The duty of Chriftians, in 
 E X P L 
 
 SERMON. 
 
 >V 
 
 By JOHN BLACK, 
 
 Pastor op the Upper Pre^yierian Com- 
 
 GREGATION OF MaRSH-CrEEK. 
 
 Unto him that loved us, and iMaflied us from our /ins in 
 his own blood, and hath made us kings and priejls un* 
 to God and his Father; io him be glory and dominion 
 forever and ever. Amen. Rev. i. 5, 6. 
 
 CARLISLE: 
 [ Printed by KLINE & REYNOLDS, 
 
 M,DCCXC. 
 
i|i|i|Hi|i|i|i|i|i|i|i|Hi|i|[|i|i|i|i|iji|Hi 
 
 Vi v 
 
 <• 
 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 WHEN the following fermon was compofed and de~ 
 livered, the author had not the. mq/l dijlant intention, nor 
 expectation that it would ever undergo the prefs. It was 
 delivered on different Jab aths, that is, as two fermons f 
 though compo/ed as one: and the author had juji the/ame 
 f/nple uitention in it, as in all his other miniflrations tc 
 his flock, viz. to promote the caufe of truth, piety and 
 virtue among thofe to whom he mini/lers. Sometime after, 
 he received the following addre/s, 
 u Reverend Sir. 
 
 " WE thefubferibers under your pa/lor al charge, having 
 attended your difcourfes on p/almody, delivered at Upper 
 Marjh-Creek, on the iqth and 2 xfi days of September loft-: 
 and being impreffed with an opinion that the printing of 
 the fame may have an effectual tendency to remove preju- 
 dices and mi/takes with regard to thatfubjeel, and con- 
 vince honejl enquirers of the nece/jity as well as propriety 
 of introducing a fljlem of pfalmody more [eatable to the 
 go/pel difpenfation than that which we now make ufecf: 
 it is therefore our earneft tvi/h that you zvill, as /ion as 
 convenient, prepare a copy for the prefs, which will be 
 gratefully acknowledged by us." 
 
 This addrefs was fgnedby a very refpe&abie number of 
 the authors congregation—and on receiving it, he con- 
 ?!.»Jed, it zvould be an in/lance offatfe mod/h to refiife 
 — The Notes were added fince — >andnow the whole is Sub- 
 mitted to the candid examination of the chri/lian world 
 
 If the caufe of the truth as it is in Jefas, and the edi- 
 fication of his Body, the Church, fkall, by this feeble 
 tjfay> be advanced % it will rejoice 
 
 ^ 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 ^ Marfh-Creek, *l 
 Ftbruary ijtk, 1789. J 
 

 1 
 
On Pfalmody. 
 
 Col. 3, 16. 
 
 Let the word ofChrifl dwell in you richly in all wifdom. 
 teaching and admonijhing one another in pfalms, and 
 hymns, and Jpiritualjmgs, finging with grace in your 
 hearts to the Lord. 
 
 •******♦* T i s > I prefume, the indifpenfible duty of all 
 ** T ** rat ^ ona ^ creatures, to praife God in that 
 *„8 ,,.* manner to " . hich the powers of their nature, 
 
 *# # * r-efpeftively, enable them. And, I pre- 
 
 * * * fume alfo, that among all the ranks of ra- 
 tional creatures of which we have any knowledge, and 
 who have either retained theix-.\nnocence, or have re- 
 turned to God after offending him, it will be found, 
 that praife makes a principle part of their Devoti- 
 on. Thus Jehovah fays, that when he laid the found- 
 2tions of the earth, " the morning ftars fang together, 
 and all the fons of God (homed for \oyT(a) And from 
 the virions which the Apoftle John had of the heavenly 
 world, it plainly appears, that Angels and the fpirit of 
 juit men made perfect .are chiefly employed in the 
 pleafing evercifef^J. 
 
 With regard to the church on earth, it is evident, 
 
 that compofitions in praife of God, were made and 
 
 ufed in the early periods of it; fome of which, on 
 
 great and lingular occafions„ are tranfmitted down to 
 
 A 2 us 
 
 fa) Job. 38. 7. (b) Rev. 5, 9.-14* 3.— *5> 8* 
 4Ltid many other (lace** 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 usfcj; and in after times, when the church was more 
 iully organized, a larger collection of fuch compofiti- 
 ons was ufed in Divine Worfhip, formed chiefly by 
 David, the fweet Plalmift of Ifrael. Under the Gof- 
 pel Difpenfation, the duty of the church, and of indi- 
 viduals, in this, as in other refpccls, is ftill more clear- 
 ly revealed. Chi ift the Lawgiver and pattern of his 
 Church, fung an hymn with his difciples after he had 
 inflituted and celebrated the Ordinance of his Supper: 
 and his Apoftle exprefsly enjoins it upon all, not only 
 in my text, as ) ou have heard, but alfo in his Epiftle 
 to the Ephefians, in thefe words, " And be not drunk 
 with wine, wherein is excefs; but be filled with the 
 fpirit; fpeaking to youi felves in pfalms, and hymns, 
 and fpiritual longs, linging and making melody in your 
 heart to the Lord'Y^A Moreover, comparing this 
 pailage with the text, it will appear, that praifeng God 
 is an a£i of worfhip which mould be performed both in 
 public and in private: for as in the one we are com- 
 manded to teach and admonifh one another, fo in the 
 to (peak to ourfe 1 * es in p r alms, hymns, &c. 
 
 c enquired — Do all thefe expreflions, 
 ffuhii, > , # ual Jongs, fignify one and the 
 
 lame thing: and particularly, do they mean the Book 
 of Pfairns contained in the old Teftament, exclufive of 
 all others? 
 
 The folution of this is of confiderable importance: 
 — And to it I anfwer, that thefe terms neither mean one 
 and the fame thing originally, nor have we any reafon 
 to conclude that they refer to any one fvftem or collec- 
 tion of compofitions whatever, which was extant in the 
 Apoftles days for praifing God> and exclufive of all 
 others. 
 
 The word, pfalm, originally means a compofition of 
 mufical notes, tunc, or air performed upon an instrument 
 
 (cj Exod. %s chap, (dJEpkef.fi. 18, 19* 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 of mufic, and was not neceflary to be accompanied 
 with cither words or voice. It is derived from a root 
 which fignifies, tojirike gently, or move with a certain 
 agitation ; becaufe the firings of mufical inftruments re- 
 quire to be ftruck or moved with the fingers, or other 
 inftrument for that purpofe. David was finely (killed 
 in instrumental mufic, as well as in poetry: and it is 
 undeniable that throughout the Jewifh Difpenfation, 
 efpecially in his time, inftruments of mufic were ufed 
 in the worlhip of God. On this account it was, that 
 the compofitions of David, and of others, which were 
 ufed by the Jewifh Church, were called pfalms, be- 
 caufe whilft the Choir and others fung the words, the 
 muficians always performed the tune upon fome in- 
 ftrument. Hence it is, that we find them directing 
 their compofitions to the mufician, to be performed on 
 fuch, or fuch an inftrument. And hence alfo it is, that 
 they fo frequently call upon the church to praife God 
 with timbrel, pfaltery, harp, organ, &c. 
 
 A hymn ical fhion, or verfes, made 
 
 mournful event ; without any regard to it is 
 
 defigned to be read or recited; and although it may be 
 accompanied with an inftrument, or the voice, yet 
 thefe are not necefTary to its original defign. 
 
 The meaning of the term, Jong, is univerfally 
 known — it is always defigned for the voice — to be fung 
 with an air fuited to the meafure of the vei fe. But the 
 Apoftle direfts that the fongs of chriftians fhou'd be of 
 a particular kind, as to their fubjeQ. matter, viz. ff ini- 
 tial; that is to fay, fongs on fpiritual fubjeefs — fubje&s 
 calculated to give religious iniirufrion, and to raife, or 
 quicken devotion in the foul. 
 
 I well know there are many who fuppofe, that the 
 Apoftle, by all thofe various terms, meant nothing 
 more, nor lefs than the Book of Pfalms contained in 
 
 the 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 the Old Teilament. But this is mere opinion: tior 
 have I ever feen, or heard any thing in fupport of it f 
 but opinion, or bare aflertion. — There are no authen- 
 tic records., facred or profane, which prove that the 
 pfalrns ot David bore thefe various titles, or were de- 
 nominated by them(*). On the contrary, we know 
 
 that 
 (*) To be fatisfied refpefting the fru>h of this fentirneut, 
 the candid reader may confuit thofe writers, antient and 
 modem, who have treated this fubject exprefsly, fuch at 
 Theophylacl and Hierom among the anrients— Calvin and 
 Edwards among the moderns. Their own opinions and 
 conjectures or the opinions and conjectures of othert 
 equally deftitute of authority, is all the evider.ee they 
 produce to prove that the Apoftle here means the 
 pfalrns of David, exclufive of all others. And it is 
 ▼err obfervable, that, however they agree in this opini- 
 on, no two of them agree as to which of thefe com- 
 pofnions were called pfattns, which ofthem hymns, which 
 of them fpiritual fongs ; aor why they obtained thefe dif- 
 ferent epithets. Hierom fays pfalrns contain moral fub- 
 lefts which we ought-tc pradife. In direct opposition cO 
 him. Dr. Edwardfe fays, it is a term of great latitude, and 
 is ufed for all rhofe fongs which contain in ;hem the 
 praifes of God, and fet forth his facred attributes and per- 
 fections, and in any way exprefs devotion, or contribute 
 to piety and holinefs. And Calvin, differing from both, 
 aliedges that theflfrcornpofuions which were accompanied 
 *vith a mufical iuftrument, were called pf *lms— — Again^ 
 KieromafTerts that an hymn has for its fuhjeel facred things 
 fuch as we ought to contemplate and miditate upon. Dr» 
 Edwards fays that thofe compofitions, which were more 
 comple e rhan pfalrns, were called hymns ^ being of a 
 more tingular and peculiar ftraio. And Calvia de^nes k 
 4hus, M a fong of praife whether iung with a high voice or 
 ©tberwife." Once more, Hierom concludes that fpiiftu- 
 .al foiws belong to natural things which we ought to debate 
 and difcufs. Dr. Edwards explain* them as being XI ill v . 
 «M>re |;eii«ft xomjiaiitiaos Uiaa *ev«4J ibr-nine^ *ad &« 4iav- 
 
 L 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 that whenever Chrift and his Apoftles quote that part 
 of fcripture, thev do it under the title, pfalms, — never 
 hymns % or fpiniual Jongs. Thus the Saviour quotes 
 that book in 'the following paiTages, " As David him- 
 felf faith in the book of pfalms"(a). " All things mull 
 be fulfilled which were written concerning me in the 
 law of Mofes, and in the prophets, and in the 
 pfalms"(b). Thus alfo Peter, " For it is written in the 
 book of pfalms"(c). And thus too Paul, " As it is 
 
 written 
 
 {a) Luke 20. 42. — (b) Luke 24, 44. — (c) Ads 1, 20. 
 
 ing for their fubjeel matter the perfection* of God as they 
 refpeel us ; flow f oro a fpiritual frame ; and to be fung with 
 great emotion of fpirir. And, frill differing from thefe, 
 Calvin f3ys, that fpiritual fongs arefuch pfalms as wot on- 
 ly contain praifes, bur exhortations, and other argument*. 
 As vague and unfatifcfadory is the conjecture of thofe 
 whs alledge, that the Apoftle 11 fed thefe different teims 
 in conformity to the Hebrew diftinclinn of the book of 
 pfalms, by the rertrts Mizmorim, Tchillim, and fthurim. 
 For, if it mould be even granted, that fuch a diftjn&ion 
 was author otative and general among the Jews, yet neither 
 will this prove that the Aponle meant the fame thing; 
 »or, indeed, do all the various and contradictory expoii- 
 tions which are given of thefe words accord with his 
 yhrafes. Some fay the Mizmorim were pfalms which 
 treated of various fubjefts«--otbers, that they were fuch 
 as were attended with tntlruments. Some, that the 
 Tchillim only mentioned the praifes of God-— others, that 
 they were prajers generally fung. Some, that the Shu- 
 rini were fongs more artfully compofed, and fung wn k the 
 help of an iuftroment— others, that they were fongs con- 
 taining .not only proper and immediate acts of devotion 
 addrefTod to God, but alfo moral and religious inftruAion. 
 Thus do thefe various and coitradiciory opinions, found- 
 ed on conjuncture and fancy, like the iron race of Cad- 
 »u.»j rife up and devour each other. 
 
