Of Joining Service to Men with Our Praising of God

Section 1.2. Of Joining Service to Men with Our Praising of God.

As this verse has reference to that which was delivered before, concerning our duty to God, it teaches us this lesson:

Doctrine 1. It is the duty of Christians as to set forth the praise of God, so to be serviceable one to another. For this purpose in the Decalogue to the first table, which prescribes that duty which we owe to God, is added the second table, which declares the service that we owe one to another: and he that said, The first and great commandment is this, Thou shalt love the Lord, etc. [Matt 22:38-39] said also, The second is like to this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, etc. whereupon the apostle declaring what those sacrifices be wherewith God is well pleased, joins these two together, to give thanks to God, and to do good to man. [Heb 13:15-16] The service which in the fear of God we perform one to another, is an evident and real demonstration of the respect we bear unto God. To God our goodness extendeth not. [Ps 16:2] He is so high above us, so perfect and complete in Himself, that neither can we give to Him, nor He receive of us. [Job 22:3; Job 35:7] But in His own stead He has placed our brother like to ourselves; to whom, as we may do hurt, [Job 35:8] so by our faithful service we may do much good: [Ps 16:3] in doing whereof God is much honored.

A Note of Hypocrisy

Use 1. This discovers their hypocrisy, who make great pretence of praising God, and yet are scornful, and disdainful to their brothers, and slothful to do any service to man: These men's religion is vain. [James 1:26] By this note did the prophets in their time, and Christ and His apostles in their time also, discover the hypocrisy of those among whom they lived: and so may we also in our times. For many there be, who frequently in their houses, and in the midst of the congregation sing praise unto God, and perform other parts of God's outward worship, but towards one another, are proud, stout, envious, unmerciful, unjust, slanderous, and very backward to do any good service. Surely, that outward service which they pretend to perform to God, does not so much wipe out the spot of profaneness, as their neglect of duty unto man brands their foreheads with the stamp of hypocrisy. [Isa 58:3 etc.; Mic 6:6 etc.; Matt 23:14; Job 4:20]

Put Not Off One Duty with Another

Use 2. For our parts, let us not upon pretext of one duty, though it may seem to be the weightier, think to shift off another; lest that fearful woe [Matt 23:23] which Christ denounced against the Scribes and Pharisees fall upon our pates. As God is careful to instruct us how to carry ourselves both to His own Majesty, and also one to another, so let us in both approve ourselves to Him: remembering what Christ said to the Pharisees, These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. [Matt 23:23; Luke 11:42] The same Lord that requires praise to His own Majesty, enjoins mutual service one to another; the neglect of this, as well as of that, shows too light respect of His will and pleasure: What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. [Matt 19:6]