A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian Ethics

by Richard Baxter

Direct. I. Conceive of this duty of praising God according to its superlative excellencies, as being the highest service that the tongue of men or angels can perform. To bless, or praise, or magnify God, is not to make him greater, or better, or happier than he is; but to declare and extol his greatness, goodness, and felicity. And that your hearts may be inflamed to this excellent work, I will here show you how great and necessary, how high and acceptable a work it is.

1. It is the giving to God his chiefest due.[129] A speaking of him as he is; and when we have spoken the highest, how far fall we short of the due expression of his glorious perfections! Oh how great praise doth that almightiness deserve, which created and conserveth all the world, and overruleth all the sons of men, and is able to do whatsoever he will! "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise his works to another and declare his mighty acts: I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty, and of thy wondrous works; and men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts, and I will declare thy greatness," Psal. cxlv. 3-5. What praise doth that knowledge deserve which extendeth to all things that are, or were, or ever shall be! and that wisdom which ordereth all the world! He knoweth every thought of man, and all the secrets of the heart, Psal. xliv. 21; xciv. 11. "Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the world," Acts xv. 18. "His understanding is infinite," Psal. cxlvii. 5. What praise doth that goodness and mercy deserve, which is diffused throughout all the world, and is the life, and hope, and happiness of men and angels! "His mercy is great unto the heavens, and his truth unto the clouds," Psal. lvii. 10. "Oh how great is his goodness to them that fear him!" Psal. xxxi. 19; and therefore how great should be his praise! "Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord, and who can show forth all his praise?" Psal. cvi. 2. "For great is the glory of the Lord," Psal. cxxxviii. 5.

2. It is the end of all God's wondrous works, and especially the end which man was made for, that all things might praise him objectively, and men (and angels) in estimation and expression. That his glorious excellency might be visible in his works, and be admired and extolled by the rational creature: for this all things were created and are continued: for this we have our understanding and our speech: this is the fruit that God expecteth from all his works. Deny him this, and you are guilty of frustrating the whole creation, as much as in you lieth. You would have the sun to shine in vain, and the heavens and earth to stand in vain, and man and all things to live in vain, if you would not have God have the praise and glory of his works. Therefore, sun, and moon, and stars, and firmament, are called on to praise the Lord, Psal. cxlviii. 2-4, as they are the matter for which he must by us be praised. "O praise him therefore for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness," Psal. cl. 2. "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare his wondrous works for the children of men," Psal. cvii. 8, &c. Yea, it is the end of Christ in the redemption of the world, and in saving his elect, that God might, in the church, in earth and heaven, have the "praise and glory of his grace," Eph. i. 6, 12, 14. "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," Heb. xiii. 15. "And let the redeemed of the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever," Psal. cvii. 2. For this, all his saints "are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that they should show forth the praises of him that hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light," 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9.

3. The praise of God is the highest and noblest work in itself. (1.) It hath the highest object, even the glorious excellencies of God. Thanksgiving is somewhat lower, as having more respect to ourselves and the benefits received; but praise is terminated directly on the perfections of God himself. (2.) It is the work that is most immediately nearest on God, as he is our end: and as the end, as such, is better than all the means set together, as such, so are the final duties about the end greater than all the immediate duties. (3.) It is the work of the most excellent creatures of God, the holy angels: they proclaimed the coming of Christ, by way of praise, Luke ii. 13, 14, "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men:" see Psal. ciii. 20; cxlviii. 2. And as we must be equal to the angels, it must be in equal praising God, or else it will not be in equality of glory. (4.) It is the work of heaven, the place and state of all perfection; and that is best and highest which is nearest heaven; where "they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.—Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created," Rev. iv. 8, 10. Chap. xix. 5, "A voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great." Ver. 6, 7, "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluiah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready."

4. It beseemeth us, and much concerneth us, to learn and exercise that work, which in heaven we must do for ever; and that is, to love and joyfully praise the Lord: for earth is but the place of our apprenticeship for heaven. The preparing works of mortifying repentance must in their place be done; but only as subservient to these which we must ever do: when we shall sing the "new song" before the Lamb, "Thou art worthy;—for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us kings and priests unto our God," Rev. v. 9, 10. Therefore the primitive church of believers is described as most like to heaven; Luke xxiv. 53, "With great joy they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God." "O praise the Lord therefore in the congregation of the saints: let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King," Psal. cxlix. 1, 2. "Let the saints be joyful in glory: let the high praises of God be in their mouths," ver. 5, 6.

