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 FROM THE LIBRARY OF 
 REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D. 
 
 BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
 
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JAN 27 5/ 
 
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 fP S A L M O D Y:l 
 
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 I IN WHICH IT IS CLEARLY SHEWN, § 
 
 X ' I 
 
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 6 THATITISTHB V 
 
 V 
 
 D U T Y OF C H R T S T I A N S | 
 
 t X 
 
 V TO TAKE THE TRIKCIfAL JUBJECTS AMD OCCASIONS OF THEITl fc 
 
 I I 
 
 I Pialms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs | 
 
 A if 
 
 FROM T H R 
 
 GOSPEL OF CHRIST. 1 
 
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 X BT JAMES LATTA, A.M. 
 
 I MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT CHESNUT-LETVEL. 
 
 . THILADELPHIA : PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, 8 
 
 1 ^r WILLIAM IV. JVOQDlVAIiD, AT FRANKLIN'^ HEAD, J 
 NO. 4J, CHESNUT-STRE£T. S 
 
 X f 
 
 « 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 JL HE author of the following pages has had it in view, 
 for feveral years pafl, to communicate to the public the 
 thoughts and reafonings contained in them. Various 
 confiderations have retarded the execution of his defign. 
 He hoped, that fome perfon of fuperior abilities and 
 opportunities, for elucidating and inveftigating the fub- 
 jed, would have undertaken it. He was defirous, as 
 far as might be, of furnilhing himfelf with thofe mate- 
 rials, that mofl fully tellify, what was the pradlce of 
 the church of Chrifl: in her earlieft and pureft ages, 
 when we may be aflured, that flie mofl clearly under- 
 ftood, and mofl exadlly obeyed the commands and di- 
 redions of our Lord and his Apoftles. The delay gave 
 him alfo an opportunity of confidering whatever occur- 
 red in his reading the facred fcriptures, or other writings/ 
 that might ^e of advantage for calling light upon his 
 fubject ; as alfo of attending to whatever has been ad- 
 vanced by thofe, who have oppofed the dodrine, which 
 he has endeavored to eilablifti. 
 
 After all, if the author could have been induced to 
 believe, that the church of Chrifl, was flill under obli- 
 gation to offer up to God a worlhip, which was origi- 
 nally appointed to be offered up through priefls and 
 <f acrifices ; and tjxat the Apoflle*s commanding us, to do 
 
 A 2 
 
iv- The P REV ACE. 
 
 ivhatever we do in vjord or deed, in the ncjne of the Lord 
 Jefus, left us at entire iibert). to negled all explicit and 
 dired mention of the name and interceffion of the Lord 
 Jefus, in all our fongs of praife and thankfaivinfr to 
 God~If he could have been perfuaded, that God had 
 eonimanded us to condud this part of our worlhip, juft 
 as if the glorious work of redemption was yet to be ac- 
 complijlied, and to treat the adionsand fufFerings of the 
 Saviour, in it, as if they had been only foretold or pre- 
 figured, but never, to tliis day, performed or endured — 
 If he could have believed, that He, viho has commanded, 
 that all men Jhould honor the Son even as they honor the 
 Father, had forbidden tlie minii^er of Chrift, when he 
 goes about to teach and admonifli in Pfalms, Hymns and 
 Spiritual Songs, to fay anything in thefe that is reveal- 
 ed in the Gofpel, concerning him — Had forbidden him 
 to fay any thing of the account the Evangelifts give us 
 of the tranfcendent dignity of his perfon, of the fpotlefs 
 holinefs of his life, of the luftre of his miracles, of his 
 heavenly dodrines and difcourfes, of his agonies in the 
 garden, and his fufFerings on the crofs — Had forbidden 
 him to fpeak in Pfalms or Hymns of thofe circumllanccs 
 of glory and honour, that attended his refurrec- 
 tion from the dead and afcenfion into Heaven — - 
 and had retrained him from paying to the Saviour 
 any of thofe praifes and adorations, which the glorified 
 . Saints and Angels in Heaven are direded to pay him, 
 in confequence of an accomplifhed redemption— If he 
 could have believed, that God had difplayed his glory 
 in Chrifl, in a manner more illufLrious, than in any 
 former inflances, and that he hzd prede/Iinated a people 
 unto the adoption of Children, hy Jefus Chrift, that they 
 tn'ght be to the praife of his glory ; and yet had' forbid- 
 /den this people to compofe or fing a Song of Praife or 
 Thankfgiving to him, for. this predeftin^tion, adoption., 
 
The PREFACE. ■■ v. 
 
 or for the wonderful means, by which they had been 
 raifed to this high dignity — I fay if the author could 
 have believed thefe things, with many n)ore cf the 
 like nature, he never- would have fubjetled himfell to 
 tlie labor of whtino; the folio win jr. flieets : much lefs 
 would he have done any thing that tended to leffen his 
 eftimationand influence, however fmall they may be, with 
 fome whofe fi-iendlhip he highly values, and whole ear- 
 ly prejudices in favor of the Old Tefiament Pfalmody, 
 are perhaps, too deeply fixed to be removed by any 
 thing he has advanced. He hopes, however, they will 
 fee fome reafon for his differing from them in fentiment, 
 and impute this difference, not to any affedation of fm- 
 "gularity but to what is, in his apprehenfion, a v;ell- 
 grounded perfuafion of the truth. And if he has difco- 
 vered any eager^^fs of fpirit, in blaming, or cenfuring 
 thofe, who are ef oppodte fentiments, he hopes they 
 will have the candor and juflice, to afcribe it to his 
 zeal for the honor, and intereft of the Gofpel, and its 
 'Divine Author and to his earneft delire, that a due re- 
 gard fhould be had to them, in every part of our devo- 
 tion. 
 
 The Author alfo entertained an high degree of hope, 
 that, if the people would be brought ferioufly to con- 
 fider the fubjed, in the light of reafon and Scripture, 
 they would be of the fame fentiments with himfelf, 
 and no longer difhonor that Gofpel, in which they pro- 
 fefs to glory, by leaving it entirely out, in any part of 
 their devotions ; efpecially in their Songs of Praife, 
 where gratitude for it Ihould always conflitute a prin- 
 cipal part. He was earneflly defirous too, that that 
 worfhip, and thofe honors fliould be reftored to the Son 
 of God, which the primitive Church paid him, which 
 Ae Saints and Angels in Heaven continue to pay hini'. 
 
Vi. The P RET ACE. 
 
 which God the Father To peremptorily requires, and 
 theApoftle, with exprefs regard to our Pfalmody, en- 
 joins, when he lays, Whatfotver ye do In ivord or deedy 
 do all in the name of the Lord Jefus. 
 
 Imprefied, as the Author was, with thefe hopes and 
 defires, if he had concealed or difguifed his fentiments 
 he would not have been faithful to his fellow Chrillians, 
 difcharged a good confciencc, or been faithful to him, 
 >vho has called him to the profeHion and hopes of the 
 Gofpel, and who has given him, though lefs than the 
 'kafl of his fervants, this grace, that he faould preach 
 Jinong the Gentiles the unlearchable riches of Chrift. 
 
