It teacheth us what a horrible sin ingratitude is. It is the grave of all God's blessings. It receives all, and never returns anything back again. As those lepers, they never came back again to thank Christ, but only the tenth, a poor Samaritan, Luke xvii. 17. Men are eager to sue to God, restless till they have that they would have, but then they are barren and unfruitful, they yield nothing back again. After prayer, there must be praise and thanksgiving. It condemneth our backwardness and untoward- ness in this kind. Like little children, they are ready to beg favours, but when they come to thanksgiving, they look another way, as if it were irk- some to them. So it is with our natm-e. "When we go about this heavenly duty, we give God a formal word or two, ' Thanks be to God,' &c. But we never work our hearts to thankfulness. ' That thanks may be given by mamj.'
As the prayers of many are mighty with God to prevail, so likewise the praises of many are very grateful and acceptable to God, even as it is
VOL. UI. N
194 COMMENTARY ON
/
with instruments. The sweetness of music ariseth fi-om many instruments, and from the concord of ail tlie strings in every instrument. When every instrument hatli man}- strings, and are all in tune, it makes sweet harmony, it makes sweet concord. So, when many give God thanks, and every one hath a good heart sc't in tune, when they ai'c good Christians all, it is wondrous acceptable music to God, it is sweet incense ; more acceptable to God than any sweet savour and odour can be to us. That is one reason why God will have many to pray to him, that he may have many praises.
God doth wondrously honour concord, especially when it is concord in praising of him. It is a comely thing for ' brethren to hvc in unity,' as it is Ps. cxxxiii. 1. If to praise God be a comely thing, and if concord be a comely thing, then when both meet together, it must needs be wondrous beautiful, and wondrous acceptable to God, when many brethren meet and join to praise God. Therefore it is said, in the church's new conversion, * They met all together as one man,' Acts ii. 4G, they were of one heart and one soul, and they were given to prayer and to praising of God. A blessed estate of that beginning church ! They were all as one man, of one heart, of one spirit, of one soul.
As the blessed angels and blessed spirits in heaven, they all join together, as it is in Rev. xiv. 2, 3. The blessed man heard a voice in heaven as the voice of many waters, and of great thunder ; and he heard the voice of harpers, ' and they sang a new song.' There were many hai'ps, but one song, one thanksgiving, one heart, one spirit in all, wondrous acceptable to God.
This should make us in love with public meetings. Severed thanks- giving is not so acceptable a thanksgiving. God doth bestow all good upon us in the body, as we knit ourselves not only in thanksgiving to him, but in love to the church. As all things are derived from God to us in the body, so let our praise return to God in the body as much as we may.
It shews what a hateful thing schism and division is in the church. Besides many other inconveniences, God wants glory by it. God loves to be praised by many joining together. As the apostle saith here, ' Thanks shall be given by many,' &c. Many ! not as they are many persons, but as they are many godly persons that are led by the Spirit of God.
Use. Therefore, if the praise of many be so acceptable, it should first be an encouragement to union. In John x\'ii. 21, saith our Saviour Christ there, ' I pray that they may be one, as we are one.' It was the sum of that heavenly prayer, the unity of the church to the end of the world, ' That they may be one, as we are one.' The Trinity should be the pattern of our unity. Because, I say, all good is in union, and all that comes from us that is accepted of God, it must be in peace and union.
God so loves peace, and a quiet disposition inclinable to peace, that he neglects his own service till Ave have made peace one with another. Mat. v. 24, ' If thou have any offence with thy brother,' if thou have done him any wrong, or he thee, ' go and be reconciled to him, and then come and bring thy offering.' God will stay for his own offering ; he is content to stay for his own service, till we be at peace one with another. Whether it be prayer or praise, if we be not at peace, it is not acceptable. Again, this should teach us to stir up others, when we praise God, and others have cause as well as we, ' that thanks may be given by many.' When we are in trouble, call upon others ; and as it is the common and commendable fashion, desire others to pray for us, that prayer may be made by many ; and when we receive any favour, any deliverance from any great danger, acquaint othera