( *° ) 
 
 written in the fecond pfalm"(d). On the ofherhand, 
 
 when the term hymn is uied in the New Teftamcn^ 
 there is no circumftance to make it fo much as probable 
 that the iacred writer had any reference to the book of 
 pfalms, or to any compofuion in it. The only place* 
 where the word is ufed, are my text — Jhe fif^h chapter 
 and nineteenth verfe of the Epiftle to the Ephefians— 
 and Marks and Mathews Gofpels, where the) recoid* 
 that Chrift fung an hymn with his difciples., after the 
 inftitution and celebration of his fupper(a). Now, in 
 all thefe places, there is no one corifiderauon from the 
 fcopc of the context, or otherwife, to make it cern.im. 
 or even fo much as likely, that the Old Tenement 
 pfalms were meant by it. Some, indeed, have alledg- 
 «d that what Chrift fung, after the celebration of hi* 
 fupper, was the Jewiih Hallel* beginning wiih the 
 113th and ending with the 118th -pfaim. But this is 
 fti 11 opinion— an opinion, too, very {lender ly founded: 
 for the only reafon afiigned is, that the Jews always 
 fung this portion of the pfalms when they celebrated 
 their paffover feait. And furely it is very extraordina- 
 ry reafoning, to conclude, that becaufe. the Jews fung 
 this on that occafion* therefore the Saviour fung the 
 fame, when he had fet that ordinance entirely afide, 
 and had inftituted a quite different one in its room. — It 
 is juft fuch reafoning, as if one were to fay, the pre- 
 mifes are different* therefore, the conclusion mufl be 
 the fame. Divine wifdom has not feen it fit to re- 
 cord particularly, what the Saviour fung on that occa- 
 fion: but as he had then inftituted a new ordinance* of 
 which there is no hint in the Old Teflament, I leave 
 it with every one to judge for himfelf, whether it be 
 not mod probable that he himfelf compofed the hymn 
 he fung; efpecially, as none of the pfalms direftly ap- 
 ply to that ordinance; and efpecially, too, as the Evan- 
 
 gelifts 
 (4) AEU 13, 33. — (a) Matt. 26, 30, Mark 14, 26, 
 
f » ) 
 
 gelifts, who record the tranfa&ion, call it, uniform- 
 ly, an hymn. s 
 
 Upon the whole, — as thefe terms originally fignifp 
 different things— -and as there is no evidence that the 
 book of pfalms, ufed by the Jews, ever obtained, or 
 was known by thefe various titles; but that, on the 
 contrary, indeed, the title, pfalms, was appropriate to 
 it : it will be obvious to conclude, that the Apoftie did 
 not, by all thefe terms, mean that book, exclufive of 
 all others; nor v indeed, any one fyftem, or colle&ioa 
 of compofitions then extant. The plain eafy, natural, 
 unfophifticated fenfe of the words is, every kind of fa- 
 cred poetry, whatever denomination it might come un- 
 der, whether pfalm, or hymn, or fpiritual fong; and 
 not only thofe which were then compofed and in ufe in 
 the Chriftian Church, but alfo thofe which, from the 
 fulnefs of the word of Chrift dwelling in believers, 
 they might be enabled, from time to time, to compofe 
 
 f r their mutual edification, and the glory of God. 
 
 And agreeably to this, I fhall fubmit the following pa- 
 raphrafe of the whole verfe, " Let the word of Chrift, 
 the glorious Gofpel,* to the knowledge of which yoa 
 
 have 
 
 * When this difcourfe was compofed, I thought it wa* 
 ao<" necefiary to fay a tingle word to prove that the word 
 of Chrift, lignifies the Gofpel, particularly; this fenfe of 
 it being fo obvious, fo natural, and fo agreeable to the 
 uniform language of the New Testament. I find, how- 
 ever, ftnee, that it has been interpreted as meaning th# 
 whole of Divine Revelation; with a view to Mren^then 
 the opinion, that the Apoftie, by the term*, pfalms* 
 hymns, and fpirirnal fnogs, meant the book of pfalms ex- 
 clufivelj. Let ir, therefore, be obferved, that this phrafe 
 in the r lain and na.ive import of the words, has fo ex- 
 pTefi a reference to what God ha* revealed to us in »!ufe 
 laft time*, by his S'>N, as Hiftingtiifked from whit he re- 
 vealed by ike I rochets under foimex dilpenfation* (fee 
 
 Mtb. 
 
r 
 
 C » ) 
 
 have been happily brought, and which difcovers life arte! 
 immortality, and all things pertaining to life and god- 
 linefswith atulnefsandclearnefsfar furpaflingall fromer 
 revelations, dwell in you richly in all wifdom; trea- 
 fure it up in your memory, let your undei Handings be 
 plentifully ftored with its precious contents, meditate 
 upon it frequently, and improve it wifely; be often 
 teaching one another its pure and holy do&rines, and 
 admonifhing one another concerning its duties; and 
 that, not only in the ufual way of fcrmonizing or 
 profe difcourfe, but alfo, in ali kinds of facred poetry, 
 
 whether 
 
 Heb. r. r, 2); thit one mould certainly have fome very 
 tlear and unequivocal proof, before any other fenfe be 
 admitted. None fuch, however, has been, and I pre* 
 fume, none fuch can be given. At any rat*, it is no 
 proof, to arTert roundly that it me*ns the whole of Di- 
 vine Revelation; and then exercife the invention to find 
 reafons why it may have, inltead of proving that it actu- 
 ally ha* this meaning. — The trotfe is, not on ? y the na iv« 
 fenfe of the words, but almoft innumerable parrallel 
 places, both in the context, and elfewhere, (compare, 
 among many others, Mark 8, 38. Luke 9, 26. John 5 
 *4> 8, 31. Afts 13, 16. Rom. 10, 8, 2. Cor. 5, 19. 
 Eph. 4, 20, 2r. Col. 1, 5. Heb. 2, 3,) prove, that 
 fuch phrafes always refer to the diftovenes made under 
 the Gofpel, as con'radiftinguifhed from thofe made under 
 the Jew tli difpenfatton — confequenily, that it is a 
 mere arbitrary i:rerprera»imi to extend it any further 
 here. But fuppofe it mould be even granted, that this 
 phrafe means the whole of Divine Revelation, yet this 
 would not affeft the doctrine exhibited in the following 
 pages— —for if it includes the Gofpel difcoveries at 'all, 
 (*hich, i believe, is allowed by ali) it will f up port what 
 I plead for, viz. that our pfalmodr mould contain thefe 
 difcoveties, otberwife we cannot, by it, teach them to 
 one another, as the ApoflJe diieds. But this will ap« 
 pear mure fully iu the fetjuel. 
 
( i3 ) 
 
 whether it may be called pfalms, hymns, or fpintual 
 Jongs, and whether already in ufe among you, or you 
 may be enabled to compofe hereafter, in agreeablenefs 
 to the fullnefs and clearnefs of the Revelation which 
 you enjoy. And content not yourfelves with reading 
 or reciting thefe poetical compofitions, but accompany 
 them with your voice— fing them to fuitable airs; yet 
 fee to it that this external exercife be attended with 
 grace in the heart — with fouls attuned to the matter 
 of the fong; for as it is addreffed to the Lord who 
 knows every fentiment of the heart, it will not be ac- 
 ceptable to him unlefs accompanied with inward devo- 
 tion. 
 
 What I farther defign, upon this occafion, is — to ' 
 {hew in what manner we mould perform the duty of 
 praifing God — the fubjetl matter of our praifes — 
 the end we mould have in view when we praife the 
 Moft High — I mail alfo lay down fome principles for 
 the regulation of our conduct in reference to this im- 
 portant part of worlhip — and remove any difficulties, 
 or objections which may feem to ly againft what (hall 
 be faid. 
 
 First. With regard to the manner of performing 
 this duty, I fhall not trouble you with the controverfy, 
 whether inftruments of mufic mould be ufed in Chrif- 
 tian worfhip, or not. Perhaps this is but a matter of 
 doubtful difputation ; and the propriety, or improprie- 
 ty of it, may depend much upon the fentiments of 
 the worshipping afTembly. We certainly know it was 
 practifed under former difpenfations, with the Divine 
 approbation ; and the New Teftament does not forbid, 
 neither does it command it. But this is certain, thac 
 we mould praife God with the voice, in an air or tune 
 adapted to the meafure of the verfe. The melody of 
 the heart — the joyful frame of the lpirit — or any in- 
 ward exercifes whatever, will not come up to the ordi- 
 B nance 
 
( H ) ' 
 
 nance, nor anfwer its end, without the found of the 
 voice. Nothing can be more evident than this, both 
 from the Old and New Teftament. Many are the 
 places where David exhorts to fing to God ; yea, to 
 fing loud(a) — Chrift and his Difciples fung(b) — all that 
 followed him as he approached Jerufalem, juft before 
 his fufferings, fung his praife as they defcended the 
 Mount of Olives(c) — and the Apoftle in my text, and 
 in Ephefians 5, 19, commands to fing. 
 
 But although the found of the voice is neceffary to 
 the performance ot this duty, yet the exercife oi grace 
 in the heart, which the Apoftle, elfewhere, terms the 
 melody of the hearty is as neceffary. For unlefs thofe " 
 devout affeftions and gracious difpofitions that are cor- 
 refpondent to the fubjeft, be awakened and in excer- 
 cife, we fhall only be drawing near to God with our 
 mouths, and honouring him with our lips, whilft our 
 hearts are far from him. 
 