 If after having been laid under fuch fpecial and dif- 
 tinguijfliing obligations by his God and Redeemer, and 
 in the certain profpect of appearing before the judo-- 
 ment feat of Chrift, he could have fo far undervalued 
 the approbation of God, as to have put it to the ha- 
 zard, by conforming to the opinions or doctrines of 
 men ; he could not have b^en a fervant of Chrift. — He 
 hopes, therefore, that even they, who differ from hini 
 in fentiment, will approve his integrity. If the Au- 
 thor has erred, he has erred with the v/hole primitive 
 Church, which for upwards of three hundred years of- 
 fered np her devotions to God in a Pfalmody, the fub- 
 jecls and occafions of which, were taketi from the Gof- 
 pel of Chrift. He has erred with many Divines and 
 others, eminent for piety and ufefulnefs in the Chur- 
 ches, both in the paft and prefent age ; infbmuch that 
 there have been few Minifters or private Chriftians en- 
 dowed with a capacity and genius for poetry, and ani- 
 mated with a fpirit of a lincere and lively devotion, 
 who have not einployed their talents in this way. A- 
 ■moag thefe we may mention a Flavel, an Erflcine, a 
 
The PREFACE. y'iu 
 
 Willifon, a Doddridge, a Newton, a Cowper, and a 
 Watts. And no doubt many more might be added of 
 eminent piety and abilit}'-, whofe names and writings 
 have not come to the Author's knowledge. 
 
 Some Authors in this country have aflerted,^ and en- 
 deavored to prove, that the Old Teftnment Pfalmody 
 is a fyftem, to which the Church of Chrift is to be con- 
 jfined to the end of time. But however eminent they 
 may be for theological learning, for flrength of reafon- 
 ing, or accuracy and fkill in criticifm, fuch is the Au- 
 thor's ignorance, flownefs of apprehenfion, or incapa- 
 city to perceive the force of an argument, tkat all that 
 they have offered has rather confirmed him inhisprefent 
 fentiments. 
 
 I. They fhould have fhewn, in the fuft place, that this 
 Word of Chrifiy of which the Apoftle fpeaks to the Co- 
 lollians. Chap. iii. i6. was fo peculiarly reftricled to 
 the Pfalms of David, that what Chrift himfelf deliver- 
 ed by his own Minifliry and that of his Apoftles, was no 
 part of that word ; and that the Coloflians could not 
 fail to have underftood the Apoftle as meaning by the 
 word of Chrift, thofe Pfalms. 
 
 2- They fhould have fliewn that it was ufual with 
 our Apoftle and the other facred writers, in mentioning ■ 
 the Pfalms of David, to call them Pfalms ^ Hymns and 
 Spiritual Songs* 
 
 3. They fhould have proved that it was the duty 
 of Chriftians, not to draw the inflrudions and 
 admonitions, which they communicated to one ano- 
 ther, in thefe Pfalms and Hymns, from the dodlrines and 
 difcourfes of our Saviour and his Apoftles; but from the 
 words of David and Afaph. 
 
viii. The PREFACE. 
 
 4. They ihould have fhewn, that the whole worfaip of 
 the Old Teft^ment was conducted in the niime of the Lord 
 J^'us, and that the Songs of Praile and Thankfgiving, 
 e.-'-ecially under thatdifpenfation, were exprefsly offered 
 u;^ iothe Father, through Chrift. Thefe things can ne- 
 Vv':-! )e proved — and tlie very reverfe of them all'appears 
 to uc the truth. 
 
 It is manifeft from th(? Scriptures, that the Old Tef- 
 tanient Church had noaCcefs to God, but through priefls 
 and flicvifices, and it is prefumed to be out of the pow- 
 er oi thefe writers to produce afingle inftance, in which 
 the congregation of Ifrael approached God, in any pub- 
 lic acl of devotion, otherwife than through thefe. Naj'- 
 iii -he celebrated inilance, which our Authors quote, 
 2 Chron. xxix. 30. in which they pretend there is a 
 franding rule for Chriilian Pfalmody binding to the end 
 of time; we find, that confecrated Levites were the 
 fingers, nor did they proceed to fing praife to the Lord 
 in the vjords of Ddvtd and ^faph, until a burnt-oifering 
 had been offered upon the altar- Now if the Church 
 at ColofTe had been Jevv^s, and they and the Apoftle had 
 been living in the days of Hezekiah, feven hundred 
 years before Chrifl, he would no doubt have command- 
 ed them to approach God, in the fame manner, through 
 priefts and facrifices. But the prtefthood being changed^ 
 there is made of necejpdy a change alfo of the law. (Keb. 
 vii. 12.) The Apoftle, therefore, enjoins it upon 
 Chriftians to offer up their Pfalms, Hymns and Spiritu- 
 al Songs to God, in the name, and through the inter- 
 ceffion of our Lord Jefus. — And can it be fuppofed, that 
 we are ftill under obligation to offer up to God a form of 
 worfiiip, in which there is no diretl and exprefs regard 
 to^ our great High-Prieft, and which, by leaving him 
 out, would imply, that the law, requiring our approach 
 
The PREFACE* ix* 
 
 to God, through priefts and f^icrifices, is ftill m force? 
 The Apoftle commands us in evtry thing to give thanks ; 
 (i ThefT. V. 18.) and gratitude requires, and Gojti by 
 every extraordinary inierpofition in our favor juftly de- 
 mands a Song of gratitude and praife- The piety and 
 gratitude of the Saints in all ages have led them to thi^ 
 Now to fay nothing in all our fongs of praife of the in- 
 carnation of the blefTed Jefus, and of the glorious and 
 eternal redemption he has obtained for us, one would 
 think, muft either imply great ingratitude for thefe in- 
 eftimable favors, or amount to a declaration, that thefe 
 events have never been accompliflied ; — and to fing of 
 them only in the language of prophecy, or of the typi- 
 cal obfervances that prefigured them, amounts to the 
 fame thing* And to confine ourfelves to the Songs of 
 the J«wi{h people muft imply, as far as this part of cur 
 Avorlhip goes, that no couliderable facts or events, re- 
 Hefting glory upon God, or meriting praife or gratitude 
 from us, have come to our knowledge, for upwards of 
 two thoufand years. 
 
 If our Heavenly Father has given us any advantages 
 above the Old Teftament Saints, it is but reafonablc 
 and juft, that thefe advantages ihould be acknowledged; 
 And there is no part of our worlhip, in which we carl, 
 with greater propriety, make this acknowledgement, 
 than in our fongs of praife. The force of truth has 
 obliged a late author upon this fubject to whom a refer- 
 ence is made in fome following pages*, to grant that we 
 have three advantages above the Old Teftament Church. 
 A very fcanty enumeration indeed! Witfius has repre- 
 fented them, as amounting to more than double the num- 
 ber. But let us hear what they are. " The firft is, 
 
 * The Rev. John Anderfon, Author of Two Difcourfes on 
 Pfalmodv. 
 
