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this they triumphed over the temptations of Satan, and over all the afflictions that befell them, whether in private or in public life. By this they were enabled to finish their course with joy, and having walked with God on earth, they are now entered on that felicity which is prepared for all them that love and serve him."

ARTICLE II.

OF PRAISING GOD.

SECT. 1. The whole creation called to praise God.2. The children of men are particularly called to this divine exercise.-3. Praise is the delightful employment of the servants of God.-4. Every comfort of this life is to be received with thanksgiving.-5. With still higher praises ought we to celebrate the wonders. of redeeming love.-6. Remarkable instances of divine goodness are to be thankfully remembered and acknowledged by his servants.

SECT. 1. The whole creation called to praise God.

PRAISE ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? Praise ye the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels; praise ye him, all his hosts". Bless the Lord, ye his angels that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure. Bless ye the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion. Praise ye him, sun and moon; praise him all ye stars of light; praise him ye heaven of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord; for he commanded, and they were created. Praise the Lord

§ 1. Psal. cvi. 1, 2.

Psal. cxlviii. 3, 4,

5.

b Psal. cxlviii. 1, 2.

Psal. ciii. 20, 21, 22.

from the earth, ye dragons and all deeps; fire and hail, snow and vapour, stormy wind fulfilling his word; mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars; beasts and all cattle, creeping things, and flying fowl. Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth. Both young men and maidens, old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord; for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven".

SECT. 2. The children of men are particularly called to this divine exercise,

O come let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth; ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of the rock sing; let them shout from the top of the mountains; let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands. O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto the Lord with the voice of triumph; sing praises to God, sing praises; for God is King of all the earth, sing ye praises with understanding. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord, he is God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the people. Sing

Psal. cxlviii. 7-13. §2. Psal. xcv. 1, 2. d Psal. xlvii. 6, 7. VOL. II.

b Isa. xlii. 10, 11, 12. e Psal. xlvii. 1.

Psal. c. 1-5.

C

unto him, sing psalins unto him; talk ye of all his wonderous works. Glory ye in his holy name; let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord'. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth. Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day his salvation. Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he also is to be feared above all gods". O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! and let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing'. Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts; praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; praise him with the psaltery and harp'. Praise him with the timbrel and dance; praise him with stringed instruments, and organs. Praise him upon the cymbals; praise him upon the high sounding cymbals; let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord". Praise our God all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. Allelujah; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth".

SECT. 3. Praise is the delightful employment of the servants of God.

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; for praise is comely for the upright. Sing aloud unto God our strength; make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp, with the psaltery. Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast

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day'. We will go into his tabernacles; we will worship at his footstool; we will show to the generation to come, the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath doned. Praise the Lord, call upon his name; declare his doings among the people; make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out, and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion'. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds; let the high praises of God be in their mouth". For it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely'.

Lift up

Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time forth, and for evermore. From the rising of the sun, unto the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised'. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him".

Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord". The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my fathers' God, and I will exalt him. My soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in his salvation. my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and needy from him that spoileth him?? I will praise the name of God with a song, and will

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d Psal. lxxviii. 4.
Psal. cxlix. 2.
* Psal. cxxxiv. 1, 2.
"Psal. cxviii. 19.

magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord, better than an ox or a bullock that hath horns and hoofs. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation'. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things'. I will extol thee, my God, O King; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. Praise the Lord, O my soul; while I live will I praise the Lord; I will sing praises unto my God, while I have any being". My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord; and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever3.

SECT. 4. Every comfort of this life is to be received with thanksgiving.

When thou hast eaten, and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God, for the good which he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God; lest, when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and gold is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up; and thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God'.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of

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