the book of Psalms in the same light, and used them to the same end. They received them as provided by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to be the matter of their praise; in which was set forth, "with the true sublime, both of style and sentiment, the love of God manifested in saving sinners, through Jesus Christ; and when any Psalm was sung, if the heart felt the subject, and made harmony there, then it became a delightful, as well as an acceptable service." In the fifth and sixth chapters he dwels at considerable length on the rules laid down in scripture for singing them aright; and, on the correcting of some abuses which had begun to prevail in relation to this duty. As the whole is too long for our work, especially as so much has been said on this subject already, we must content ourselves at present, with some extracts from the former of these chapters on the rules to be observed in order to acceptance with God in the duty of praise; and reserve the conclusion for our next number.

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Singing of Psalms," he observes, "is a divine ordinance, and has an inward and outward service. The inward consists in the proper frame and affection of the renewed and spiritual mind; for no man can use the Psalms as an ordinance of God, who has not received the Spirit of God: without him ye can do nothing, being dead in trespasses and sins. And after he is received, he is the continual breath of spiritual life, yea, as much as the air we breathe is of natural life. Every spiritual sensation of peace, comfort, and joy in God the Father is from the divine agency of the Lord the Spirit. Every act of religious worship is performed acceptably by his strengthening us mightily in the inner man, and giving us the will and the power. If we pray aright, it is in the Holy Ghost. If we hear aright, it is by his blessing on the word preached. If we sing aright, it is by the same Spirit: and therefore we are not only commanded to seek his assistance in all we do, but also a growing and increasing measure of his graces and gifts. Thus the apostle directs the Ephesians in their singing of Psalms, "Be ye filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in Psaims, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." He also commands the Colossians to instruct and to admonish one another in Psalms, and Hymns, aud spiritual Songs, herein using the grace given both for its exercise, and also for its improvement. And -this true manner of singing comes from the Spirit, and increases the fruits of the Spirit.

Another requisite in the duty of praise, is to sing with the understanding. 'Holy men of God in the Old Testament sung with knowledge. Ignorance was not the mother of their Psal

mody. They were well acquainted with what they sung. The royal prophet says, he employed his understanding in this devout exercise, as well as his harp and his voice. Hear him, how earnestly he calls upon others to extol his beloved Jesus—“Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises: for God is the King of all the earth, sing ye praises with understanding." He would have them to mind what they were about, and to understand what they sung; lest they should utter lies unto the Lord, or offer to him a sacrifice without heart: consider whom you have to deal with-how great and good a God-observe how you praise him: engage all your mental powers in this delightful work, that it may be holy, acceptable to God, a reasonable service.

The apostle agrees in sentiment with the Psalmist: for thus he speaks to the Corinthians: "If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful: what is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." Singing is unfruitful, unless the understanding go with it. Unless the mind be profited, and God be honoured, it is only empty sound. But when we sing by the Spirit, then he will teach us to sing with the understanding also. He will open the subject to us, will give a fixt attention to it, will bring the mind into tune and will keep us looking at the sense more than at the sound.

"Is it so with thee, O my soul? Enquire carefully. Art thou led by the Spirit in thy singing? Does he enlighten thy mind, and guide thee into the knowledge of the subject in which thou art engaged? Take heed, and be often examining thyself-how thy mind is affected-lest thou shouldest present unto the Lord the song of fools.

Another important part of this duty is to "keep thy heart diligently: because out of it are the issues of life. The man is what his heart is. If this be dead to God, nothing in him is alive; if this be right with God, all will be right. If he has a clean heart, and a right spirit renewed within him, the Holy Ghost has made him a new creature in Christ Jesus, and has won the will and the affections over to God. This is his principle office in the conversion of sinners. He therefore discovers truth to the understanding, in order that it may become desirable, and that the heart may be properly influenced by it. The heart is the commanding faculty. When this has once tasted the sweetness of the Father's love in Jesus, it will engage the whole man to seek for more.Love is very active, and will do or suffer much to obtain and to

preserve the beloved object. Set this spring a going, it will move all the wheels. The hands will work for God. The feet will run the way of his commandments. Love will make heavy 'burdens not grievous to be borne: love will carry them a long time, and faint not. Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love which he had unto her. The labour of love is always delightful. When we know God to be our Father in Jesus, and have his love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, then his service becomes perfect freedom: then duty is ennobled into privilege; then obedience becomes willing and filial: the beloved child finds free access to the Father's throne, and receives blessed communications of his grace: for which his thankful heart offers the sacrifice of praise, and it comes up with a sweet savour acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. This is the melody of the heart. While it feels its infinite debt to free grace, is deeply convinced of its utter unworthiness, and is kept humble by the abiding sense of its imperfections, and of its indwelling corruptions, it is in a right frame to exalt the cxceeding riches of divine mercy. Then it is dispo~ sed to give God all his glory. This he requires as his due, and it becometh well the righteous to pay it. When the heart is made willing to ascribe every good to his holy name, then it is right with God. All within is now in tune to join every golden harp, and every joyful tongue in heaven, which are ascribing blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, to him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb forever.