 B 
 
X* The PREFACE, 
 
 " that Ghrift is adnally come. The fecond, that wff 
 '* have the New Teftament Scriptures. The third, 
 *' that we have a more abundant fupply of the Spirit of 
 *' Chrift. Thus, what was prophecy to them is fulfilled 
 " to us ; what was praclifed by them as a type, more 
 *' obi'curely fetting forth him that was to come, is now 
 *' to be contemplated by us, as a metaphor or allegory, 
 " clearly fetting forth him v^ho is already come(^rt^." 
 
 Now I would afk our author what reafon can be af- 
 ligned for glorifying God in the prophecy, which \i not 
 ftronger for thanking him for its accompliflnrient ? Of 
 what advantage the New Teftament Scriptures can be 
 to us in our Pf alms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, if it is 
 unlawful for us to teach or admoniih from them? Of 
 what ufe can a light be in a place, where we dare not 
 introduce it ? How can the typical obfervances and 
 figures in the Book of Pfalms be accompanied with the 
 livrht of the New Teftament revelation, when everv 
 departure from the matter or form, in which thefe 
 Pfalms were written, implies, in his judgment, a reflec- 
 tion on the Spirit, and is a corruption of the worftiip of 
 God? 
 
 But we will fuppofe that light introduced, if it be - 
 poflible, without changing any thing of the typical or 
 . figurative language, and then, fays our Author, *'' thefe 
 *< typical obfervances and figures are undoubtedly at- 
 " tended with the advantage of giving us a much clear- 
 '^ er and more ftriking view of the principal objed, than 
 *' if it were exprefled in ftmple terms and divefted of its 
 *' acceflary idea." Now I prefume that our author will 
 grant, that the principal objecl to which thefe typical 
 obfervances referred was Chrift. 
 
 (a) Vidic. Cant. Dom, page 69. 
 
The P REFJ C E. xi. 
 
 Let him produce any type, figure, or typical eblerv- 
 ance, which he conceives will give us clearer and more 
 ftriking views of this object than the fimple terms of 
 the Gofpel, divefted of all figure ; and we will venture, 
 to fay with the Apoftle, 2 Cor. iii. 10. tliat however 
 glorious it may be, it hath no glory in this refpecl, by 
 reafon of tiie glory that excelleth. Every type, every 
 fio-ure muft be eclipfed before the Sun of Righteoufnefs. 
 •*' As the fun fwalloweth up the hght of the moon and 
 *' flsrs, in like manner is the luflre of former difpenfa- 
 ^' tions fwallowed up in that of the Gofpel^^^^,." 
 
 Obferve how confiftent what our Author here fays, 
 *'of the clear and (Iriking views the types give us,'* is 
 with what he fays in another place. Speaking of the 
 Old Teftament he fays- " The Lord was pleafed to 
 *' lead Church members under it by the hand to the un- 
 *' derftanding and application of the things contained ia 
 *' the word in a manner adapted to their childifli condi- 
 ** tion, by the inftitution of types ziid figures. Thefc 
 ^' types were no otherwife veils to the fpiritual things 
 *' fignified by them, than a child's fpelling and dividing 
 *' the words is veil to the fenfe of what he reads, whicl^ 
 " truly leads to that fenfe, though in a way adapted to 
 '' the capacity of a child — Under the NewTeftament 
 " the fame things that had been fet forth in the word 
 
 " are fet forth in it ftill, but more clearly ajid fully, 
 
 " The Church has now no more occanon for the way of 
 *^ learning fuited to a (late of childhood, by types and 
 ^' figures, as one that has learned to read, has no more 
 *^ occafion, in order to come at the fenfe of what hq 
 " reads, to fpell and divide the words into fyllables (/;)-. 
 Surely this gentleman will never fend back the New 
 Tellameut Church to a way of learning, by types and 
 
 f^JDoddridge in loc. (i) Vindlc. page :9. 
 
 B % 
 
Kil. The PREFACE. 
 
 figures, fuited to a Ihte of childhood, and which flie 
 has no occafionfor." He acknowledges, that flie has 
 learned to read, and furely he cannot intend to confine 
 her to '* fpell, and divide the words into lyllables in 
 f* order to come at the fenfe of whatfhe reads." 
 
 It can never be his mind, that in teaching and admo- 
 jnihing one another in Pfalms, Hymns, and Spiritual 
 Songs, we ihould draw our inftruftions and admonitions 
 from that part of the word where " the fame things" 
 are more darkly and fparingly fet forth, rather than 
 from that part of it where ** they are fet forth more 
 *' clearly ^nd fully. ^^ Or does he believe inliis confci- 
 cnce, that our Heavenly Father, after having taught 
 us to read by iheperfonal miniftry of his own Son, has 
 remanded us back to the lordly difcipline, and fparing 
 inftrudions (a), of thefe tutors and governors^ from 
 whom this Divine perfon came, at the expence of fuch 
 low abafement, and extreme fufFering, to fet us free ? — 
 
 And what fhall we fay of the more abundant fupply 
 of the Spirit of Chrift, which he acknowledges we have 
 received, if, with all its fulnefs, we are in a worfc con- 
 dition, with refpecl to one important part of our wor- 
 fhip than the Old Teflament Church? The children of 
 Ifrael, from the days of Mofes until after their reftora- 
 tion from the Babylonilli captivity, had perfons among 
 them who were enabled by the Spirit to con)pofe Pfalms 
 and Hymns, fuitable to their fituation and circumftances* 
 And now when a more abundant fupply of the Spirit of 
 Chrift is acknowledged, and Chriftians are commanded 
 to he filled -uilth it, they are, it feems, wholly incapacita- 
 ted iov fpcak'ing to themfelves in Pfalms, Hymns and S^U 
 
 (a) Witfius. 
 
The PREFACE, xiii. 
 
 rttud Songs / When Chriftians are commanded to give 
 thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in 
 the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and when this com- 
 mand is given with exprefs regard to our Pfalmody, it 
 muft be furprifmg, that not fo much as a fingle Pfalm 
 or Hymn fhould be compofed or fung by Chriftians in 
 conformity to this dircftion. It feems ftill morefurprif- 
 ing to hear, a Minifter of the New Teftament, profels- 
 ing a regard to the authority of the Apoftle, and acknow^. 
 ledging a more abundant fupply of the Spirit of Chrift 
 under the Gofpel, -and yet aflerting that it is unlawful, 
 and unwarrantable, and a corruption of the worlhip of 
 God, to compofe or fing fuch a Hymn. How far dif- 
 fering from this is the declaration of the modeft and ju- 
 dicious Dodtor Ridgley in his Leftures upon our larger 
 Catechifm, Vol- 2. Page 359. Speaking of Hymns of 
 human compofure he fays, " If we have ground to con- 
 •' elude the compofure, as to the matter thereof, and 
 '' mode of expreffion, unexceptionable, and adapted 
 *' to raife the afFedlions, as well as excite fuitable ads 
 *' of faith in extolling the praifes of God,' it gives me no 
 " m.ore difguft, though it be not in Scripture- words, 
 *' than praying or preaching do, when the matter is 
 <*■ agreeable thereunto." 
 