 We muft alfo fing with under/landing and judgement* 
 This, indeed, is neceffary in every part of religious 
 worfhip, — The rational offspring of the All-intelligent 
 Father, muff ferve him in a way proper to the capacity 
 he has given them : and we may juft as well pray to 
 him in an unknown tongue, as fing his praife in words 
 or phrafes which we do not underftand. A piece of 
 founding brafs, or tinkling cymbal is not more worth- 
 lefs, in the Divine eftimation, than we fhall be, it we 
 offer him a blind, unmeaning fervice, which, from the 
 nature of things, muft alfo be unprofitable to ourfelves. 
 And therefore the Apoftle declares, that although he 
 would fing with the fpirit, yet it fhould be with the un- 
 derstanding alfo(d). 
 
 Once more, our praifes as well as prayers, fhould 
 be offered in the Name of the Lord Jefus Chrift. Our 
 
 fouls 
 (a) P/k/m 47, 6, 66, I, 2, 81, 1— (b) Matthew 26, 
 30— (c) Luke 19, 37— (d) 1 Cor. 14, 15. 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 fouls mould dire&ly rely upon, and have exprefs re- 
 ference to him, as the only way for perifhing finners lo 
 approach to God, and as the only meritorious caufe of 
 our acceptance with him. We fhould be exercifed 
 toward him according to the difcoveries which we have 
 
 refpe&ing his per [on his character — his offices; and 
 
 particularly, make ufe of his NAME as our grezt plea 
 with God.' This is that new manner of approaching 
 the Moll High, by that new and living way which 
 Chrift hath confecrared through the vail of his flefh, 
 which is peculiar to the chriftian Difpenfation — which 
 faints under the Law were not inftrufted in — and which 
 is not to be found in their prayers, or praifes. All 
 this is evident from the following fcriptures — " And 
 whatfoever ye (hall afk in my name," faith the Saviour, 
 " that will I do; that the Father may be glorified in 
 the Son. If ye fhall afk any thing in my name, I will 
 do it."(a) Again he faith, " Ye have not chofen me, 
 but I have chofen you, and ordained you, that yo* 
 fliould go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit 
 fliould remain: that whatfoever ye fhall a/k of the Fa- 
 ther, in my name, he may give it you. "(b) And again, 
 " Verily verily I fay unto you, whatfoever ye mail afk 
 the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto 
 ye have afked nothing in my name: afk, and ye mall 
 receive, that your joy may be lull. Thefe things have 
 I fpoken unto you in parables: the time cometh when 
 I fhall no more fpeak unto you in parables, but I fhall 
 {hew you plainly of the Father. Ac that day ye fhall 
 afk in my name."[C) 
 
 These are remarkable paffages, declaring the duty, 
 and the privilege of chriftians, bevond what was dif- 
 covercd to the Jews, or even to Chaffs own difciple* 
 
 before 
 
 a) John 14. 13, H-r-fb) 15, 16. — (c) 16, 23, 24, 
 
 25 2b. 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 before that time. Hitherto, fays he, ye have afked 
 nothing in my name." This was the cafe in the Jewifh 
 worfhip, and is fo ftill with them. " But the time 
 cometh when I fhall (hew you plainly of the Father." 
 The time referred to here, was very p'robablv the day of 
 Pentecoft. " At that day/' adds he, " ye (hall afk in 
 my name" And it is very remarkable that the Apoftle 
 in the verfe following my text, exprefsly applies this 
 command to finging the praife oi God, as well as to 
 other religious exercifes ; for having enjoined this duty, 
 he immediately adds, " And whatfoeverye do, in word 
 or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jefus, giving 
 thanks unto God and the Father by him." 
 
 Secon d. We are to enquire into the fubjetl mat- 
 ter of the praife we offer to God. This, indeed, is fo 
 various and manifold, that a particular detail of it, is 
 not to be expected. In the general, we may obferve, 
 that as God alone is the object of all religious adoration 
 and praife, the matter thereof fhould confift of thofe 
 things which have refpeel to H I M, either confidered 
 in himfelf, or in his difpenfations to ourfelves or to o- 
 thers. But as God hath made various difcoveries of 
 himfelf to fallen man, with gradually encreafing light 
 and fullnefs, the matter of our praife fhould be con- 
 formable to the clearnefs and fullnefs of the Revelation 
 
 which we enjoy This, indeed, I take to be felf-evi- 
 
 dent — Hence many things become the matter oi the 
 christians praife, which were not, and, indeed, could 
 not be a fubjecl: to the faints under former difpenfations, 
 becaufe they were not revealed. As an example of 
 this, take the hymn which the Apoftle John addreffed 
 to the Saviour, " Unto him that loved us, and wafbed 
 us from our fins in his own blood, and hath made us 
 kings and priefts unto God and his Father, unto him 
 be glorv and dominion forever and ever, Amen. "(a) 
 
 Where 
 (a) Rev. 1. 5, 6. 
 
( '7 ) 
 
 Where do you find fuch a fubjeft of praife before the 
 Gofpel Difpenfation? — The truth is, little of the real 
 and fpiritual glory of God — the do&rine of the Trinity 
 — the eternal device of mans falvation — the manner of 
 accomplishing it in the incarnation, life, aftions, doc- 
 rines, fufferings and death, refurre&ion, afcention, 
 interceflion and mediatorial Kingdom of the Saviour — 
 his final coming to judge the world — the form of pro- 
 cefs in that awful fcene — the future Hate of the righti- 
 ous and the wicked — the difpenfation of the Holy Spi- 
 rit — his perfection, grace, and faving influence. — I 
 fay, little of thefe things, and of many more that 
 might be mentioned, was difcovered to mankind be- 
 fore the birth of Chrift, in comparifon of what was af- 
 terwards revealed.* And all thefe are proper matter for 
 chriftian praife according to the ftate of the church 
 — of families — and of individual perfons from time to 
 time* B 2 Thirdly 
 
 * If any one has read the fcripture fo inattentively, at 
 to need a particular proof of this; let him confider the 
 following pafTages, 1 Cor. 2 chap, from the 7th to the 
 13th verfe. Here the Apoftle calls the Gofpel, in gene- 
 ral, a ruyftery, hidden till that time; and that thofe 
 things which eye had not feen, ear heard, and of whi;h 
 it had not fo much as entered the heart of man to con- 
 ceive, before that time, were then revealed to the Apof- 
 tles by the Spirit, and by them declared plainly to men, 
 that they might know the things which were f eely givea 
 them of God. In like manner he declares (t Tim. i, 10.) 
 that it is by the Gofpel Life and Immortality are brought 
 to light. And to mention no more, Chrift, after haying 
 promifed to fend the Comforter, tells his Defciples, (John 
 id, 12, 13, 14,) that when he mould come, he would 
 
 lead them into all truth and rtiew them the things of 
 
 Chrift. But if all neceflary truth, and the thingg of 
 Chrift had been revealed before, this extraordinary Dif- 
 penfation of the Spiri: to tic Ap-oflci would fcave beta 
 a very ufelefi thing. 
 
( 1* ) 
 
 Thirdly. The end we (houid have in view, in 
 finging the praifes of God, is two-fold, viz. refpcft- 
 ing God, and refpefting ourfelves — As it refpecls God, 
 (which is the primary end) we mould have in view to 
 extol and honour him — to (hew forth his glory in the 
 mod exalted ftrain§ — to magnify his great name, which 
 deferves to be exalted above heaven and earth — to ac- 
 knowledge and declare his fupreme perfection, his ab- 
 folute dominion, his univerfal agency ; and particular- 
 ly, to celebrate his matchlefs wifdom, love and grace 
 in the decree of man's falvation. 
 
 As it refpe&s ourfelves, the defign is, to elevate our 
 affections — enliven our graces — exprefs and promote 
 our fpiritual joy^r*and to compofe the diftraftions of a 
 troubled fpirit. "To this, theexercife has a native ten- 
 dency; efpecially when in concert, we have ihe plea- 
 fure of harmony, and the enlivening found of many 
 voices united. It is natural, too, when the heart is 
 lull of joy, to give it vent this way, and accordingly 
 the Apoltle exhorts, " Is any merry let him fing 
 pfalms(a). Moreover, the Apoille, in my text, men- 
 tions another end with regard to ourfelves and others, 
 viz. injlrutlwn, " teaching and admonifhing one ano- 
 ther, fays he, in pfalms, and hymns, and fpiritual 
 fongs." To this purpofe alfo, the ordinance, is natu- 
 rally fuited. Moral and religious truths, and indeed, any 
 matter whatever, thrown into plain and agreeable verfe t 
 generally makes a more laiiing imprefTion on the me- 
 mory, than profc compofitions; and when they are 
 frequently repeated, or fung, the effect will be propor- 
 tionally more laftmg and ftrong. 
 
 Fourthly. I ihall now proceed to lay down fome 
 principles for the regulation of our conduct in this im- 
 portant part of worfhip. And 
 
 First. All chriftians mould endeavour to attain 
 
 a r , 
 (a) James 5, 13. 
 
 
( % ) 
 
 as much {kill in church fflufic, as their capacity, their 
 opportunities, and other duties will admit. It would 
 furely be monflrous confufion, if every one, in a wor- 
 shipping afTembly, were to fmg an air different from all the 
 reft ; and as mankind are not taught by nature to fmg, all, 
 any one air, it is therefore neceffary, that they who 
 fmg together, mould previoufly qualify themfeives for 
 it bv learning. It is aifo as evident, that if we are to 
 fmg at all, the more we are (killed in the art, the bet- 
 ter, fhall we be qualified, other things being equal, to 
 perform the duty. Inattention to this principle, has 
 almoit ruined our pfalmody ; it has rendered thai part 
 of divine worfnip, which, in its own nature, is the 
 moft exalted and pleafui able, in faff, the moil dull and 
 unedifying. Many perfons, and fome of them, per- 
 haps, truly religious, either through miftake and pre- 
 judice, or lazinefs and indolence, perfuade themfeives, 
 that if the heart be devout, it is no matter what the 
 found of the voice is. But furely David was of a very 
 different opinion when he exhorted thus, " fing unto, 
 him a new fong, play fkilfully with a loud noife ; '(a). — 
 There is certainly as much propriety in making any 
 fort of founds with an inftrument, when that is ufed in 
 divine worfliip, as in making any fort of founds with 
 the voice, when we fing his praife: and the fame rea- 
 fons which plead for fkilfullnefs in the one cafe, will 
 alfo plead for it in the other. We have obferved, that 
 finging was defigned to aid and promote, as well as to 
 exprefs the feelings of the heart: consequently, the 
 more exquifitethe mufic is, the more powerful, to this 
 purpofe, will its influence be. To be convinced of 
 this, you need only confult your own frame, as it is 
 the workmanfhip of God. The author of our being 
 has conftituted us fo, that we naturally and indeed, ne- 
 ceffarily perceive and relifli harmony in founds, and 
 
 are 
 (a) Pfalm 33, 3. 
 
