Selections. ROMAINE ON PSALMODY. [The following extracts from Romaine's Essay on Psalmody, for which we are indebted to the kindness of a friend, will put our readers in possession of the sentiments of a very eminent and learned English divine of the last century on this subject. It gives us pleasure to state, that this subject begins to excite more enquiry among the American Churches; for we are satisfied that impartial investigation is all that is necessary to the prevalence of correct sentiments. If any of our readers could furnish us with the "Declaration of the Westminster Assembly, published July 17th, 1645, from which an extract is given in the 13th and 14th pages of our last number, they will oblige the MEN AND BRETHREN, ED. REL. MON.] We are the creatures of God, dependent on him for being and for well-being. He gives us all our faculties, both of mind and body, and he requires us to use them in his service, and to his glory. This is our bounden duty. It is the peculiar dignity of man, who never acts more nobly than when he employs the.. powers bestowed upon him to the praise of the giver. None of them should be useless, but each should be exerted, whenever an opportunity offers of glorifying God. In the common actions of life, this may, and should be done : the rule is, "Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God," but it is far more needful in spiritual matters, which have an immediate relation to God and his worship. These he has appointed to be the means of shewing forth his praise. Among them singing of Psalms is not the least. It is frequently commanded, and with a promise-faithful is he who hath promised-he will render the means effectual to answer the end. When believers employ the faculties of soul and body in singing of his goodness and greatness, he does accept the service and testifies his acceptance. He does indeed communicate to them, by his Spirit, joy and peace, and he renders singing to the Lord, with melody in the heart, the means of increasing. the melody and joy. But where is such singing? In what church? Among what people? There are some. May their number increase. It is worth while to try to increase them, especially as this ordinance is so much neglected. The holy affections, which should be stirred up by so heavenly an exercise, are generally damped by it. When it is performed with coldness and indifference, how can it produce sensations suitable to such exalted means of grace? or when contempt is put upon it, how can it convey any of the promised blessings? Many things have contributed to the present neglect and abuse of this ordinance, and I have been led to the following reflections, in order to try to bring it again into repute. Happy, indeed, shall I think myself, if the Lord should be pleased to make use of them, as any way conducive to the singing of his praises with the understanding; I shall pray and labour for it; may he give his abundant blessing. One of the first and great causes of neglecting the singing of Psalms, seems to have arisen from not attending to The Subject of the Book of Pealms. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy: for to him give all the prophets witness. With one voice they speak of his wonderful person, of his divine undertakings, and of his complete and eternal salvation. It is the spirit of their writings to reveal and to teach the good knowledge of the Lord. Whoever understands them perfectly, will find the prophets treating of the coming of Immanual in the flesh, as clearly as the evangelists. When this most blessed event was to be accomplished in the fulhess of time, a New Testament witness, filled with the Holy Ghost, prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath according to his promise visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began." The Lord never left himself without witness. Ever since the world began, he had prophets, who foretold what Christ was to be and to do, who testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. This is the subject of the book of Psalms. It treats of Christ, and contains the praises of the Father's love, and of the Spirit's grace, as they were manifested in the person and work of Jesus Christ The salvation of sinners through him is the greatest display of the covenant mercies of the eternal Three: therefore the Psalms celebrate his wonderful person, and his divine undertakings-they describe his obedience and sufferings-his conflicts with, and victories over, all his enemies-his resurrection and ascension-his sitting upon the throne, the great king of all worlds, visible and invisible-his gathering together, and perfecting the number of his elect-his coming at the last day to judge men and angels-and the glory which he will bestow upon his redeemed, when they shall be with him, and like him, kings and priests unto God and his Father, and shall reign with him forever. What subject can be more noble in itself than this: here are the greatest transactions of the greatest personages that possibly can be―――the ever blessed Trinity purposing and covenanting to bring many sons unto glory-displaying their wisdom, and love, and power, in an infinite degree, through the incarnation, obedience,, and sufferings of the God-man, Jehovah Jesus, and through the effectual grace of the Holy Spirit, calling and bringing the elect to experience the Father's love to them by faith in the Son's perfect salvation, and then guiding them safe by his council and might unto the glory provided for them. This wonderful theme is treated of in the book of Psalms, in a manner suitable to its dignity-it is not only spoken of, but also celebrated-not merely described, but also praised. The language therefore is exalted. The sentiments are sublime. The poetry is divine. And no wonder: the author is equal to the subject.He is capable of extolling the mercies of that covenant, which reaches from eternity to eternity, and of extolling them according to their true greatness. The Psalms are the composition of the all-wise Spirit: for the Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of David, and of the other inspired penmen. He guided both their hearts and their hands. The sentiments and the words are his: for the prophecy came not in the old time by the will of man, but holy men of God, spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost -they spake as he moved them-they indited the Psalms under his inspiration. The praises therein given of the person and work of the ever blessed Immanuel are not human, but truly divine. What may not be expected from such an author? Who is by essential union one in the Godhead with the Father and the Son, and who is by his office to testify of Jesus, and tò glorify Jesus. If the Psalms be read under his influence, they will be found equal to the subject, in every view suited to exalt the incarnate God, and, if they be sung with grace in the heart, they will increase the faith and hope of every devout worshipper.There are several Psalms which are applicable to none but Jesus Christ, and many expressions which could not be truly spoken by any one, but him who was God and man in one Christ. Many will receive new lustre and emphasis, when viewed in the same light. The proper Psalms, which are appointed to be read on the festivals, do certainly treat of the birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Christ, and of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, in consequence of Christ's ascension: for, says he, "If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go away, I will send him unto you."1." Our reformers certainly understood those proper Psalms to be descriptive of Christ, and took them in the same sense our Lord and his apostles did; who have quoted the book of Psalms eightytwo times. Their manner of quoting it demonstrates, that they took it for granted it was written concerning Christ. Indeed many passages cannot be applied to any one, but to him: for instance-he appeals to God to be tried according to his innocence -to be rewarded according to his righteousness-he desires to be judged according to the cleanness of his heart and hands-could any one of us say, "Search me to the bottom, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any way of wickedness in me?" All have sinned. All we like sheep have gone astray, and if we were to be tried according to the holy law by a heart-searching God, every mouth would be stopped, and all the world would become guilty before him. O what would become of the best of us, if God were to judge us as we are. The cxixth Psalm is a description of the love of Christ to the law, his study in it and his perfect observance of it. O what love have I unto thy law-with my whole heart have I sought thee-I have not departed from thy judgments-" I have sworn” (with the oath of the covenant) "and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments." Are not these the peculiar descriptions of the work of the God-man, in which he was alone, and of the people there was none with him-any more than there was in the offering for sin, when he trod the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with him, of which the xlth Psalm treats, any more than there was in bringing in an everlasting righteousness, for which the church praises him in several Psalms, particularly in lxxi, and will triumph in his righteousness, for evermore. The glory is his. No offering, no righteousness, but his can save: the praises therefore of the great salvation of our God, which run through the book of Psalms, are the peculiar prerogatives of the King of saints. They are his crown and diadem. The honours are solely his, and he will wear them with unrivalled fame. His name is King of kings, and Lord of lords, and the armies of heaven follow him with one mind and one heart, ascribing unto him honour and glory, and blessing and praise, for ever and ever. Amen. But although the work was altogether his from first to last, none being capable of any part, but he who is God as well as man, yet eternal blessings on him, be did it for us and for our salvation. His people have an interest in what he is-God in our nature-they have their share in what he did and suffered for them, and they have an unspeakable benefit in what he is now |