 The pious and eloquent Bifhop Home, has advanced, 
 many things very plaufibly in order to recommend the 
 Pfalms of David as a ftanding fyftem. — But he has taken 
 no notice of the Apoftle's direction, refpefting Pfalmody, 
 nor fhewn how it is polTible for us to conform to it in ad- 
 hering to David's Pfalms. In order to ling them in 
 fuch a manner, as to accommodate them to the Gofpel 
 he recommends it ''to fubftitute the Meffiah for David, 
 *< the Gofpel for the Law," &c, (a). But he fliould 
 
 (a J Preface pag. 26, 2 7. Eng. Edit. 
 
Xiv. The PREFACE. 
 
 have ratiier faid : Let us fubftitute David for the Mef- 
 fiali, the Law for the Gofpcl; which in fact is the cafe, 
 v/hen wefmgof theaclions, fufFerings, victories or ex- 
 altations of David inflead of thofe of oin- great High- 
 Prieft and Captain of our Salvation. Wich refped to 
 the Jews thefubRitution n^ight have been proper. But 
 what can warrant our making fuch a fubftitution ? Shall 
 any man prevail upon us to return to the fliades of 
 good things to coii>e, when VvC have the things them- 
 felves? Shall we light a lamp when the fnn fliineth in 
 his ftrength? Having attained to the knowledge and full 
 underftanding of manhood, fliall we return to learn af- 
 ter the elements and rudiments of Children — IVhen 
 the fulnefs of time ivas come, God fent forth his Son, made 
 of a -woman, made under the Lavs, to redeem them thaf 
 luere under the Law, that vje might receive the adoption 
 %f Sons. And fhall they, who have been thus fet free, 
 return again to a fervile bondage under the elements of 
 the world P Gal. 4. 3. 4. 
 
 Whatever deference fhould be paid to the piety, elo- 
 quence and ingenuity of the Author, laft mentioned, 
 we mufl beg leave to obferve, that fo various are the 
 meanings, which he has put upon the Pfalras, that an in- 
 dividual mufl often be at a lofs to fix upon any determi. 
 nate fenfe in which he ought to fmg them ; while a con- 
 gregation finging the fame words may affix ideas 
 to them, asdilFerent as can well be conceived. 
 
 To conclude : It is no wonder that that part of our 
 devotion, which fhould be the moft lively of all, is found 
 to be deflitute of proper fpirit and fervor, when we do 
 not offer it up to God through that new and living way 
 which he him/elf hath confe crated for us. — When we pay 
 no proper regard to the great High-Prieft over the houfe 
 
The PREFACE. xv. 
 
 of Cody through who7n alone we can draiv near ivith full 
 ajfurance of faith) and have boldnefs to enter into the ko- 
 lie/} of all. 
 
 Then fhall our fongs of praife and gratitude to God 
 rire to fome good degree of ardor — then ihall our faith, 
 and love and hope in him, be lively, when we celebrate 
 hitn as our Father in Chrift, and iing of his electing, 
 juflifying, and adopting grace, and contemplate that 
 glorious and eternal inheritance, which he has fent his 
 Son to purchafe for us, for which his Spirit is preparing 
 us, and to which he is ready to receive us. — Then fhail 
 we be fenfible of the powerful and conftraining force of 
 the love of Chrift when we fing of him, not only as 
 Iiumbled, laboring, and dying, but living and reigning 
 for us. — Then lliali our love to the Spirit, and our joy 
 in him be abundant, when we learn to celebrate him as 
 the Author of all our graces, as the fpring of all our 
 confolations, as the pledge and earneft of our future fe- 
 licity and glory. Thefe, my dear fellow Chriftians, 
 will undoubtedly be fome of thofe delightful themes of 
 our fongs in Heaven ; let us, therefore be learning 
 them on earth, and anticipate in fome degree, in our af- 
 femblieshere, the affectionate and lively devotion of thofe 
 afcriptions of praife to our God and Redeemer, in which 
 wc will harmonioufly join, when we Ihall come to the 
 general Affembly and Church of the Firft-born, whick 
 'are written in Heaven. Amen. 
 
A 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 P S A L 
 
 O N 
 
 D Y. 
 
 Col. iii. 1 6, 17. 
 
 Let the Word of Chr'ift dwell in you richly, Injill xvlfdom, 
 teaching and admonlflnng one another in Pfalms and 
 Hymns, and Spiritual Songs ; JInging with grace in your 
 
 hearts, to the Lord And-mhatfoever ye do, in word or 
 
 deed, do all in the name of the Lord'] ef us, giving thanks 
 to God and the Father, by him^ 
 
 X HE nature of man has been enriched by its great 
 and bountiful Creator, with a great variety of no- 
 ble capacities or powers. — He can form conceptions of 
 the higheft and nobleft objefts, and contemplate them 
 with adiniration and delight. He is capable of cloath- 
 mg his fentiments v/ith language, and takes pleafure in 
 expreffing, in fome fuitable manner, the grandeur and 
 excellence of any obje^, that fills the heart with won- 
 der, gratitude, or love. The great original of thele 
 
l8 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 powers fliews, to what purpofe they fliould be princU 
 pally employed. Nothing can be more evident, than 
 that they fhould be chiefly exerted in contemplating, 
 and celebrating the perfections and glories of the ever 
 blefled God. He is the only objeft adequate to our niofl 
 enlarged conceptions, deferving our higheft efleem, 
 and mod ardent love, and is alone capable of making us 
 happy. Wherever the pious heart has been tranfported 
 with a fenfe of the greatnefs and excellence of this ob- 
 jed, which was at the fame time its glory and joy, it 
 has endeavored to exprefs itfelf hi a manner adequate 
 to the greatnefs of its conceptions. Common and or- 
 dinary language has appeared too low and mean. It 
 has rifen to the fublime and grand, in order to attain, 
 as far as pofTible, to the grandeur and beauty of the ob- 
 ject, that captivated and charmed it. It has labored to 
 find out the noblcft thoughts, and exprelhons, and 
 brought together 'the livelieft and boldeft figures. Na- 
 ture has been exhaufted to reprefent, and give an idea, 
 of its fentiments. Nor has the devout, and pious wor- 
 fhipper refled here. Where he was capable of it, by 
 the advantages of nature or infpiration, he has added 
 the harmony of numbers, and the melody of the voice, 
 to the ornaments and graces of language. 
 
 It is manifeft, that in the earlieft ages, while poetry 
 was pure and unadulterated, it was confecrated to the 
 purpofes of religion, and to the praifes of God. This 
 appears from the Song of Mofes, upoa the deliverance 
 of the Ifraelites from their bondage in Egypt, and their 
 pafTage through the Red Sea. The like may be ob- 
 ferved of the Song of Deborah, of thofe of Ifaiah, 
 and of the Pfalms of David. Here it was fet apart for 
 religious purpofes, and employed in finging the praifes 
 of the Creator, in extolling his perfedions, and cele» 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. I9 
 
 brating his benefits. Others of the facred writers were 
 led, by the Spirit, to give the graces of harmony, and 
 numbers to compofitions of another kind. Almoft the 
 whole book of Job is written in verfe. Jeremiali de- 
 plores, in fong, the miferies and calamities of his coun- 
 try. And Solomon communicates the rules of prudence 
 and holy living in the Book of Proverbs, in the fame 
 agreeable manner. 
 
