An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

4. An heavenly heart is necessary to bless and praise God. The praising of God is Angels works, and the employment of the glorified Saints to all eternity. ¹Praise is comely, but it is from clean hearts and clean mouths. We need the Spirit of God to enable us to thanksgiving, as well as to prayer. Psal. 119. 7. I'll praise thee with uprightness. An hypocrite who giveth God glory by his mouth, but reproacheth him by his life, not only his prayer, but his praises are abominable. Hence Psal. 50. ult. it is said, Who so offereth praise, glorifieth God. But lest you should extend this to every man; See what is added, And who so ordereth his conversation aright, &c. If a man praise God in never so melodious a tune, but then there is no harmony, nor order in his life, this is a reproach to God. We may benedicere linguâ, when we do maledicere vitâ. There is a real praising of God by exercised holiness, as well as verbal by the tongue. In the Sacrifices of thanksgiving, Levit. 7. 10. Whosoever did eat thereof, that had uncleanness upon him, he was to be cut off. By this is typified, how unpleasing the praises of such are, who live in their sins; it is as uncomely, as a pearl in the Swines mouth. It is true, God doth greatly condescend to accept of our praises; for he hath millions and millions of Angels continually praising of him, who have not the least blemish or spot upon them: but yet he is pleased to take this Sacrifice at our hands. In the Sacrifice of thanksgiving, Levit. 7. 13. there was leaven allowed. Junius observeth, That whereas God allowed leaven in no other Sacrifice (though Bonfrerius thinketh otherwise, and that leaven only was forbidden so far as to be offered, but the common opinion is otherwise) why then was leaven allowed only in this Sacrifice? Hereby to teach us (saith Junius) that there is corruption and sinfulness in our best actions, and that we need the righteousness of Christ, that they be accepted of. Even then in our praises there is matter of humiliation, there is some bitterness, yet through Christ we are accepted of. But though all pollution cannot be purged out, yet he that liveth in a wilful way of sinning, cannot give glory to God acceptably.