5. Though we are yet diseased sinners, and in our warfare, among enemies, dangers, and perplexities, yet praise is seasonable and suitable to our condition here, as the greatest part of our duty, which all the rest must but promote. Pretend not that it is not fit for you because you are sinners, and that humiliation only is suitable to your state. For the design of your redemption, the tenor of the gospel, and your own condition, engage you to it. Are they not engaged to praise the Lord, that are brought so near him to that end? 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9;—that are reconciled to him?—to whom he hath given and forgiven so much? 1 Tim. i. 15; Tit. iii. 3, 5; Psal. ciii. 1-3;—that have so many great and precious promises? 2 Pet. i. 4;—that are the temples of the Holy Ghost, who dwelleth in them, and sanctifieth them to God?—that have a Christ interceding for them in the highest? Rom. viii. 33, 34;—that are always safe in the arms of Christ; that are guarded by angels; and devils and enemies forbidden to touch them, further than their Father seeth necessary for their good?—that have the Lord for their God? Psal. xxxiii. 12; iv. 8;—that have his saints for their companions and helpers?—that have so many ordinances to help their souls; and so many creatures and comforts for their bodies?—that live continually upon the plenty of his love?—that have received so much, and are still receiving? Should we not bless him every day with praise, that blesseth us every day with benefits? Should we not praise the bridge that we go over?—the friend that we have tried so oft? And resolve, as Psal. cxlv. "Every day will I bless thee: I will praise thy name for ever and ever." Psal. lxiii. 3, 4, "Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee: thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name." Are they not bound to praise him on earth, that must reign with Christ for ever in heaven? Rom. viii. 17, 33; Rev. i. 5, 6; Col. i. 12; 1 Pet. i. 4.

6. The praises of God do exercise our highest graces: praise is the very breath of love, and joy, and gratitude: it tendeth to raise us above ourselves, and make our hearts to burn within us, while the glorious name of God is magnified: it hath the most pure, and spiritual, and elevating effect upon the soul; and therefore tendeth most effectually to make us more holy, by the increase of these graces.

7. To be much employed in the praise of God, doth tend exceedingly to the vanquishing all hurtful doubts, and fears, and sorrows. Joy and praise promote each other. And this it doth, (1.) By keeping the soul near to God, and within the warmth of his love and goodness, Psal. cxl. 13. (2.) By the exercise of love and joy, which are the cordial, reviving, strengthening graces, Psal. xciv. 19; cxvi. 1. (3.) By dissipating distrustful, vexing thoughts, and diverting the mind to sweeter things, Psal. civ. 34. (4.) By keeping off the tempter, who usually is least able to follow us with his molestations, when we are highest in the praises of our God. (5.) By bringing out the evidences of our sincerity into the light, while the chiefest graces are in exercise, 2 Cor. iii. 18. (6.) And by way of reward from God, that loveth the praises of his meanest servants. And here I would commend this experiment, to uncomfortable, troubled souls, that have not found comfort by long searching after evidences in themselves. Exercise yourselves much in the praises of God: this is a duty that you have no pretence against. Against thanksgiving for his grace, you pretend that you know not that you have received his grace; but to praise him in the excellency of his perfections, his power, and wisdom, and goodness, and mercy, and truth, is the duty of all men in the world. While you are doing this, you will feel your graces stir, and feel that comfort from the face of God, which you are not like to meet with in any other way whatsoever. Evidences are exceeding useful to our ordinary stated peace and comfort; but it is oft long before we confidently discern them: and they are oft discerned when yet the soul is not excited to much sense of comfort and delight: and we quickly lose the sight of evidences, if we be not very wise and careful. But a life of praise bringeth comfort to the soul, as standing in the sunshine bringeth light and warmth: or as labouring doth warm the body: or as the sight and converse of our dearest friend, or the hearing of glad tidings, doth rejoice the heart, without any great reasoning or arguing the case. This is the way to have comfort by feeling, to be much in the hearty praises of the Lord. When we come to heaven we shall have our joy, by immediate vision, and the delightful exercise of love and praise. And if you would taste the heavenly joys on earth, you must imitate them in heaven as near as possibly you can; and this is your work of nearest imitation.

8. To live a life of praising God, will make religion sweet and easy to us, and take off the wearisomeness of it, and make the word of God a pleasure to us. Whereas they that set themselves only to the works of humiliation, and leave out these soul-delighting exercises, do cast themselves into exceeding danger, by making religion seem to them a grievous and undesirable life. This makes men backward to every duty, and do it heartlessly, and easily yield to temptations of omission and neglect, if not at last fall off through weariness: whereas the soul that is daily employed in the high and holy praises of his God, is still drawn on by encouraging experience, and doth all with a willing, ready mind.

9. No duty is more pleasing to God, than the cheerful praises of his servants. He loveth your prayers, tears, and groans; but your praises much more: and that which pleaseth God most, must be most pleasing to his servants; for to please him is their end: this is the end of all their labour, that "whether present or absent, they may be accepted of him," 2 Cor. v. 9. So that it is a final enjoying, and therefore a delighting duty.