 Chriftianity opens a new field for facred poetry. Its 
 Divine Author has broiight life and immortality to 
 light. He has exhibited to the world matters of admi- 
 ration and gratitude, furpafling every thing that has 
 before appeared. The light he has caft upon riie per- 
 fedions of the bleffed God, the univerfality of his Pro- 
 vidence, his unparalleled love and goodwill to the chil- 
 dren of men, manifefted in the gift of his Son, the 
 miflion of the Holy Spirit, and in the felicity and glory 
 he has provided for all true believers, muft affect every 
 fenfible heart with gratitude, an4. call forth the moft 
 devout returns of gratitude and praife. And, indeed, 
 can the true Chriftian think of the low abafement and 
 extreme fufFerings, to which his Divine mafter fubmit- 
 ted for his fake, and, at the fame time, refled: upon 
 the dignity of his perfon, the luftre of his miracles, 
 and the holinefs and ufefulnefs of his life, without pleaf- 
 ing admiration, and grateful aftonifliment ? — Can he 
 think of his own former deplorable condition, and con- 
 fider himfelf now, as in a flate of favor with God, adopt- 
 ed into his family, and conftituted an heir according to 
 the hope of eternal life, and not Jheiv forth the fraifes of 
 him, who hath called him out of darknefs into his marvel- 
 lous light ? 
 
 Ca 
 
20 A DISCOURSE O.N' PSALMODY- 
 
 It is to fuch dev'^out and lively exercifes of praife and 
 gratitude, that the Apoftle calls Chriftians in the words 
 
 of our text Let the zvord of Chnjl dwcU in you richly 
 
 hi all -jjlf.hyn, teaching, and admonijhmg one another in 
 Pfalms, and Hymns, and fpiritual Jongs , Jin ging'ujith grace 
 in your hearts to the Lord, 6r. 
 
 Thr.t praife and thankfglving are duties that we 
 ought to perfcrm to Cod, none, who copfider the per- 
 fections of his nature, and the obligations we are un- 
 der to him will deny. That the graces and beauties of 
 poetry are to be employed for thefe purpofes, and that 
 thefe fhould, at all proper feafons, be accompanied with 
 the melody, and harmony of the voice, both reafon 
 and nature, and the facred Scriptures feem fully to 
 evince, — 
 
 But what I would principally infifl upon from the 
 words^ is to' prove, 
 
 That the principal fubjefts of our Pfalmody, are to be 
 taken from the Gofpel of Chrift. 
 
 I fay the principal fubjecfls, becaufe I do not think, 
 that we ought to be reftricled from borrowing light, and 
 advantages from any part of fcripture in our Plalmody, 
 any more than in other parts of our public woriliip. 
 
 That tlie principal fubjccls of our Pfalmody are to be 
 taken from the Gofpel, will, I prefume, appear, 
 
 I- From the words of the text. — 
 
 II. From the examples of the Saints, and the predic- 
 tionsand injunctions of the prophets uijder the Old Tsfta-. 
 pi^nt. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 21 
 
 III. From the practice of the primitive Church. 
 
 IV. From the Golpel itfelf. 
 
 I. Then, I fay, it appears from the words of the text, 
 that the principal fubjecls of our Pfahnody are to be 
 drawn from the Gofpel. 
 
 This will appear if we conllder \vhat we are to un- 
 derhand by the Ivor d of Chr'iJ} — and the duty di teaching 
 e.nA admon:/Inngy which the Apoflle here enjoins. — 
 
 That the Gofpel fhould furnifli the principal fubjefts of 
 of our Pfalmody, will appear from the exprefiion here 
 ufed; the word of Chi'ill. 
 
 That by the word of Chrifl:, we are here to under- 
 ftand, the Gofpel, is manifeftfrom fundry other parts of 
 this Apoftle's writings — In the firft Chap, of this Epif- 
 tle, at the 5th verfe, he ftiles it the word of the truth of 
 the Gofpel, "which, fays he, is come to you, as it is in alt 
 the -world. — And at the 21, 22 and 23 verfes, he repre^ 
 jfents their happinefs, if they continued in the faith ground- 
 ed, and fettled, aud xjere not moved axvay from the hope 
 of the Gofpel, -which, fays he, ye have heard, and which 
 was preached to every creature under Heaven. — In the 2 
 chap. 10 verfe, he reprefents them as complete in ChriJ}, 
 and cautions them againft every thing, that would call 
 off their attention from the Gofpel, or tempt them to 
 adulterate it with foreign mixtures, whether introduced 
 from the philofophy of the heathen, or from the rites . 
 and ceremonies of the law of Mofes*. 
 
 * In Chriftwe have — i. Complete wifdom, John xvii, 3. 
 I Cor. ii. 2. — 2. Complete rightcoufnefs : Ifa. liii. 11. Rom. 
 iii. 22. and X. 4, — 3. Sandilication by the fpVrit of Chrift, 
 Rom. i. 4. and viii. 9. Wherefore we have no need of addi- 
 tional patches either from Judaifm or philofophy. Quare 
 non opuscdoifumentis Judaicis aut philofophicis. Davsnant, 
 
11 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 If then hy the word of Chr'ift he would refer his con- 
 verts at Col offe to the OldTeftanient, or to any part 
 of it, how comes it to pafs that he never mentions it? 
 How is it that he never refers to it, but in order to Ihew 
 that the necedity of its facriJices was done away; and 
 that they no longer ftood in need of the circumcilion en. 
 joined in it, and were to pay no regard to the diftinc- 
 tion of days, or of meats and drinks, which that legal 
 difpenfation required to be obferved ? — If they were to 
 be reltridted in their Pfalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs 
 to any part of the Old Teftament, how comes he, in the 
 beginning and progrefs of the Epiftle to direft them to 
 very different grounds of praife and thankfgiving to 
 God? Ch. I, 3, 4, 5, 12, &c. 
 
 But let any perfon, of common underftanding con- 
 fider what the CololBans would underftand by the word 
 of Chrift. Can it be conceived, that the members of a 
 church, the body of which were Gentiles, and wholly 
 unacquainted with former revelations, would under- 
 ftand by the ivord of ChrlJ}, any of the books of the Old 
 Teftament ? Does the Apoftle give the fmalleft hint of 
 this, as being his meaning, or does he not wholly refer 
 them to that Gofpel whereof he was made a Minifter ? 
 Ch. I. 23. 
 
