Baxter - BJ1441 B3 1673

Hozv to pra!fe God. Dircll.:z. ~: 23. DireCt. 2. 1be b,repi11g of the heart ,in the ad,.iration and glorijjing ofGod, (according! the fore-going DirtCI:ions J ;, the principal htlp to the right praifing of him with our lips. for ou~ of the hearts abundance the moUth will fpeak; And if the Hc:art do not bear its parr, no praife · mtloelious to God. 15 Dirct/. 3• ~· '+·. Di~ell:. 3· Re~d much thofe Scripwru which fpe.k._ of tbe pr.ifes, ofGod; tfptciJUy the Pfalmt: a11d funtijh yo1tr memorzer rvzth j fore of thofe holy expref!ionJ of the exceOenczes of God, which he him. Jelf b:..ttb taught y 1tt in his J.Yord. None knoweth the things of God, bur the Spirit of God ; wh ttachetb us in the Scriptures to fpeak divinely of tbing1 divine. No other diatett fo well becomerh the work of praifc. God that befl knoweth himfelf, dorh bell teach us how to i<!zow andpraife him Dircll·.4· ·Evny Chriflim !bould have a rreafury of thefe lacred mareriJl< in his memory, that he ma; be able ac all times, in Conference and in Worfhip, to fpcak of God in rhe words ofGod. §. 2 S• DireCt. 4• B~ rm~cb in finging Pfalm_, of praifl, .aJtd that with th~ mojl !;tart~raifing clmrfu/. n!ji aJtd melody: r[peczally m the holy affimblzn. The melody and the con)unCbon of many ftrious holy Iouis, doth rend mu<h to clevare the heart. And where it IS done intelligibly, reverently in conjundion wirh a rationa1 1 fpiritual, ferious WorChip, the u[e ofMt~fkal Inltruments are nor(~ be fcruplcd or refulCd; any more rhan the: Tunes and Melody of the Voic('. Dirttl. 5· §. 26. Direct._5· llemem!Jer to _allow the p~:~ifeJ of ~od, their due prnportion i!l aU yiJur P,a)'trt, llfe not to lhut It out, or forget It, or cut tt ihort wah two or three words m rhc conclulion, Dirca. 6. The Lords Prayer begins and ends with it: and the three firH Petitions an.: for the glorifying the Name ofGod, and the coming of his Kingdom, and the doing of his Will, by which he is gloritied: and all this before we ask any thing directly for our felves. Vfe will much help you in the Praife of God. §. 27. DireCt. 6. Efp"iJIIy let the Lord1 Day bt princip•Uy {pent .in Praifes and 1haNrsgiving fonht Diret/. 7• Ditel/. 8. Direll·9· work, of our Redemption, and the benefits thereof. This day is feparated by God himfelf to this holy work:. And if you fpend it (ordinarily) in orher Rc.:ligious duties, that fubferve not this, you fpend 1t not as God rcqaireth you : The thankfnl and praifeful Commemoration of the work of mans Redemption, is the fpecial work of the day : And the celebrating of the Sacrament of the bodyand blood of Chrift, (which is therefore called the Eucharift) was part of thefe laudatory cxercJfes, and ufed every Lords Day by the Primitive: Church. It is not only aholy day, feparated to ~ods '\\-"orfhip in general ; but ro this Eutharifiical Worfhip in fpecial above the refi, as a dayof Praifes and Thanksgiving unto God : And thus all Chriltians ( ordinarily ) lhould ufe it. 9· '28. DireCT. 7· Let your holy confcrenc? with otl>er.t be much about the gloriout ExceUenciu, · TYorkf and Mcrciu of the LQrd, in way of praife a;zd "admiration. This is indeed to fpeak toEdifi· cation, and as theOracler ofGod. Eph.4. 29. that GIJd in all .things may he glorified, I Pet. 4· u. Pfa!. 29. 9· In his Tmple dorh every one !peak._ of his glory. Pfal. 35· 2 8. My toilgut jhaU!peak._ of thy .righteoufiuji, and. of thy praifes alithed"y long. Pfal.I45· 6, u, 21· And men jbaV jptJk of the might oj' thy terribh al/s--TheyjhaU !peak._ of the glory of thy Kingdom, and talk, ofthy fi!W· tr: to make k!tonm to tbe S9nl of nm: hiJ mighty .atJJ', and tbe gloriour Majt}ly ofbH Kingdom-– My mouth jhaU Jjeak._ of the praifes •1 the Lord, and let aU f/<]h blefi his holy name for ever and ever. Pt.J. 105. 2, 3· Tall{. ye of aU hif wondrous workr: glory ye in hit holy n.Jme. 9· 29. Direct. 8. Spealt not ofGod in a light ·'1otrevermt or common fort, as ifyou tal~t of commun things: bHt with aU poffible [erWufmfl, gravity a!td reverence, aJ if you Jaw the Majcfty of the Lord. A common and a holy manner of fpcech are contrary. That only is holy which is [eparated to God from ~;ommon ufe. You fpeak prophanely, (in the manmr, howholy foever the mattt!r be) when you fpeak of God with that carelefs levity, as you u{e to fpcak of common things. Such fpeaking of God is difhonourable to him, and hurts the hearers more rhan filence > by breeding in them a contenipt of God, and teaching them to imitate you in fleight conccits and fpeech of the Al· mighty : Whereas on.e rhat fpeaketh reverently of God, as in his prefence) doth ofttimes more af· feet the hearers with a reverence of his Majefiy, ·wirh a few words, than unrevcrent Preachers with ihe mofi accurate Sermons, delivered in a common or affected firain. When ever you (peak of God, let rhe hearers perceive that your hearts ate polfeffed with his Fear and Love, and that you put more difference between God and m1n, than between a King aud the fmallelt 'Worm ; fo when you talk of death or judgement, of Heaven or Hell,. of holinefs or fin, or any thing tli.at nearly relate_s rv God, do it with that gravity and ferioufnefs '\S the matter doth require. §· 30. Direct. 9• Speak._not fo unsb,i/fitlly andfoolifhly ofGod or holy things, as may tempt tbe lmm1 to turn it into a mattct of [corn or laugbtcr. 'Efpecially undcrfiand how your parrs ne fuiced to the comRany that you are in. Among thofe thar are more ignorant, fome wea~ difcourfes may be tolerable and protitable: For they are mofl affected with that which is delivered in their own DialeCl: and Mode: but among judicious or captious hearers, unskilful perfons mufi be very fparing of lbeir words, left they do hurt, while they defire to do good, and make Religion feet!) ridiculou" We may rejoyce in the fcorns which we undergo for Chrifi, and which are bent againlt his holy Laws, or the fubllancc of our duty: But if men are jeered for fpeaking ridiculoufly and foolilhly. of holy things, they have litrle rcafon to take comfort in any thing of that, but their honeJt meanmgs an.d intents: Nay, they mufi be humbled for being a di!bonour to the name of godlinefi. But the mi· fcry is, that few of rhc ignorant and weak have lmowle.dge and humility enough eo percei~e rhe~r ignorance and weaknefs; but they think they [peak as wifely as the bell, and ar.e olfeuded If thetr words be not reverenced accordingly. As a Miniller lhould ftudy and hbour for a skill and abihrr to •reac/J, btcaufc it is his work; fo every Chriflian lhould lludy for skill to di[coHrfe wuh Wil· . z d~m

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