( *o ) 
 
 arc offended with difcords, jufl as wc tafte fweetnefs in 
 honey, bitternefs in gall — fmell an agreeable odour 
 from the rofe; an offenfive one, from a putrid carcafe. 
 If you give this confideration its proper weight, I prc- 
 fume, it will perfuade you, that we mould cultivate 
 church mufic to fuch a degree, as to carry it on in con- 
 cert, that is to fay, in different parts and various founds 
 fo fet together as to produce harmony. This is the 
 perfection of mufic — and the capacity to perform it, 
 and the tafte to relifh it when performed, is peculiar to 
 man. The Creator hath given to fome other animal* 
 a power to fing; but none of them difcover any capa- 
 city for harmony : never has any choir of them been 
 heard to perform any thing like it. In this, man ftands 
 as really diftinguifhed from the lower creation, as in 
 
 the power of fpeech, or any other faculty. 1 afk 
 
 now, fhall this pleafing, this diftinguifhing capacity 
 never be called forth to exercife ? Is this part of the 
 divine workmanfhip ufelefs and vain ? If not, where 
 and when fhall it be employed ? Shall it be only in 
 folly and vanity, or mere amufement ? Or rather^ 
 fhould it not be confecrated to the fervice of that Be- 
 ing whofe workmanfhip it is? I will venture to leave it 
 with every one candidly to decide. 
 
 Let us, therefore, cultivate church mufic ourfelve*, 
 and promote the cultivation of it in our children. The 
 earlier in life any one begins, the greater progrefs he 
 will make ; and hence, thofe focieties are certainly to 
 be commended, who make it a part of fchool educati- 
 on, and have their children trained to fing, at the fame 
 time they are taught to read: nor do I expeft to fee 
 this art flour ifh as it ought, until this praftice becomes 
 general. In the mean time, the ufual mode, of fchools 
 for grown perfons, mould be kept up, under proper 
 regulations, and capable teachers. 
 
 Secondly* It U the duty of all to fing the 
 
 praife* 
 
( A ) 
 
 praifes of God, This is evident both from reafon and 
 fcripture. The fupreme Majefly of Heaven and 
 • Earth is infinitely worthy to be praifed by every rati- 
 onal creature; and no perfon on earth can be in fuch 
 a fituation, or ftand in fuch a rektion to his Maker, as 
 not to be under obligations to praife him. Even under 
 the Jewifh difpenfation, although particular choirs of 
 firigirig men and fingirig women were appointed, yet 
 David himfelf calls upon all, without exception, to 
 praife, " Let the people praife thee O God, let all the 
 people praife thee"(a). Under the gofpel difpenfation, 
 the duty is ft ill farther inculcated, in terms which 
 equally apply to all, as in my text, and in the epiftlc 
 to the Ephefians already quoted. It is therefore, wick- 
 ednefs to negle£> ~* Hf y fo exalted, fo pleafing, and to 
 
 which we are under fo many endearing obligations. 
 
 And it is certainly fhameful, for a piofeffor of Chrif- 
 tianity to be filent, when others are finging the praifes 
 of God around him; as if he had no more concern in 
 this fublime aft of worfhip, than to amufe hirr/df.— 
 Such conduct betrays a heart very infenfible of the Di- 
 yine goodnefs, if not totally deftitute of real piety. — 
 The fpirit of true religion breaths thus,,/' It is good to 
 give thanks n~* ~- the Lord, and to fing praifes unto thy 
 name, O Mofl High "(b) If we have tailed that the 
 Lord is gracious, we will delight to fing his praife, and 
 think that we have fuftained a lofs, both as to profit 
 and pleafure, if at any time we have been abfent, when 
 this part of Divine worfhip has been performed, whe- 
 ther in the family or church. 
 
 Thirdly. We ought to fing in a continued air ; 
 and not interrupt the mufic by parcelling out the pfalm, 
 or hymn, or fpiritual fong, line by line. This is real- 
 ly fo unnatural a mode, that I am perfuaded nothirtg 
 but dire neceflity could have fuggefted, or introduced 
 
 it 
 (a) Pfalm 67, 3. (b) Pfalm 92, 1. 
 
 j 
 
( « ) 
 
 it into the church. In the middle centuries of the 
 Chriftian aera, learning was almoft entirely banifhed 
 from Europe : fcarcely a trace of it was to be found 
 but in the monafteries, and among the clergy. When 
 after this, learning began to revive, fo rare a thing was 
 it to find, among the common ranks of men, a perfon 
 who could read, and fo highly was it efteemed, that, 
 although one had been convifted of a capital crime, 
 yet if he could read, he was acquitted: — his councel 
 urged, in his behalf, this plea, " legit ut clericus," he- 
 reads as a Clergyman, and if, upon trial, it was found 
 true, the court abfolved him from punifhment. In 
 this fituation matters were when the reformation took 
 place, and for a coafidcrable time after; fo that the 
 Officers of the Church were obliged to have rccourfe 
 to this expedient, viz. to appoint a clerk, who could 
 read, to parcel out the pfalm, line by line, to the illi- 
 terate congregation, in order that all might join in this 
 important part of Divine worfhip. But behold the 
 force of cuftom, and its prevalence even over reafon. 
 and common fenfc ! We adhere to this mode {till, al- 
 though the neceflity which introduced it, and which 
 alone could juftify it, is long fince ceafed. 
 
 Many evils attend this mode of finging — It con- 
 fumes time unneceffarily — prevents the pleafure and 
 advantage of finging a larger portion of a pfalm than 
 that, to which, in this way, we are obliged to confine 
 ourfelves — it in a great meafure, deftroys the mufic, 
 and confequently, marrs the effeft it is defigned to 
 have on the heart — and unlefs we have the compofition 
 by memory, it leaves us often to fing without know- 
 ing what, until the next line comes out to give us the 
 fenfe. — It is furely high time for us to lay afide this 
 childifh mode of praifing God — Let each one, or at 
 moft every two or three, bring a pfalm book to the 
 worfcip of God, that fo, having the fubjeft before 
 
 our 
 
( »* ) 
 
 our eyes, we may fing without interruption, and drop 
 that unnatural mixture of reading and finging which 
 now marrs and difgraces our pfalmody. 
 
 Fourthly. We, whofe great advantage it is to 
 live under the Gofpel Difpenfation, ought not to con- 
 fine ourfelves to that fyftem of pfalmody which was 
 framed for, and exaftly fuited to that Difpenfation of 
 Divine grace under which the Jews were placed, and 
 which was, comparatively, obfeure and imperfeft. 
 
 This principle I fhall eftablifh by the text itfelf — bj 
 neceflary confequence from other parts of fcripture — 
 and by the difference of the two Difpenfations from 
 each other. 
 
 The language of my text is very ftrong to this pur- 
 pofe. The Apoftle enjoins it upon christians, that they 
 be richly furniftied, or extenfively acquainted with the 
 word of Chrifl — thofe important difcoveries which the 
 Gofpel makes; and that this rich furniture of Gofpel f 
 knowledge, fhould not be, in them, a ufelefs treafure, 
 as a fpring (hut up or fountain fealed, but that it fhould 
 be communicated, and flow out for the inftruftion and 
 tdification of one another; and particularly, that it 
 fhould be thus employed in their Tongs of praife and 
 other poetical compofitions. Now, my brethren I 
 wifh you to confider, how it is poffible to praftife this 
 injunftion, while we confine ourfelves to the Jewifh 
 pfalmody. Were you to undertake to inftruft any 
 perfon in the way of falvation for perifhing finners, 
 which God hath appointed ; and would lead him to a 
 juft acquaintance with thofe things which pertain to 
 life and godlinefs — to the faith and praftice of a chrif- 
 tian ; would you take this fyftem of pfalmody for your 
 rule; or would you ufe the New Teilament for that 
 purpofe ; and that whether the inftruftion was to be 
 delivered in poetical, or profe compofition? Indeed, 
 we not only grant, we maintain in the fuleit manner, 
 
 that 
 
 ^^k 
 
"V 
 
 ( »4 ) 
 
 that there are many prophefies of, and references to the 
 Saviour, in the book of pfalms; but at the fame time, 
 we muft alfo maintain, that, inftead . of learning the 
 t Gofpel by thefe, it is by the light of the Gofpel we 
 underftand them, and learn how to apply them. Let 
 us fuppofe a perfon, who knew not what religion we 
 proleffed, were to come into our worshipping affem- 
 blies, week after week, yea, year after year, and hear 
 our fongs of praife : — would he, by them, learn the 
 word of Chrift ? Would he, at leaft, conclude, that 
 that word dwelt in us richly ? Or rather, would he 
 not, from this part of our religious fervice, form the 
 fame opinion of us, that he would of an affembly of 
 worihipping Jews? From our fermons and our pray- 
 ers, indeed, he might learn our profeffion, and the 
 word of Gkri/i; but the Apoftle enjoins, that we 
 fhould teach this particularly in our praifes. I there- 
 fore afk again, how can we teach one another the glo- 
 rious difcoveries of the Gofpel, or evidence that it 
 dwell in us richly, by our fongs and piaife, when yet 
 thefe fongs contain not thefe difcoveries, but muft, 
 themfelves, be underftood by a previous knowledge ot 
 the word of Chrift: and when yet the fubjeft matter 
 of our pfalms, and our mode of expreffing it, is pre- 
 cifely the fame as theirs, who rejeel the Gofpel alto- 
 gether? The principle may alfo be fupported by ne- 
 cejfary confequence fi;om other parts of fcripture. To 
 this purpofe, let me lead your attention, particularly, 
 to the fourteenth chapter of Paul's firft Epiftle to the 
 Corinthians. The profeffed defign of the Apoftle, in 
 this chapter, is to regulate the Corinthian church in 
 the exercife of their fpiritual gifts. Among thefe he 
 mentions the gift Oi dilating a pfalm to be fung in 
 public, worihip, (compare verfes 15, and 26). Now, 
 
 \ if chriftians mould fing no compofitions in the wor- 
 ftiip of God, but thofe contained in the Book of 
 
 pfalm 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 pfalms ufed by the jews, there could be no need, nay, 
 there could be no room for a fpiritual gift, z. e. extra- 
 ordinary infpiration, to enable them to propofe a pfalm 
 to be fung in Divine worihip; for upon this fuppofiti- 
 on, every compofition they mould ufe, was written 
 for them long before. But it is as evident as words 
 can well declare, that there was, in the firft age of 
 Chriftianity, fuch a gift, and various chriftians were 
 divinely infpired to utter a pfalm in the public aiTem- 
 bly; from which it neceflarily follows, that the chrif- 
 tian church was not confined to the Jewifh fyftem of 
 pialmody, in the Apoftles days ; and if it was not then, 
 I would wifh to know by what authority it is confined 
 to that fyftem now.* Moreover, the principle may be 
 C inferred 
 