 But in the Epiftle to the Hebrews, where the Apof- 
 tle writes immediately to the Jews themfelves, he ex- 
 prefsly diftinguiflies the word of Chrift from all former 
 revelations made by Moles and the prophets. Chap. i. i. 
 God, who at fundry tijnes, and in divers manners /pake 
 unto the fathers by the prophets, hath, in thefe laft days, 
 fpokenunto us by his Son — And in Chap. ii. 2. He fays, 
 Jf the luordfpoken by angels was Jiedfafi — how fhall we 
 efcape if we negU£ifo great falvation, which at the frjl 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 1^ 
 
 heo-att to hefpokett by the Lord, and was confirmed unto ui 
 by them, that heard him ? And Chap. xii. 25. He fays. 
 See that yerefufe not him that/peaketh, viz. the Media- 
 tor of the new Covenant ; for if they efcaped not, who 
 refiifed him that f pake on earth, much more foall not we 
 £fcape, if we turn away from him, that fpeaketh from 
 Heaven. 3f then, writing to the Jews themfelves, he 
 diftinguifiies the Gofpel, as being the word fpoken by 
 Clirift, from all former revelations, how can we fup- 
 pofe that in writing to the Gentiles he fhould by the 
 word of Chrift intend any part of them? Could they 
 have conceived, that he had no reference at all to the 
 Gofpel, which had been the fubjecl of his own roiniftry, 
 but was referring them to fome part of a former revela- 
 tion, with which the body of them were wholly unac- 
 quainted ? I have been the more particular here, be- 
 caufe fome by the word of Chrift, would have us to un- 
 derftand the Pfalms of David, than which a greater 
 force upon words can fcarcely be conceivedf . 
 
 ■j- It has been left to the learning and ingenuity of fome mo- 
 dern writers, who cannot bear that the Gofpel Ihould have 
 any fhare in our fongs of praife to God, to invent fuch a fcnfe 
 of the words. — It never entered into the conception of for- 
 mer commentators. Pool in his Synopfis reprefents Grotius, 
 VatabliJS, Zanchius, and Davenant, as all agreeing that the 
 word of Chrilf, is the dotlrine of the Gofpel. (Doclrina 
 evangelica) Davenant fays, that it is called the word of 
 Chrid, both becaufc It was revealed, and preached by Chrift, 
 and fpeaks of Chrift. Doddrige calls the word of Chrift, the 
 Gofpel they had received. 
 
 The writers above referred to, faw, that if the plain and 
 obvious fenfc of the words were admitted, the Apoftle's in- 
 junftion would amount to an exprefs and pofitive precept, 
 enforcing the ufe of an evangelical Pfalmody. Rather than 
 admit this, they have put fuch a conftrudlion upon the words 
 of the Apoftle as would make him exclude the very Gofpel, 
 whereof he himfelf was made a miniftei", which was preach- 
 ed to every creature under heaven, and which was come un- 
 to themfelves, in order to introduce the Pfalms of David, 
 than which nothing could be further from the roiad pf tha 
 Apoftle. 
 
24 A DISCOURSE OX PSALMODY. 
 
 We are not to judge of the circumftances of thefe 
 early converts toChrillianity from our own. We have 
 the whole canon of Scriprure. before us. The whole 
 Bible, fince the art of Printhig has been found out, is 
 an eafy piirchafe, and federal copies of it may be acquir- 
 ed by a fingle family. — It was farotherwife with them- 
 Few or none of them can befuppo'ed to have had even 
 the writings of the New-Teilament entire. It was 
 well if all the members of any one Chriftian fociety 
 united could have furnilhed the whole of the Gofpels 
 and Epiftles^. Many of them, in all probability had no 
 
 X *' As the facred books were written at dilfcrent thnes, 
 ** and by diiTerent authors, for the ufe of particular churches, 
 " it was long herore they came to be uuiverfally known, info- 
 ** much that the canon of Scripture \vz% not fettled for feveral 
 *' centuries. We may th retore reafonably fuppofe, that the 
 " whole of the iufpired writings were not generally in the 
 ** pofleflion of particular Chriltians in the very early ages," 
 (Macknight's Harmony Prelim. Obf. 6. page 50). — 
 
 If then the primitive Chrilllans cannot be reafonably fuppo- 
 fed to have had thofe Scriptures, in which they were moll 
 deeply anl immediately intcredcd, may it not be jullly aflced 
 how /hould tliey, who were Gentiles, bave had thofe of the 
 Old Tellament ? The Bereans, who were famous for fearch- 
 ingtiie Scriptures, (A\Ss xvii. 11.) were Jews. Timothy 
 who had k/iovjn thsmfroj/i a child was the Jon of a "jewcfs. (A6ls 
 xvi^ I.) The eunuch, whom PhU'-p found readir^ ihe Frophef 
 Jfaias, was a powerful and wealthy perfon, and a profelyte 
 to the Jewidi religion. (Afts viil. 27.) — 
 
 But where do we read of the Gentiles having in their pof- 
 fcflton the jewifh Scriptures ? And how could the Apoftledi- 
 re*511y andexprelsly enjoin it upon them to draw the mate- 
 rials of their fongs of praife to God from writings, v/ith 
 *vhich they were wholly unacquainted, to the exclufion of 
 that Gofpei ivh:ch -was come wito them ? Among the Corinthians 
 he d-trv/.tned not to know any thing fave f^fus Chr^fi, and yet at 
 Ephefus and CololTe we find him, according to fome modern 
 writers, introducing and edablifliing a Pfalmody, in which 
 his name is never mentioned ? What confillency would there 
 have been in fuch a condua as this ? At Antioch he withJJood 
 Pete?- to th: face for covipeiltn^ the Gent'les to live as did the jews, 
 and yet at Col ode, as thefe men would have it, he tnjoins it 
 upoii the Gentiles to conduct a great and leading part of 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 25 
 
 Other knowledge of the Gofpel but what they had from 
 their teachers. — What then were they to do? — Were 
 they to be filent in the praifes of their God^ and their 
 Redeemer? — No, fays the ApoPde, Let the word of Chrlfi' 
 dwellnn you richly in all -diifdorn' — Let your acquaintance 
 with it be fuch, that you may be able to furniili your- 
 felves from it for all the purpofes of private or focial 
 worfhip. Thence be able to bring forth matter of 
 prayer, praife, thankfgiving and inftrudion, having a 
 fpecial regard to the great Author of your knowledge 
 and hleiiingi.'—lVhatfoever ye do in word or deed, do all 
 in the name of the Lord J ef us, giving thanks unto Cod and 
 the Father by him 
 
 But the important truth, which I am endeavoring 
 to eftablifl), is further evident — 
 
 2. From what the Apoftle proceeds to recommend 
 and enjoin, teaching one another, in Pfalms, Hymns, 
 and Spiritual Songs. — 
 
 In the preceding words he had exhorted them to la- 
 bor after anextenfive acquaintance with the Gofpel. 
 
 Let the word of Chrijl dwell in you richly. — Here he di« 
 refts them to the manifold purpofes of ufefiilnefs, of 
 comfort, and mutual edification to which they fliould 
 apply it, teaching and adm'jnijhing one another in Pfalms^ 
 Hyynns, 6'c. 
 
 their worfliiij as did the Jews. It appears, that wherever the 
 great Apoftle of the Gentiles preached, the Jews raifed a 
 dorm of oppofition againfi; him, and in one mftance lioj^nd 
 themflvcs by an oath to affaffinate him. 
 
