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III. How this access to praise God in the world, is and will be the peculiar mercy of the li ving.

IV. lastly, Apply.

I. We fhall confider the praising or glorifying God in the world. And here we shall fhew, 1. What praifing of God is.

2. What are the peculiarities of the praises of the living.

Firft, What praifing of God is. It is the ac knowledging and declaring of the glorious excellencies of God, as he has manifefted himself in his word and works; and imports,

1. The belief of the being of God: Heb. xi. 6. ́ He that cometh to God, muft, believe that he is. Atheifm wholly cuts off the praifes of God; for who can praise that which he does not believe to.... be? The works of creation and providence proclaim his being: but fuch is the natural enmity of man againft God, and his addictedness to his lufts, that he fecretly wifheth there were not a God, and fo is difpofed to believe fo, if he could get any footing for it: Pfal. xiv. 1. The fool hath faid in his heart, There is no God and that is at the root of mens living to a contrary end to his praife, Tit. i. ult. They profefs that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, gud difobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

2. The knowledge of God. To whom he is an unkown God, he will be an unpraised God. Hence ignorance is ruining; Hof. iv. 6. My people are defireyed for lack of knowledge. If. xxvii. 11. It is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them, will not have mercy on them, and

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235 he that formed them, will fhew them no favour. To live to the praifing of God, requires,

ift, The knowledge of who he is, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, one God, 1 John v. 7. In the name of the three perfons we are baptized by divine appointment: if we know him not fo, we know not the God to whom we are engaged in baptism; and so cannot praise him.

2dly, The knowledge of what he is; the dif cerning of his glorious perfections, which are the matter of his praife. We must know him to be the greatest and best of beings, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wildom, power, holinefs, juftice, goodness, and truth; more excellent than any creatures, or all of them together, as being the fountain of all excellency in them.

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3dly, The knowledge of what he has done. His works are glorious, creation, providence, and redemption. By them he (hews what he is, (Pfal. xix. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament fheweth his handy-wark), and affords us matter of praise and we are to think on them for that end, that we may from thence praife him, Pfal. cxi. 2. The works of the Lord are great, fought out of all them that have pleafure therein. And it is highly offenfive not to regard them: Pfal. xxvii. 5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of bis hands, he fhall deffroy them, and not build them up. That is to deny him his praile.

3. The love of God. Love is the mother of praife, and natively brings it forth. They that do not love God, can never kindly or acceptably praife him. Jahn iv. 16. God is love, not only fubjectively,

fubjectively, infinitely loving; but objectively, wholly lovely. And fo he is in the eyes of all who live to his praife. To them the Father is lovely, the Son lovely, the Holy Spirit lovely. Every attribute of God is lovely. The holiness and purity of his nature, the great eye-fore of carnal men, is most lovely to them: Exod. xv. 11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, glorious in holiness, fearful in praifes, doing wonders? Pfal. xxx. 4. Sing unto the Lord, O ye faints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. His works are lovely. The creation of the world is a lovely work, the guiding of it by providence a lovely work; but the moft lovely is the redemption of the world by the blood of Christ,

4. The admiration of God; which is, love and esteem raised to a high pitch. This is the nearest cause of praise; for it is the heart fwelling with admiration of the object, that bursts forth in praifes, Exod. xv. 11. above cited. They that live to God's praise, are admirers of him they fee all excellencies in him to be tranfcendent, nothing comparable to them in the whole creation, and believe there are infinite treasures of excellency in him, which they cannot comprehend. So their heart faith, with the Pfalmift, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I defire befides thee, Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. Lanching into the ocean of the glories of his nature and works, they fee it is fhoreless: Pfal. cvi. 2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can fhew forth all his praife?

5. laftly, The expreffing that love to, and admiration of him: Exod. xv. 11. forecited. Micah vii. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardon

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eth iniquity, and passeth by the tranfgreffion of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. This is it in which the effence of praifing God confifts, and is the great end for which man was made and it is the native becoming return the creature is to make to its Creator, from whom it has received all, and to whom it can give nothing, but only commend him, and fet forth his glory. this not being confined to words, is twofold.

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1ft, Vocal, by words. It is called the calves of our lips, Hof. xiv. 2.; and the fruit of our lips, Heb. xiii. 15. Man's tongue is called his glory, Pfal. xvi. 9. as being a prime instrument wherewith he is furnished for praifing and glorifying God. And thus we are to praise him, folemnly and ftatedly, in the duties of worship, finging his praifes; and occafionally, in fpcaking to his praife, as we have occafion offered.

2dly, Real, by deeds or actions, though it be not accompanied with words: for as there is a practical Atheism, Tit. i. ult. fo there is a practical praising or glorifying God. And this is the main thing in that praise which is the end of life, without which vocal praise avails not. It is twofold.

(1.) In heart: 1 Cor. vi. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God-in your Spirit, which is God's. Mens praife of men from the teeth outward may pafs, but God knows the heart; and if the heart harmonize not with the tongue, it cannot be accepted of him, I. xxix. 13. He must be praifed in our understanding, thinking and efteeming him above all, Pfal. lxxii. 25.; in our will, chufing him above all, for our portion, Pfal. cxlii. 5.; and in our affections, lo

ving, rejoicing, and delighting in him above all, Pfal. xxxvii. 4.

(2.) In life and converfation: Matth. v. 16. Let your light fo shine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. A holy life is a fhining light, to let a blind world fee the glory of God: for as God has expreffed his nature in his word, fo his word is expreffed again in a holy life, Philip. ii. 15. 16, The study of holinefs fays God is holy; mourning for every fin proclaims him fpotless; and horror of fecret, as well as of open fins, is a teftimony to his omniprefence and omnifcience.

Secondly, What are the peculiarities of the praifes of the living? The praifes of living faints have these peculiarities, which the dead have no access

to.

1. They are the praises of the whole man, in foul and body too: 1 Cor. vi. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body, and in your fpirit, which are God's. Thofe of the dead are of their fouls only; but the living have accefs to praise God, foul and body in concert. Even the clay body hath, for the time of life, accefs to join in this honourable work: but death breaks it in pieces, that it can no more bear a part in God's praife.

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2. They are praifes which may spread among the living, as in their land, from whence the dead are cut off: Col. iii. 16. Let the word of Chrift dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in pfalms, and hymns, and Spiritual fongs, finging with grace in your hearts to the Lord. The voice of the praifes of living faints, may be heard under this vault of the heart

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