 * I have fcarcely ever met with a more grofs and pal- 
 pable perverfion of fcripture, than that which reprefents 
 the Apoftle, in the above cited chapter, as condemning 
 an^ correclins the Corinthians for introducing new pfalms 
 at all into divine worihip. The palTage particularly cho- 
 fen to fupjiort this miferable interpretation, is the 26th 
 verfe, where the Apoftle fa;*'?/, u How is it, brethren ?— 
 When ye come together, eve; y one of you hath a pfalm, 
 hath a doclrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath 
 an interpretation. " The judicious reader will immedi- 
 ately fee, that if the Apoftle meant to reprove the Co- 
 ' rinthians for prachfing any one of thefe things, he re- 
 proves them for the whole; for they are all mentioned 
 together in the fame point of view: asd where, then, 
 will the cenfure ultimately fall ? It will (I fhudder to 
 write it) fall upon the Holy Spirit, by whofe extraordi- 
 nary influence they we:e, and by which alone, indeed, 
 they could be enabled to fpeak wkh tongues they had ne- 
 ver learned, and to utter revelations* ThU fmgle confi- 
 deration is fumcient to prove that the Apoftle is not cen- 
 furing the ufe of thefe extraordinary gifts. The preced- 
 ing and fubfequent parts of the chaptor fhew, that it 
 
 w*§ 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 inferred from thepra&ice of the infpired Apoftle John, 
 11 Unto him who loved us, and w allied us from our 
 fins in his own blood ; and hath made us kings and 
 priefls unto God and his Father; unto him be glory 
 and dominion forever and ever, Amen." ; (a) C This 
 hymn of praife, which he addreffed to the Redeemer, 
 
 is 
 (a) Rev. 1, 5, 6. 
 
 was the abufe of them— the diforderly mode «f exercif- 
 ingthem, which prevailed in the Corinthian church, that 
 
 he here feti himfelf to corred -and the difordcr was 
 
 plainly this— Whilft one was delivering a pfalm to be 
 fung in the public afTembly, with which he had been in- 
 spired, another rofe up and delivered a doclrine which 
 had, in the fame manner, been diclated to him,—- a third, 
 perhaps, would fpeak in an unknown tongue,— a fourth, 
 relate a revelation with which he had been favoured, and 
 fo on. Hence, two or three, perhaps four or five per- 
 i'ouB would be fpeaking at the fame inftant of time, which 
 not only produced confufion, but prevented all edificati- 
 on. Therefore the Apoftle directs, that they mould ex- 
 ercife thefe gifts, and deliver the things with which they 
 were refpeftively charged, whether pfalm, doclrine, ton- 
 gue, revelation, fee. in turn, or, as he exprerTes it, by 
 conrfe (compare verfes 27, 28, 29, 3^ 3** i*> 33):— 
 obferving, that they might all have an opportunity, in 
 this orderly manner, one after another, of delivering 
 whatever they were favoured with; and that they were 
 not under any neceflity of breaking through the rules of 
 the ftrifteft regularity, for, fays he " The fpirits of the 
 prophets, are fubjetr to the prophets," that is to fay, the 
 iofpiration of the Holy Spirit is not a blind and wild im- 
 pulfe, which forces a perfon to utter whatever is commu- 
 nicated to him, at the moment he receives it; on the 
 contrary, it leaves him matter of himfeif, fo as that he 
 can wait the proper time of difcovering it. Upon the 
 whole, this patfage of facred writ eftabliflies, beyond all 
 contradiction, that, under th» adminiftraticn of the 
 
 AooC^s 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 is certainly new, i. e. it is not to be found in the 
 Book of pfalms. And to mention no more, thofc 
 Fcriptures which teach us to pray and praife, and, in- 
 deed, to do all our a&s of religious worihip in the 
 name of Chrift, in fuch a manner as our Lord himfeli 
 exprefsly tells his difciples they had never done before, 
 moll evidently (hew that christians fhould not confine 
 themfelves to the fonns of worfhip ufed under the for- 
 mer difpenfation ; but that, in prayer, praife, &c. 
 they fhould have, according to the light and fulnefs of 
 the Gofpel, a more exprefs reference to the Name, 
 the perfon, and offices of the Lord Jefus Chrift, than 
 is to be found in any discoveries, or compofitions un- 
 der the Law(b). 
 
 Once 
 
 Apoftlei, and by the immediite infpiration of the Holy 
 Spirit, the Church of Chrift wai dirccled to ufe othtr 
 pfaima than thofe of David, in Divine worfhip. And it 
 ti more than probable that chriftiam continued in this 
 practice for, at leaft, three hundred years after the 6r(* 
 plantation of Christianity. Do&or Moiheim, one of th« 
 raoft accurate and credible ecclefiaftical hiftorians, afferti 
 that it was not till in the fourth century, that the pfaims 
 of David were introduced into chriftian worfhip? and 
 that even then they were only ufed among other hymns 
 that had been in praclice(a). And I am the more inclin- 
 ed to believe this, becaufe I find, that the mod zealous 
 advocates for tiling the pfalms of David alone in chriftian 
 wormip, are not able to produce one teftimony to their 
 purpofe, earlier than the fourth century. 
 
 (a) Moih. Ecclef. Hift. on the fourth Century. 
 
 (b) John 14. 13, 14 — 15, 16—16, 23, 24, 25;, 26. 
 Col. 3. 17. As a corroborating circumftance here, I 
 mail mention a paflage in one of the epiftlea of Pliny the 
 younger (lib. x. Ep. 97.) to the emperor Trajan, in which 
 be informs that prince, u that the chriftiaas fung a hjma 
 
 t» 
 
[ 28 ) 
 
 Once more, this principle may be eftabliflied by the 
 eonfideration of the difference of the two difpenfations 
 (the Jewilh and the Chriftian) from each other. This 
 is a topic on which the Apoille Paul, efpecially, dwells 
 much. He exprefsly terms the Jewiih difpenfation, 
 the miniftration of death, and, of condemn ation(a) — 
 a flate of bondage, and, fervitude(b) — fgys that it con- 
 tained only the fhadow of good things to come(c) — and 
 that the ritual of religious worfhip inftituted under it, 
 Was zveak and poor elements, a zoorldly /ancillary, and 
 carnal ordinances(&). But. in the paffages juft now re- 
 ferred to, he terms the Gofpel Difpenfation, the mi- 
 niftration oi the fpirit — the miniftration of life, and, 
 of righteoufnefs — a ftate of freedom and fonfhip. Our 
 Lord and Saviour himfelf reprefents the Gofpel Dif- 
 penfation 
 
 (a) 2 Cor. 3, 7, 9.— (b) Gal 4, 3, 7>9-~ ( c ) &&• 1C > 
 1. — [A)Heb. 9. 1, 10. — Gal. 4, 9. 
 
 to Chrift at to a God." Upon this paffage I would remark, 
 that if the chriftian* in this firft age of the Church, had 
 fuog nothing but the pfalms of David, neither Pliny him* 
 felf, nor any fpies, which might creep into chriftian af- 
 femblies, could have known that their hymns were ad- 
 drefTed to Chrift as to a God, becaufe there is not, in 
 thefe pfalms, any fuch exprefs mention made of his Name 
 or of thofe diftinguifhing characterises by which Jefus of 
 Nazareth could be generally known, as to make heathens 
 think, that thofe who fung them were thereby celebrating 
 the Divine gloiies of that crucified One. I therefore con- 
 clude, that in the pfalms, or hymns ufed by the fr ft 
 chriftians, there was fuch a plain, exprefs and litteral 
 mention mi&e of the Name, and other diftinguifhing char- 
 afters of Jefus Chrilt, as thai: every one who heard, and 
 vnderftood the language, mud immediately perceive that 
 HE was the object of their praife and adoration. And 
 fuch, I contend, mould the general rlraia of chrifhaa 
 tiymns ftill be. 
 
1 
 
 ( '9 ) 
 
 nervation and the worfhip which fhould be performed 
 under it, fpirit and truth, in contradiftin&ion to the 
 Jewifh oeconomy and its worfhip, which confifted fo 
 much in types and fhadows, but had not the very image 
 or reality itfelf(a). 
 
 Now, it mull be particularly obferved that the Jew- 
 ifh fyftem of pfalmody, was exaclly fuited to the dif- 
 penfation under which that people were placed; and 
 that many of them have fuch exprefs reference to the 
 peculiarities of the Jewifh worfhip — have thofe ordin- 
 ances of it which the Apoftle calls worldly, weak, poor, 
 &c. fo interwoven with their very fubjecl matter, that 
 they cannot, univerfally, fuit the Gofpel Difpenfation 
 which is fo widely different from the Jewifh, as wc 
 have heard; and under which thefe ordinances are en- 
 tirely abolifhed*. I befeech chriflians ferioufly to con- 
 C 2 fider 
 
 (a) John 4, 23. 
 
 * It is a ftriking mark of unerring wifdom which ap- 
 pears in all the works and ways of God, both in the na- 
 tural and moral world, that he adjufts one thing exaellf 
 tt> another, according to the time, plaee, relation, con- 
 nection, and other circumftances of men and things, and 
 the end he defigns to accompliih. This is evident in the 
 pfalms of David when viewed as a fyftem for the Jewifh 
 Difpenfation :— - for that, they were perfect and compleat ; 
 but, on this very account, they are uotfuitable, as a fyf- 
 tem or liturgy, for New Teftament woruYip. 
 
 Some have been cenfured, as having ufsd contemptu- 
 ous and diminutive epethets when fpeaking of the pfalm* 
 of David. If any have really done fo, i.e. if they have 
 ufed other phrafes than they are warranted in by the facred 
 fcriptures, or with a view to pour contempt upon any 
 part of the oracles of God, let them receive ail that cen- 
 fure and reproach that can be heaped upon them. AH 
 fuch cenfures, I hope, I (lull efcape, as, in reprefenting 
 the difference between the two difpcnfa.ions, I have ex- 
 actly ufed the language of the Holy Spirit iu the fcriptnre. 
 
( 3° ) 
 
 fider with what propriety they can now call upon one 
 another to praife God with the harp, the pfaltery, the 
 timbrel and dance, with ftringed inilruments, organs, 
 and loud founding cymbals — and to blow up the trum- 
 pet in the new moon ; when at the fame time, they 
 mean not at all to do any fuch thing? — Upon what 
 principles can we new intreat God to do good to Zion 
 with this declaration in our mouths, that then he fhould 
 be pleafed with whole burnt offerings and bullocks 
 which the church would offer upon his altar? — Under 
 ► he Jewifh Difpenfation, fuch offerings were proper — 
 they were Divine Ordinances — and the pious worship- 
 pers not only expreffed them in words, but intended, 
 and aftually performed them : but no chriffian believes 
 he mould prefent fuch offerings, or, if he did, that they 
 would be pleafing to God. Can we, confidently with 
 ;, fav, in our fongs of praife, that fparrows and 
 allows build by the altar of God — and that they are 
 bleffed who travel through the dry valley of Baca, dig 
 wells in it, and collefl the rain in pools to fupply them- 
 ftlves with drink, whilft they are coming from a dif- 
 t'ant part of Judea, to celebrate the annual feflivals at 
 Jerufalem? Whilft the Jewifh ceconomy lafted, this 
 could be fung with truth; but now it cannot — thefe 
 tilings exift no more[aj. Many fimilar inftances might 
 b^ produced ; but thefe are fufEcient to illuftrate the 
 truth I am eftabliihing. If it fhould be faid, that we 
 ought not now to ling thefe, and fuch like pfalms in 
 their literal meaning, but mould gofpelize them; and 
 that many do actually thus paraphrafe and expound be- 
 fore thev fmg them: — then I reply, that this, in reali- 
 ty, gives up the point, and eftablifhes the very princi* 
 pie I am pleading for. It is a tacit acknowledgment 
 
 • that 
 
 [a] Pfalms 81. 2, 3. g3. 5 6. 150. 3, 4, c.— 
 
 £i. 18, 19.— 66. 13, 14, 15,-84. 3,4. 5. 
 