This is the chief requisite in singing Psalms. The heart makes the best music. The finest compositions, ever so well executed with instruments and voices are not a divine concert, unless the heart accompany them. David knew this well, and therefore he set his affections to the highest pitch of praise, and he brought all of them to join. His whole heart entered into the performance, and rendered the concert full." I will praise thee O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify thy name for evermore: for great is thy mercy towards me. Thy special covenant mercy is such towards me, that my very thoughts cannot rise up to its greatness: How then can I utter forth all its praise? I cannot: no, not even half of it. But though the debt be so great, that I cannot count it up, yet I will the more extol thee for it from day to day: I would engage my affections, and give them all up to this heavenly employment. I would have my whole soul in it. And yet the debt remains, rather increases. O for a more enlar ged heart! My praises continued are only acknowledgements, and I want them continued with growing humility-more in

carth and more in heaven. There I shall praise better, when my heart will have nothing in it, but humble gratitude. Yet here I will not give over; but will carry on my joyful song, till I can sing in a higher strain. "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all within me bless his holy name: O give thanks unto him for he is good, and his mercy endureth forever. Hallelujah."

Joy in God is a most important part of the exercise of the heart in the duty of praise. "The heart cannot make pleasant melody, unless joy be there: for the Lord God has an unalienable right to the service of the whole man, but we never acknowledge it, until we become his children through faith in Christ Jesus; in whom we have free access unto the Father. Then persuaded of his precious love to us, we love him again, and in thankfulness give up ourselves, with all we have and are, to his service and glory. From hence arises our joy in God, and every expression of it; which were required of all men by the holy law, but are only fulfilled by those, who have the faith of the gospel. An unpardoned sinner cannot possibly rejoice in God: because this holy joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and is the consequence of believing. Thus David-" The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in him, and I am helped, therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise him. What the prophet had experienced himself, the same he wishes for others "Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice, let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee." And when a company of these happy people meet together, it is the delight of their hearts to join in praises to their God and Saviour.. "O come let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a cheerful noise to the Rock of our salvation: let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms." All true joy comes from him, and every acknowledgement of it, inward and outward, is therefore required, in order to preserve and to increase our rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ. He deserves all our joy-the loveliness of Immanuel-his love to us--the blessings of his love-how many-how great-how lasting! these should encourage us to be glad in him now with great joy. But the well-grounded prospect, which hope has, of finding in him infinite and everlasting blessings, should lead us to rejoice in him with joy unspeakable and full of glory. This prospect has brightened the darkest day: it has enabled sufferers greatly to rejoice when in heaviness through manifold temptations: it has supported them under every fiery trial. Nothing could extinguish the joy. It has lived and triumphed in the martyr's breast, even in

the agonies of the most painful death. Faith reads, and with hope looks out for (and it is a hope that will never be ashamed) the accomplishment of this faithful promise-"The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Sion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

Dost thou find, O my soul, any of this holy joy? Canst thou sing Psalms with the understanding, with the heart, and with gladness in thy heart, rejoicing in the Lord? Canst thou give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ? This is the privilege of every true believer. Being saved from sin and hell, made an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ, he has an interest in all things: for they are all working together under God for his present and eternal good. While he lives by faith, he knows it, and has the comfort of it. His heart is kept in tune, and whatever befals him he has reason to rejoice in the Lord his God.

The last thing mentioned as belonging to this duty is, that there ought to be a consistency between the outward walk and conversation, and the exercise of praise. "The believer should live as he sings. His life should be in harmony with his principles. If he sees the truth as it is in Jesus, and loves it, and rejoices in it, the effect of all this will certainly be outward and visible. The inward melody will be expressed in his tempers and behaviour. There will be a consistency throughout. As he lives, so he will walk, by the faith of the Son of God. Practice and principle will sweetly accord. The same sound that comes from his lips, comes also from his heart, and his whole life will be an unison. His actions sing, his tempers are in harmony, his behaviour makes up the chorus, abroad and at home, the music of his heart and life gives one certain note-Jesus is mine all--I live ¡n him—on him-to him-I would have all within me to praise him, and all without me to shew forth his praises-blessings on him for ever and ever. Amen.

If a man's life be not thus consistent with his singing, he mocks God, he deceives his neighbour, and he gives the lie to his own words. Actions are surer evidences than scunds: for they discover the settled, and the last purpose of the mind. They shew not only what a man talks of, but what he is determined to live by. The true character cannot be known, but from them. God only sees the heart. We know what is in it, by what comes out of it. We judge of the fountain from the stream. If the words and works be evil, so is the heart: for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, &c. these are