his God, and to join in those celestial anthems for which he had not the smallest taste ? No : we must begin on earth the work we are to carry on in heaven : nor can we hope to participate the felicity of the saints, if we have not first cultivated their disposition, and found delight in their employment.]
2. Those who desire and endeavour to praise him —
[While some find their hearts enlarged in praising God, we trust there are many who say, O that I could praise the Lord for his goodness! But whence is it that, with a desire to enjoy God, so many spend their days in sighing and mourning instead of in joy and rejoicing? Perhaps they pore over their own corruptions without contemplating the divine attributes : they look at themselves more than at Christ : they consider their own wants ; but overlook the Lord's promises : they anti- cipate future difficulties, without adverting to past deliverances : in short, they cannot praise God as they would wish, because they are forgetful of those benefits which are the occasions and grounds of praise. Let all such persons then be aware of their error. Let them begin this day the important, the delightful, the long-neglected work. Let them unite in praising God for his mercies, whether public or personal, whether temporal or eternal.
To all would we say, in the energetic language of the Psalmist, " O sing praises unto the Lord, sing praises ; sing praises unto the Lord, sing praises ; sing ye praises with under- standing8." " Let young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the name of the Lord ; for his name alone is excellent, his glory is above the earth and heavens1."]
■ Ps. xlvii. 6, 7. * Ps. cxlviii. 12, 13.