( 3* ) 
 
 that fome of the pfalms at leaft, in their plain and liter- 
 al fenfe — the fenfe in which, it is certain, they were 
 ufed under the former difpenfation, are not fuited to 
 Gofpel times. And, methinks, the moft zealous con- 
 tenders for the propriety of Tinging thefe pfalms with- 
 out exception, mould confider a moment, whether 
 they themfelves ling them in reality, when they drop 
 any part of their original meaning, and fubftitute their 
 own notions in its room. Certainly, mere zvords nei- 
 ther conftitute prayer nor praife — They both mainly 
 confift in the ideas of the mind and fentiments ot the 
 heart : and if thefe be different from the original mean- 
 ing of the compofkion we ufe, it is not that compofi- 
 tion, but fomething elie which, in truth, we ofTer to 
 God. But notwithstanding that praife does not con- 
 fift in mere zvords, yet when we have w r ords enough to 
 exprefs our meaning plainly and pertinently, it muft 
 be very abfurd, if not a kind of mockery, to approach 
 the Moft High with expreftions in our mouths to which 
 we have either no meaning at all, or one very differ- 
 ent from their obvious fenfe, and that which they were 
 originally intended to convey. 
 
 But befide all this, and fuppofing there was not a 
 fmgle reference to the ceremonies of the Law, in the 
 pfalms of David, yet I prefume every one muft grant 
 they are far fhort of the fulnefs and clearnefs oi the 
 Gofpel: and from this confideration I plead, that 
 chriftians fhould not confine themfelves to them. The 
 difference between the difcoveries made under the Jew- 
 ifh, & underthe Chriftian Difpenfation, may be fitly illuf- 
 trated by the irnperfeft knowledge we have of a perfon, 
 who has a- ways appeared vailed to us, in comparifon 
 of that which we have when all the features and linea- 
 ments of his face are clearly reflected to our eye from 
 the brighteft mirror* This illuftration, the Apoflle 
 JumJelf ufes. 
 
 It 
 
( 3* ) 
 
 It is neceffary that prophecy fhould be obfcure — if 
 k were not, the moral agency of man mull be deftroy- 
 ed, in order to the accomplifhment of the predicted 
 events. And it is the nature of an introductory dif- 
 penfation to be, comparatively, imperfect. This, in 
 truth, is the fact, in the cafe before us ; for, as I have 
 already proved, there are many objects of knowledge, 
 and fubjects for praife difcovered in the Gofpel, which 
 are not to be found in any part of the Old Teflament. 
 So that, if we confine ourfelves to the pfalms of David, 
 we mail exclude from our fongs of praife, the difting- 
 uifhing glories of the Gofpel, and flill hold the vail up- 
 on the lovely face of the Redeemer — we fhall ungrate- 
 fully reject the Light, and refolutely continue in the ob- 
 fcurity of the former Difpenfation. 
 
 And now, probably, you will be ready to enquire, 
 What fhall christians fing; and what fhall be the rule 
 of their direction in this important part of religious 
 worfhip? To this I anfwer, juft as your fhorter cate- 
 chifm anfwers the queftion, What rule hath God given 
 for our direction in prayer? In like manner, the whole 
 word of God is of ufe to direct us in praife; but the 
 fpecial rule of direction is the Gofpel — the New Tef- 
 tament. Or, more particularly, thus, Although we 
 ought not to confine ourfelves to the pfalms of David, 
 as I hope I have proved to your fatisfaction, yet there 
 are many of them, and other parts alfo of the Old 
 Teflament, which fo excellently exprefs the exercifes 
 of a pious and devout heart, and fo fublimely extol 
 the Moft High, without any reference to the peculia- 
 rities of that Difpenfation which is now abolifhed, that 
 they contain matter proper to be fung to the end of the 
 world. To thefe fhould be added thofe glorious fub- 
 jects of praife which the Gofpel alone reveals. And 
 -there are chriflians qualified to form all thefe into plain 
 and agreeable verfe. It is then the bufinefs of the 
 
 Church, 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 Church, that is to fay, the fupreme judicatory thereof, 
 to examine and judge of thefe compofitions; and, 
 having feleQed fuch of thern as they lhall deem proper 
 and fufficient, appoint them to be ufed in public wor- 
 fhip. This fame collection may alfo ferve, generally, 
 for family, and even the moft fecret praife. I fay, 
 generally; for I openly declare, that in private, a 
 chriiiian is not bound to confine himfelf to any collec- 
 tion of fuch compofitions; but that, if he has a capa- 
 city to compofe a pfalm, hymn, or fpiritual fong, he 
 has a right fo to do, and to fing it in praife, juft as he 
 has a right to ufe his own words in prayer. And 
 when any perfon mall difprove the one, I will alfo, 
 from the fame principles, difprove the other. I pro- 
 ceed, 
 
 Fifth. To remove any difficulties or objections 
 which may feem to lie againff. the preceding view of 
 the fubjeft. To fome, this branch of the fubjecT: may, 
 very pofUhly, feem quite unnecefTary: and, indeed, 
 from the manner in which I have treated it, I prefume, 
 an anfwer may be found, either directly, or by eafy 
 confequence, to any objection that can be raifed againlt 
 it. Neverthelefs, leaft any one fhould be perplexed 
 with difficulties fpeciouily propofed, I fhall ftate thofc 
 which I have not fo direclly obviated. 
 
 First. It is faid, that if we do not fing all the 
 pfalms of David, or introduce any others into the 
 worfhip of God, we will weaken the authority of that 
 facred book, and aid the caufe of Deifm. 
 
 Is it fo then, my brethren, that we weaken the au- 
 thority of all that fcripture which we do not praQice 
 as it was once done? Then, indeed, we mufl ob ferve 
 all the laws and ordinances refpecting the diftincKon 
 between clean and unclean beafls — warnings — facrifi- 
 ces — circumfion — the paffover — and in one. word, all 
 the ceremonial and judicial law of the Jews, which 
 
 conftitutes 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 •onftitutcs a confiderable part of facred fcripture. 
 
 Thefe were ail Divine Inftitutions — binding upon, and 
 a&ually praftifed by the Church of o«d. And yet, 
 after all, I prefume, the obje£tors themfelves would 
 deem it an abomination to pra&ife fome, at leaft, of 
 thefe things now. With what face then can it be faid, 
 that we weaken the authority of the pfalms of David, 
 merely becaufe we do not ufe them as a fyftem ot 
 pfalmody in Gofpel times, as they were appointed to 
 the Jews? Let it be obferved alfo, that there are 
 many fongs recorded in the Old Teftament, and fung 
 by the Church then, which are not to be found in the 
 Book of pfalms; fuch as the fong of Mofes on paf- 
 fing the red fea(a) — the fong of Hezekiah(b) — of Ha- 
 bakkuk, which he particularly directs to the chief 
 Mufician(c) — the fong which Jeremiah compofed on 
 the death of Jofiah, the finging of which, he made a 
 Jiatute in Ifrael(d), and more that might be mentioned. 
 Is the authority of thefe weakened becaufe neither 
 Jews nor Chriftians fing them now? I prefume, not. 
 This is the very objeclion, in effeft, which was bro't 
 by the Jews and judaizing teachers againft the Apof- 
 tles of Chrifr, when they taught that the Jewifh ritual 
 of worfhip and all their ceremonial ordinances were 
 abolifhed. But, I think, there is no chriftian now, 
 who believes they were guilty of the charge. And if 
 they were not, I befeech you to confider ferioufly, 
 how it can lie againft any, merely for not finging thofe 
 pfalms which have fo direct and immediate a reference 
 to thofe Ordinances — have fo much of that abolifhed 
 ritual interwoven with the very fubjecl matter of them, 
 that if the one ceafes to exift, the other neceffarily 
 teafes with it, i. e. as to its fitnefs and obligation to be 
 
 pra&ifed 
 
 (a) Excd. 15 — (b) Ifau 38, ic, 20— (c) Hob. 3. 
 —(d) 2 Chron. 35, 25. 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 pra&ifed in Gofpel times. Nay, my brethren, we 
 revere the facred fcripture in all its parts — the Old, as 
 well as the New Teftament ; and regard it as the 
 Oracles of the only living and true God. But we 
 defire to regard and ufe it according to its true end and 
 defign; not confounding and mixing together thofe 
 thino-s which God has feparated — not blending Ju- 
 daifm with Chriftianity; but by giving every thing its 
 proper place, both as to faith and practice, according 
 as it refpefts the difpenfations that have ceafed, or as 
 it regards that lajl and btjl, under which we live, and 
 which alone declares the worfhip and ordinances which 
 the King and Head of the Church hath appointed for 
 his followers now.* 
 
 Second. 
 
 * The above objection, in fobftance, has been advanc- 
 ed in another form, thus, " Whatever is fit to be read, 
 is fit to be fung ; if therefore we may not fing all the 
 pfalms of David, neither rauft we read them, and thus, 
 we mall rejefr them entirely." Nothing can be more 
 weak and abfurd than this cavil. Reading and finging are 
 quite diftinft ordinances in their nature, and often iti their 
 object and end. Sinking in praife of God, is, in its na- 
 ture a direct and immediate ad of religious worfhip and 
 adoration; reading is not fo. In finging praifes, God 
 
 is the immediate object, and the primary end, is to cele- 
 brate his fupreme glory and perfection, in himfelf, and 
 in his works and ways ; in reading, the primary end is in- 
 flruelion and edification Singing is a natural, and aa 
 appointed mean of exprefling our fpiritual joy ; reading 
 is not fo ; and hence, when one is in this frame, the 
 Aptftle does not enjoin it upon him to read, but to fing 
 pfalms (Jam. 5. 13.) From this, it is eafy to fee, that 
 many things may be fit matrer for reading, which would 
 be very improper to be fung in praife to God. I fhall il- 
 
 luftrate this by an example It is undoubtedly proper to 
 
 read every part of fcripture ; but fuppofe a perfon wer« 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 Second. It is ohje&ed, that the plan I have pled 
 for, is fubftkuting human compofures in the room of 
 Divine infpiration, and will be attended with many 
 dangerous confequences. 
 
 This objeflion arifes from an entire miflake of 
 the point. There is an effential difference between the 
 matter and the form of every fubje£l. Hence, the 
 fubjeft matter of a pfalm may be Divine, e. i. by di- 
 vine infpiration ; and the form of it, merely human : — 
 and this is aftually the cafe in that fyftem and verfion 
 of pfalms, which the objeclors themfelves contend 
 for. By the form of a pfalm, I mean, the phrafes 
 chofen to exprefs the fenfe — the manner and order of 
 arranging the words and fentences — and the meafure of 
 . the verfe. Now, fuppofing that God had ditlated to 
 David, Afaph, and others, all this, as well as the ideas, 
 or fubjeft matter of the pfalms, yet this would only 
 be the cafe in the original language in which the reve- 
 lation 
 
 to take the firft chapter of the firft Book of Chronicles, 
 for instance, and fing, as an ad of religious worfliip and 
 praife to God, the genealogical line of defcent from 
 Adam to Noah, from thence to Abraham, — then trace the 
 line through Ifhmael a little,-— then torn to Efau, trace 
 the line through him a while, and conclude with a lift of 
 the Kings and Dukes ot Edom. Or, fuppofe he were to 
 take the fecond chapter of the Book of Ezra, and (kg in 
 like manner, ihe numbers of thefe who returned with 
 Zerubbabel from the Bftbylonifh captivity — together with 
 the names of the towns and diftricls to which they refpec- 
 tiveiy belonged, and the number of the horfes, camels, 
 alfes, and kuives^a) which they brought with them to 
 
 Jerusalem What would you think of the exercife ? 
 
