worship ; internal, as humbling our soul, repenting of our sins, and asking pardon ; these are good works indeed, but such as imply our misery and imperfection. External, as prayer, hearing, and reading, and other acts of communion with God ; but when we give thanks, this is more noble. In other duties, God is bestowing some- thing on us ; but here, in our way, we bestow something upon God. In prayer, as beggars ; in hearing, as scholars and disciples, we come to expect something from him. Here we come to put honour upon God ; in our way it is a kind of recompense, or paying our debts to him, by word or deed.
Now the reasons why men are so backward to this work are —
1. Because we have so little of the love of God. Self-love puts us upon supplication, but the love of God upon praise and thanksgiving. It is a token of great love to praise God without ceasing. We are eager to have blessings, and then forget to return and give God the glory.
2. And partly neglect of observation. We do not gather up matter of thanksgiving : Col, ii. 4, ' Continue in prayer, and watch in the same, with thanksgiving.' We should continually observe God's answers and visits of love, manifestations of himself to the world. The reason, then, why we have no more pleasure in praising God is, because we observe not so needfully as we should his mercy and truth fulfilled.
(Secondly, To frequency and constancy therein. Frequency in this
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duty doth not beget a satiety and loathing, but rather a greater delight to continue in it. But here arise two questions : —
Quest. 1. What time must be necessarily spent in acts of worship and adoration, prayer, praise, and immediate converse with God ?