 Wouldthis have been the cafe, if they had found him fpread- 
 ing the triumphs of their own religion, and introducing and 
 eftaWifhing among the Gentiles a worflaip wholly reftriiSedi 
 to the words of David and Afaph \ 
 
 D 
 
l6 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 And here let it be obferved that the command and in- 
 juncTionis general — Every member of the church is in- 
 cluded — No perfon of fuitable talents and cay acity, is 
 prohibited to compofe fpiritual fnngs, for the ufe and edi- 
 fication of his brethren, but is rather commanded to do 
 it — Nor are they commanded to fee to it, that they 
 
 wlio compofed them, were divinely infpired It was 
 
 fufficient if the fubjecls and occafions of tliem were 
 taken from the word of Chrjfl: — The manifcft defign 
 6f the Apollle was, T/ujt as every man had received the 
 gift J 'even fo they Jhoiddmimfier the fame one to another ^ 
 as flcv}ards of the manifold grace of Godj i Pet. iv. jo. 
 
 In the parallel paflage, Eph. v. iS, 19. Chriftians 
 are commanded not to he filed roith wine, wherein is ex- 
 cefs, but to he filed with the fpirit- And how was this 
 fulnefs of the fpirit to be manifefted and improved? By 
 their fpeaking to one another in Pfalms, Hymns and Spiritu- 
 al Songs. And here, as in the words of our text, obferve 
 what a flrid and inviolable regard to the Gofpel is enjoin 
 ed. Giving thanks always for all things, unto God and the 
 Father, in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrifi- 
 
 While they gave thanks for all things, would the 
 Apoftle have them to forget their eleSiion before the 
 foundation of the world, their predefiination to the adoption 
 tf children by Jefiis Chrift, and their redemption through 
 his blood (a)? Would he have them to forget, ■what he 
 elfewhere calls upon them to remember, that whereas 
 they had been in time paft Gentiks, and far off ; they 
 luere now made nigh by the blood of Chrift, and were n9 
 more fir angers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the 
 Saints (b) ? And yet all thefe things, and many others of 
 a funilar nature, muft have been paflcd over in fUence, 
 
 (a) Eph. i. 4,5, 7. (h) Eph. ii. ir, \%, X9. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALA^TODY. If 
 
 if they had been reftrifted to the Pfah-nody of the Old 
 
 Teiiument Where do we, in any inftauce, muchlefs- 
 
 in all things, according to that difpenfation. Give thanks 
 ufito God and the Father in the name of the Lord Jefus 
 Chrifl ? — And how could they, who, in their own per- 
 fons had received the accompliflunent of fuch great and 
 precious promifes, give thanks to God for that accoHi- 
 pliiliment in the language of thole, who only faw them 
 afar off, and left the world many ages before the great 
 Author of thefe blellings made his appearance in it ; ma- 
 ny ages before the Gentiles, to whom the Apoftie writes, 
 were called to the profelhon and hopes of the Gofpel? 
 
 But to proceed : Is it not the duty of every Chrillian 
 /o he filled -with the Spirit P Ought they not to labor af- 
 ter his fulleit communications ; and earneftly to pray and 
 look for his aid in the difcharge of every duty? — And 
 evsry fincere Chriftian has the ampleft encouragement 
 to do this, both from the nature of the Gofpel difpenfa- 
 tion, which is the miniflration of the Spirit (a), and 
 from the particular and exprefs promifes of our Saviour 
 and his Apoftles. 
 
 Prayer, and the other exercifes of devotion, attendin'^ 
 it, are fome of the moft folemn duties of the Chrifti- 
 an. In thefe we immediately addrefs ourfelves to God. 
 And why are we not here reflricted to the words of 
 Scripture, and to the excellent forms of prayer therein 
 recorded? And yet no perfon is found fo unreafbnable 
 as to fuppofe, that we fhould be thus reftricled i We 
 knov^ not what we fliould pray for as we ought, and are 
 in ourfelves, as ill qualified for the difcharge of this, as 
 of any other religious duty. But we have the promife 
 
 (ci) 2 Cor. iii. S. 
 Da 
 
it A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 of the Spirit to help our tjifirinitiesfb). — And if every 
 Chriftian may expect his aid in prayer, why niay not a 
 perfon, endowed by God with a capacity and genius for 
 poetry, filled -with the Spirit (c), and filled with love to 
 God, with gratitude to Chrift, and animated with an 
 carneft dellre to promote the edification, comfort and 
 devotion of his fellow Chriftians, expect the Divine af- 
 fiftance, when he fets himfelf to compofe a Pfalm or 
 Hymn for thispurpofe? — And what fhould difqualify 
 perfons, thus accompliflied and difpofed, for the high- 
 eft and nobleft exercifes of devotion ? — Are they not by 
 their Divine Redeemer made Kings and Priefts unto God? 
 Rev- i. 6. Are not Chriftians ftiled by the ApoPde, i 
 Pet. ii. 9, a chof en generation, a royalpriejiho'jd, an ho- 
 ly nation^ a peculiar people, that thty fi^ouldfioeiu forth 
 the praifes of him -who had called them eut of darknefs in. 
 to his marvellous light ? 
 
 Now let us fiippofe perfons, thus chofen and diftin- 
 guifhed, and deeply fenfible of the amazing goodnefs, 
 that had raifed them to fuch dignity and privileges,, 
 performing the duty enjoined in the text, and teaching 
 and admonifinng one another, in Pfalms, Hymns, and Spi- 
 ritual Songs — What, think ye, would be the principal 
 fubjecls of their praife and thankfgiving to" God ? 
 Whence would they draw the materials for teaching 
 and admonijJnng one another? Would they pafs over 
 in (Atnce the myfiery, that had heen hid from ages and 
 generations ? Col. i. a6. Would they not dwell, 
 with wonder and admiration, upon the amazing love of 
 God, who, -when they were finners, and enemies in their 
 hearts by ivicked work, had given up his only begotten, 
 
 (h) Pvom. vlii. 26. (t) Eph. v. 18. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. ^ tj 
 
 and beft beloved Son for their redemption ; -who had 
 -made them, luho in time fafi v)cre not a people, to be now 
 the people of God, i Pet^ ii- lo. who, vjhen they were 
 deadinjins, had quickened them together with Ckrifi, and 
 had raifed them up together, and made them Jit together 
 in heavenly places in Chrifl Jefus? Eph. ii. 5, 6. Would 
 they not celebrate the unparalleled goodnefs of their 
 heavenly Father who had caufed their eyes to fee, and 
 their ears to hear, what his nioft highly favoured pro- 
 phets and kitigs had panted after in vain? Luke x. 24* 
 Who had not appointed their lot under the dawn of 
 gofpel light, but had caufed their eyes to behold it, in 
 all its meridian fplendor? Would they not have expreiT- 
 ed an holy wonder and furprize, that, when God fent a 
 perfon, of fuch tranfcendent dignity, and irrefiftible 
 power, into the world, it was not to condemn and deflroy 
 it, but, that through him, it might hefaved? John iii. 1 7. 
 Well might they celebrate the praifes of him, who 
 had Hotted out their tranfgreffions, Pf. h. i. ivho had 
 purified their fouls, i Pet. i. 22. refcued them from the 
 jaws of dellruftion, and had fet open before them the 
 gates of Heaven ; but furely, they muft have been over- 
 whelmed with holy gratitude and wonder, when they 
 came to contemplate the unfpeakable gift, which lay at 
 the foundation of all. He that fparednot his own Son 
 cjrc Rom. viii. 32. 
 