 Or, what opinion would you conceive of the performer? 
 You wcculd furely conclude. ?hat he was diverted of rea- 
 fon, or that he intended t torn the Duty of ringing the 
 praifes of G'^ti, into ridicule. 
 
 (a) This particular is in chapter I, 9. 
 
( 37 J 
 
 Idtion was made: fo foon as ever they were translated, 
 the form was changed, and became human. This is 
 dill further evident in the poetical verfion which we 
 have hitherto ufed ; many of the words and phrafes 
 are even different from thofe ufed in the profe tranfla- 
 tion, and the form is merely human ; unlefs we fuppofe 
 Roufe was divinely infpired when he verfified the 
 pfalms, and that the Holy Spirit diclated to him the 
 very phrafes and meafure of his verfc; which, I am 
 fure, no man of fober fenfe ever believed. It is evi- 
 dent, therefore, to a demonftration, that the form of 
 David's pfalms, as they ftand in our verfion, is human, 
 although the fubjecl matter of them is divine. Now, 
 this is precifely the cafe in the pfalms, hymns, and Spi- 
 ritual fongs formed from fuitable parts of fcripture in 
 general, and particularly from the New Teftament, as 
 f have mentioned before: the form—the compofition, 
 will be human; but the fubjecT; matter, divine. For 
 furely every chriftian believes, that the Gofpel is 
 from Heaven — that it is given by Divine infpiration, 
 in as high a fenfe as the Book of pfalms, or any other 
 part of fcripture. And it is certain, that the fubjecT: 
 matter of it is much more clearly and fully difcovered, 
 than the matter of David's pfalms; for many of them 
 were prophetic, which is always obfcure; and many 
 of them typical, which it is often difficult to unfold. 
 
 As for dangerous confequences, there are none at- 
 tending this mode, more than any other, in which im- 
 perfeft creatures are concerned. Certainly, the fenfe, 
 the mind of the Holy Spirit in the New Teftament, 
 can be as faithfully preferved and expreffed in a poeti- 
 cal, as in a profe tranflation or difcourfc. And I leave 
 it with every one candidly to judge, whether there is 
 not much more danger of mingling our own fancies, 
 and miftaken notions with the matter of our praife, 
 when \ye expound the pfalms of David for ourfelves, 
 D or 
 
 J 
 
( 38 ] 
 
 or depend upon the expofition of every preacher; . 
 
 than when we have the fubjeB in fo plain a drefs as not 
 to need an expofition — when we have it conftantly in 
 poHeflion, fo that we can leifurely compare it with the 
 unerring itandard — and when too, it has received the 
 approbation of the fupreme judicatory of the Church. 
 
 Third. It is faid, that Chrift and his Difciples 
 ufed the pfalmody of the Jewifh Church — And that if 
 he had deemed it unfit for the Gofpel Difpenfation, he 
 would have given his Church a new fyftem. 
 
 The firft part of this objection has no force, be- 
 caufe Chrift and his Difciples during his abode on 
 earth, were under the Jewifh Difpenfation, to which 
 that pfalmody was fuited. Hence, they obferved the 
 ceremonial law, but this does not oblige us to obferv 
 it. The point here is not, w T hat was proper under the 
 law, but what is fo under the Gofpel. Befide, it can 
 never be proved that the Saviour confined himfelf to 
 that fyftem; and, as I have already obferved, it is 
 more than probable he cornpofed an hymn at the ce- 
 lebration of his own fupper. 
 
 The other part of the objection, viz. that if he 
 had deemed the Jewifh pfalmody unfit for the Chrif- 
 tian Difpenfation, he would have given his church a 
 new fvftem, I totally deny; and for this plain reafon, 
 becaufe it w r as not necejjary. And that it was not ne- 
 cefiary, I hope the following confiderations will fatis- 
 iy you. 
 
 * The gracious Saviour has provided and left in his 
 v/ord, and bv the ordinary influences of his Holy Spirit, 
 fufficient furniture of light, gifts, and graces, for all 
 the parts of religious worfhip, without leaving a fyf- 
 tem or liturgy, in the precife words of which, we 
 fhould either pray, or praife, or preach. Indeed, in 
 the firft age of the chriftian church, when as yet the 
 full reveiation of all things which pertain to life and 
 
 godlinefs 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 godlinefs was not made, nor the Canon of New Testa- 
 ment fcripture collected together; extraordinary aid 
 -was neceffary, and was accordingly afforded in every 
 part of divine worfhip, whether praying, praifing, or 
 preaching. This is evident from many parts ot the 
 New Teftament, particularly from the 12th and 14th 
 chapters of Paul's firil Epiftle to the Corinthians, al- 
 ready referred to. But when the Canon of fcripture 
 was compieated, with a fulnefs and clearnefs fo great, 
 that he who runs may read and underftand, this extra- 
 ordinary aid ceafed;' and even thofe infpired prayers, 
 hymns, and fermons, are not recorded. And can we 
 need a more fatisfaclory proof, that liturgies compoied 
 for thefe purpofes, are not neceffary new ? Let not 
 chriftians depreciate their privileges, nor think meanly 
 of their advantages ; if you do, you will neither im- 
 prove them wifely, nor feel that gratitude to yoiir 
 God and Saviour for them, to which you are under 
 fo many endearing obligations. I repeat it, therefore, 
 the church now, and individuals, have furniture pro- 
 vided for them, in the ordinary way, for all the worihip 
 they are called refpeftively to perform — a furniture 
 rich, abundant, and overflowing. The 'Gofpel reveals 
 the fubjeft matter in the fulleft and cleareft manner — 
 the Holy Spirit, as a fpirit of light, of fanftification, 
 and of comfort, is more abundantly communica-cd, 
 than under former Difpenfations — infomuch, that the 
 vreakeft true chriftian now, has a more com pleat 
 knowledge of Gods merciful purpofe and device 
 the falvation of fallen man — the method ol accom- 
 plishing it — and the acceptable way of a finners ap- 
 proach to the Mofl High, than the greatcft Old Tefta- 
 ment prophet. Probably, by fome, this will 6e 
 thought bold language: yet it is not bolder than I am 
 warranted to ufe, both by the Old and New Tcflament. 
 To prove this, obferve the ftrong language of the pio- 
 
( 4° ) 
 
 phet Ifaiah, " Moreover the light of the moon 
 fhall be as the light of the fun, and the light of the 
 fun fhall be feven-fold, as the light of feven days, in 
 the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his peo- 
 ple, and healeth the flroke of their wound. "(a) No- 
 thing can be more evident, from the whole preceding 
 context, than that this refers to Gofpel times, and is a 
 prophetic defcription of the' happy circumftances of 
 the Jews when they mould embrace the Gofpel ; and 
 as light, when the term is ufed figuratively, almoft 
 imiverfally means knowledge and underftanding, the 
 obvious fenfe of the paffage is, that when they fhould 
 be converted to chriflianity, their knowledge would as 
 far exceed what they, under the law, pofTefTed, as the 
 light of the fun exceeds the light of the moon, or as 
 the light of feven days or feven funs collecled, exceeds 
 the light of a finglc one.* Still more ftrong is the 
 
 langu age 
 (a) Ifai. 30, 26. 
 
 * This pafege has been interpreted as if by the moon, 
 
 was meant the type, aud by the fun, the anti-type 
 
 that both are to be kept in immediate view under the 
 
 Gofpel and that both will thus be better underftood.-- 
 
 For, fay thefe expofitors, on this plan we (hall have the 
 type and the anti-type mutually (liining upon and illuftrat- 
 ing each other, like the fun and the moon. And all this 
 is faid to prove, that we (heuld ufe the typical laaguage 
 and ceremonial references of the Book of pfalms, in 
 chriftiin worfhip. This is, truly, as flraage an interpre- 
 tation s one could well imagine. Sure I am, the Holy 
 Spirit never ufed fnch an unnatural figure, as upon the 
 above hypothefis, this would be. For, let me afk, did 
 any perfon ever fee it, or is it a truth, that the moon 
 (litnes upon the fun, and adds to his light and fplendor ?- 
 No furely. On the contrary, her faint rays are all bor- 
 rowed from him — when he appears in our horizon, (he 
 is immediately eelipfed, difappears in the blaze of his re- 
 fulgent 
 
( 4* ) 
 
 language of Zechariah, " In that day (hall the Lord 
 defend the inhabitants of Jerufalcm, and he that is 
 feeble among them at that day, (ball be as David; and 
 the houfc of David {hall be as God, as the Angel of 
 the Lord before them. "(a) It will not be difputed, I 
 prefume, that this refers to fpiritual and religious ad- 
 vantages under the Gofpel ; advantages fo far fuperior 
 to what were enjoyed under the law, that the feeble, 
 the weakeft chriftian among the Jews when converted 
 to the Faith, will be as David, in point of religious 
 attainments — and the houfe of David, the more ad- 
 vanced chriftians among them, as the Angel of God 
 in comparifon of David. The language of the New 
 Teflament is Hill more exprefs to this purpofe. Our 
 Lord fpoke to his difciples thus, " For I tell you, 
 that many prophets and kings have defired to fee thofe 
 things which ye fee, and have not feen them, and to 
 hear thofe things which ye hear, and have not heard 
 them.(b) If this was the cafe with regard to his difci- 
 ples, long before the full difplay of gofpel light, and 
 when, as yet, they were but babes in chriftian know- 
 ledge ; how much more muft it be fo with thofe who 
 enjoy the noon-day light of the Gofpel. In another 
 place our Lord thus declares, " For I fay unto you, 
 among thofe that are born of woman there is not a 
 D 2 greater 
 (a) Zech. 12. 8. — (b) Luke 10, 24. 
 fulgent orb, and becomes ufelefs to us in point of com- 
 municating light— —It is only in bis alfence that fne is, or 
 can be beneficial in this refpeft. It is juft fo in the 
 other cafe. When the glorious SUN of righteoufnefs 
 hath arifen, and is mining upon us with meridian bright- 
 nefs, types and fhadows fhould flee away they may in- 
 jure, but profit us they cannot and like the moon, 
 
 which, by being enterpofed, hides fomething of the fun'a 
 light, even fo thefe, fo far as they are made the immedi- 
 ate objeels of our contemplation, will obfeure our viewi 
 of the Redeemer. 
 
(' 4* ) 
 
 greater prophet than John the Baptiii: but he that i* 
 
 leafl in the ktndom of God is greater than hc."(a) 
 
 The kingdom of God, or, the kingdom of heaven, 
 as Matthew, in a parallel pafiage, records it/h) is but 
 another exoreflion for the Gofpel Difpenfation, which 
 is evident, both becaufe our Lord almofl always ufes it 
 in this fenfe, and becaufe the following verfe in Mat- 
 thew's Gofpel confines it thereto. John the Baptiii: 
 neither wrought miracles, nor predicted future events 
 to any fuch degree as many prophets that had arifen be- 
 fore him; coniequently, the only point in which he 
 was fuperior to them all, was his fuperior knowledge 
 of Gofpel myfteries, and IF the leait in the kingdom 
 of God, the weakeft true chriftian under the full light 
 of the Gofpel, be greater than John, it muft be in the 
 fame fenfe, ihat is to fay, he is acquainted with many 
 things in the plan of falvation which were not revealed 
 to John himielf; and therefore; fuch a chriftian knows 
 much more of thele glorious things than the greateft 
 Old Teftament prophet. Thcfe fenptures will, I hope, 
 fatisfy you that I have not aiTerted too much. And if 
 fuch be the furniture of the Chriitian Church, and of 
 its weakeft members — fuch their tranfeendent advan- 
 tages beyond what was enjoyed under any former Dif- 
 penfation — can it be true that they have not fufficient 
 means for praifing God, without having a liturgy com- 
 pofed for them in an extraordinary way; or without 
 having recourfe to that fyftem of pfalmody, which, in 
 comparifon of the difcoveries and light of the Gofpel, 
 is but as the dufky twilight to the perfect day? Judge 
 ye, 
 
 Fourth. It is objecled by fome, that it is fo dif- 
 ficult to attain fufficient fkill in mufic, to fing in the 
 manner I have pled for, that the bulk of each congre- 
 gation will be prevented from joining in the public 
 
 praife 
 (a) Lukcji s8 — (b) Matt* 11. 11, 12. 
 
( -IS ) 
 
 praife of God — that part of worfhip, mud be com- 
 mitted to a felecl: choir — and, we will become fo fond 
 of the mufic as to negleft the exercife of grace in the 
 heart. 
 
 My brethcrn, if any one of thefe things necejfarily 
 attended the mode I have recommended, I would give 
 
 it up at once. But fure I am, this is not the cafe. \ 
 
 I well know that mankind are prone to extremes, as 
 well on the one fide, as on the other. This is actually 
 the cafe with us now, aud we have funk to one extreme 
 in our mode of performing this duty: for I can fcarce- 
 ly conceive in what more miferable manner we could 
 perform it, fuppofing us to fing at all. And muft we 
 not attempt a reformation and feek to do right, for 
 fear of running into the oppofite extreme? It is al- 
 ways fallacious to reafon againft the u/e of any things 
 from the abitfe of it. That fome may pay more atten- 
 tion to the mufic than to the frame of their heart, I 
 readily grant, but furely the mufic is not the caufe of 
 this; on the contrary, as I have (hewn, it is defigned 
 and calculated to aid and promote thefe gracious frames. 
 We may alfo err by introducing fuch a variety of tunes 
 into public worfhip, and in fuch quick fuccefiion, that 
 the greateft part of the congregation cannot be acqaint- 
 cd with them. But it is eafv to guard againft this evil 
 — there is no necefiity for changing our airs every 
 month, nor every year — Yea, and fuppofing us never 
 to change them, yet this fhould not prevent us from 
 finging, with propriety, thofe we do ufe. And I muft 
 farther maintain, that to learn to fins; thus with pro- 
 pnety, neither requires uncommon talents, nor extra- 
 ordinary pains — It is as eafy, as the mode we ufe, pro- 
 vided we adopt the proper method of learning, and the 
 teacher underftands his bufmefs; and in this, 1 fpeak 
 from certain knowledge. To fing, as I have mention- 
 ed, various parts muft, indeed, be performed together: 
 
 but 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 but it is not neceflary that thofe who fing one part, 
 fhould be able to fing the others — to that one, if they 
 plcafe, they may confine themfelves in every tune- — and 
 it is as eafy to learn one part as another. To forne^ 
 indeed, this mode will be much eafier than the prefent, 
 when all are confined to one part: for as there is a va- 
 riety in the parts fuited to different voices, as they are 
 fine or courfe, high or low, there is an opportunity of 
 a choice according to the natural tone of the voice; in 
 confequence of which, the performing of it will be 
 more eafy and pleafurable. And now, where is the 
 extraordinary difficulty in all this? There is none. — 
 Moreover experience and facts prove the practicability 
 of it. I do not recollect that I ever heard a congrega- 
 tion, or even private family of Germans ringing the 
 praifes of God, but th?y fung in concert, and made 
 
 harmony. Are we fo dull and flupid that we cannot 
 
 learn to do the fame? I am fure, we are not. But the 
 truth is, the prejudice of education, or the want of 
 proper difpofition to the duty lies at the bottom of the 
 objection. Had we that delight in ringing the praifes 
 of God, and that defire to qualify ourfelves in the beft 
 manner for the performance of the duty, that many of 
 us have in learning empty, filly fongs, or other as un- 
 profitable things, we would not make mountains of 
 molehills; we would cheerfully devote fome of that 
 time to the acquifition of this (kill, which many trifle 
 a>vay in fuch purfuits as will fill them with unutterable 
 anguifh when they are called to render their final ac- 
 count. 
 
 And now, to conclude — Let every one receive, 
 with reverence, the word of exhortation, and confeien- 
 tioufly apply himfclf to carry the Apoftle's direction into 
 practice. If you believe the Gofpel to be divine, you 
 will certainly own, that the treafures of it are incom- 
 parably fuperior toall the treafures of earth — that they 
 
 will 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 will enrich and make you happy, when the other will 
 vanifh like an empty pegeant, or amufing dream when 
 one awaketh. Let us all exercife ourfelves daily in 
 learning more and more of the word of Ckri/i, which 
 is able to make us wife unto falvation, and to furniih 
 us abundantly, through the influences of the Holy Spi- 
 rit, for every word and work. Particularly, let us ufe 
 it for our direction and edification, in ringing the 
 prai r es of our God and Saviour, as furniihing us with 
 matter for the moft exalted ftrains the church, on earth 
 can raife. Let us be much employed in this delightful 
 exercife — let the voice of praife be heard in our habi- 
 tations, as well as in the church — and let us not grudge 
 to fpend a little time and pains to qualify ourfelves for 
 finging fkillfully, with an harmonious noife. 
 
 Let us be ready to fall in with, and promote every 
 attempt to improve our pfalmody, in agreeablenefs to 
 the word of Ckrifl. If the principles I have laid down 
 be true, certainly, our pfalmody needs improvement. 
 In this fentiment, I am not lingular. Many pious, and 
 enlightened chriflians have long wifhed for pfalrns, 
 hymns, and fpiritual fongs, more in the ftyle, the fpi- 
 rit, and light of the Gofpel, than the pfalrns framed 
 for the Jewifh difpenfation. At lenght Dr. Watts 
 arofe, and gave the world an imitation of Davids 
 pfalrns, in the language of the NewTeftament; as alfo 
 a number of hymns, and fpiritual fongs, formed on 
 other parts of fcripture, efpeciaily, the Gofpel. His 
 performance was highly elteemed by many ; and as 
 much condemned by others ; not, fo far as I have learn- 
 ed, becaufe there was any thing heterodox in it, but 
 becaufe the author had advanced, and attempted to 
 bring into practice, the principles I have endeavoured 
 to efiablifh. His compofitions, however, were foon 
 ufed, in religious worfhip, public and private, by ma- 
 ny chriflians as well ot our own as of other denomina- 
 tions 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 tions; altho* the fupreme judicatory of our church had 
 not, as yet, given an exprefs fan&ion to them. At 
 length our fynod took up the matter judicially, and ap- 
 pointed a committee to examine the different verfions 
 of the book of pfalms, to which they could have accefs, 
 and from them to feleft fuch a collection as they mould 
 judge belt; and to lay it before Synod, at a future meec- 
 ing, for their confideration. In purfuance of this ap- 
 pointment, the committee proceeded on the bufmefs, 
 and after a confiderable time, reported, to this purpofe, 
 that having compared fuch verfions as they could ob- 
 tain, they did not apprehend any fo well calculated for 
 chriilian worfhip, as that of Dr. Watts, as amended by 
 Mr. Barlow of New-England. The verfion, thus a- 
 mended, was then laid before Synod for their confidera- 
 tion, who, after mature deliberation, gave it their judi- 
 cial fan£tion, as you may fee in a printed extract from 
 their minutes bound up with the faid verfion. The 
 committee had alfo added a book of hymns to this ver- 
 fion; but it was laid afide; not becaufe Synod difap- 
 proved of the thing in itfelf, hut becaufe fome parts of 
 the collection appeared to them exceptionable. Very 
 probably a collefcioin of this kind will yet be added, — 
 and, indeed, my brethren, fo many are the peculiar 
 and interesting difcoveries of the Gofpel — fo many the 
 palfages which contain the moll fit and excellent matter 
 for chriilian praife, that, until we have hymns and fpi- 
 ritual fongs formed upon them, I am clearly perluaded, 
 and I trull, by this time, fo are you, our pfalmody 
 will be incompleat. 
 
 In the mean time, as we have the opportunity now, 
 of advancing a confiderable Hep in the improvement of 
 our pfalmody, let us chearfully and thankfully embrace 
 it, and walk in the light and liberty wherewith our 
 Divine Lord hath made us free, to the honour of his 
 precious name, and our own greater edification. Let 
 
 us 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 us endeavour to diveft ourfelves of prejudice and pre- 
 poffeffion — and give the verfion a fair and cri 
 mination. This is furely the leaft that, in reafon and 
 conference, you can do, whether you view ihe matter 
 with regard to Synod, or to vourfelves; for altho' Synod 
 has not pretended to force this verfion on any congie- 
 gation or individual, yet, methinks, fome refpect is 
 due to the judgment of that Body to which we profefs 
 fubjeclion in the Lord. And then, remember that 
 you are deeply and perfonally interefied in this matter, 
 as accountable to God. For if, after you have been 
 favoured with the cleared difcoveries of the way of a 
 finners approach to God, and acceptance with him, 
 you are found not walking according to the Go/pel; and 
 efpecially, if, after being warned and admonifhed, you 
 obftinateiy rejeft, or carelefsly neglect the opportuni- 
 ty of improving, you will not be able to anfwer for it 
 to your final Judge. 
 
 In examining the verfion now recommended, I 
 hope you will keep in view the things you have now 
 heard. But, above all, feek by earnefl prayer, the di- 
 rection of the Holy Spirit, whofe office it is to take of 
 the things of Chrift and fhew them unto us,— that he 
 would lead you in the path of duty — and teach you, 
 and the whole church on earth, the truth as it is in 
 Jefus. 
 
 And now unto him that loved us, and warned us 
 from our fins in his own blood ; and hath made us kings 
 and priefls unto God and his Father; unto him be glo- 
 ry and dominion forever and ever, Amen. Yea, unto 
 God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be undivided 
 honours and eternal praifes. Amen. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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