 But however thefe primitive Chriftians might cele- 
 brate, in their Hymns and Anthems of praife, the love 
 of the Father, we cannot fuppofe, that they would for- 
 get, and pafs over in filence, the grace of the Son. 2. 
 Cor. xiii. 14. How would they exprefs their admirati- 
 on at the unparalleled love, which he who was the bright- 
 nefs of his Father's glory, and the exprefs image of his 
 
30 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 ferforiy had manlfcjied in purging our Jins ? Heb. i. 3. 
 Of him, vjho, though he. ivas in the form of God, and 
 thought it not robbery 1 9 be equal with God; Phil. ii. 6- 
 yet for our fakes^ deigned to take upon him the' likenefs 
 cf finfuiflefJjj Rom. viii. 3. and to become in every 
 refped, and in every ftage of his continuance here, a 
 man of forrovjs i Ifaiali liii. 3. — Wirii what pleafurc 
 would they celebrate the manifeftations of his glory, in 
 every part of his holy, heavenly, and ufeful life ; the 
 admirable difcourfes, that flowed from his lips, and the 
 v/onders of mercy and goodnefs, that were wrought by 
 his hands. — How would they extol his zeal for the glo- 
 ry of God, and his love to the fouls of men, when 
 they beheld him in the agonies of tlie garden, and be- 
 coming obedient unto death, even the death of the crqjs ? 
 Phil. ii. 8 — Kov/ v/ould they magnify his unconquera- 
 ble goodnefs and love, which led him, in the niidft of 
 his agonies, to become an interceflor to his Father for 
 his betrayers and murderers ? — With what tranfports 
 of holy joy would they celebrate the vidories of the 
 great Captain of their Salvation, while they beheld him, 
 by his own power, burfting the bands of death, rifing 
 triumphant from tlie grave, and entering into, and tak- 
 ing pofleffion of. Heaven as their forerunner, and be- 
 coming their advocate, and undertaking their caufe in 
 the Court of his Father ? — 
 
 Need I mention the gratitude of thefe primitive be- 
 lievers to the Holy Spirit of God, and in whatfongs of 
 praife, they would celebrate his renewing and fanclify- 
 ing influences — How would they admire his power and 
 grace, manifeftedin "^ enlightening their minds, renew- 
 ing their wills, and perfuading, and enabling them to 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 3 1 
 
 embrace Jefus Chrift, as offered in the Gofpel" — His 
 goodnefs and condelcenfion in helping their infrmities, 
 comfoi-thtg them in all their tribulations, perfeSi'ingftrength 
 In their -weaknefs, purifying their fouls, and making them 
 meet for an inheritance with the Saints in light r — 
 
 Such are the fubjeAs and occafions for Hymns and 
 Anthems of praife, that are fuggefted by almofl every 
 page of the Gofpel of Chrlfl. Influenced by thefe, 
 how earneftly would thefe prhnitive Chriftians exhort 
 and adnionifli one another, foxy^/;!' vjorihy of the Lord 
 unto all pleafing, to he fruitful in every good work, and 
 to increafe in the knowledge of God I (a) What an 
 advantage had they for inculcating upon one another 
 a fuprenie and ardent love to God, from his unmerited, 
 
 difinterefled, and diflinguifhing love to them? And 
 
 what an enlarged beneficence and charity, what con- 
 defcending humility, what zeal, diligence, felf-denial, 
 and heavenly-mind ednefs, fliould they manifeft, v/ho 
 had fo bright and illuflrioiis a difplay of thefe o-races, in 
 the great /ipnftk, and High-Prieft of their profefloHy 
 Chrifi Jefus? (h) How entirely fiiould they be devo- 
 ted to the fervice of God, ivho had been redeemed from 
 their vain cotiverfation, received by tradition from their 
 fathers, not by fiver or gold or corruptible things, but by 
 the precious bloo(i of Chrif} ? (c) Should they account 
 any thing too difficult to be done, or too grievous to be 
 endured, for the fake of him, who for their fakes, he- 
 came obedient unto death, even the death of the crofs ? (d) 
 Surely the love of Chrift would conflrain them, with 
 an alluring and irrefiftable force, to do any thing, to 
 adorn his dodrine or fubierve his kingdom and intex'efl^ 
 
 (a) Col. i. 10. (h) Heb. iii, i. (c) I Pet. i. i8. 19. 
 (d) Phil. ii. 8. 
 
3^ A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY 
 
 tvhen they tlms judged, that if one died for all, then nverc 
 all dead, and that he died for all, that they, -which live, 
 fmuld not henceforth live unto thevifelves, but unto him, 
 ■ who died for them' (a) How earneflly would thefe ear- 
 ly converts to the faith caution each other againft hit- 
 ternefs and xurath, and anger, and clamor, and evil /peak- 
 ing, and all malice, left they fhould thereby grieve the 
 Holy Spirit of Cod, by -jjhom they vjcrefealed unto the day 
 , of redemption ! (hj and exhort one another to the 
 ftricleft purity and chaflity, as being the temples of this 
 Divine Agent, (cj. 
 
 Thefe v/ere the great leflbns of religion and virtue, 
 which the Apoftles were continually inculcating, as be- 
 ing founded upon the doctrines of the Gofpel, which 
 were the great fubjecis of their own preaching. And 
 can any man be furious in aflerting, that, when the A- 
 poftle mentions the vjord of Chrijl, and enjoins fuch de- 
 vout and edifying exercifes, as what fliould arife from 
 a thorough knowledge of it, he intended, that in thefe 
 no regard fhould be had to any thing, which our Lord 
 had faid or done, in his own perfon, or by the miniflry 
 of his Apoftles ? — Can any one believe, that he intend- 
 ed, they fliould wholly overlook and difregard, in their 
 praifes and thankfgiving to God, the great things, which 
 he himfelf had been juft laying before them at the en- 
 trance of this epiftle ? — Would he fend them to praife 
 God, for the deliverance of the Jewifli people from their 
 oppreflion in Egypt, and the wrath and tyranny of Pha- 
 raoh, who had themfelves been but juft delivered /rom 
 the bondage of corruption, from the wrath of God, and 
 from thefnare of the Devil P — Would he fend them to 
 
 (a) 2 Cor. V. 14. 15 (1>J Eph. iv. 30, 31. (cJ i Coi*. vi. 19. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON FSALMODY. 33 
 
 record the deliverance of Ifrael by tli€ hand of Mofes, 
 when he had been juft f|-)eaking of their redemption by 
 th bhodofthe crofs ? — Would he lead them back to the 
 types and fliadows of the law, vshen the day faring from 
 on high had vijited them P — Being delivered from the pow- 
 er of darknefs and tranjlated into the Kingdom of God^s 
 dear Sony would he forbid them, in a Hymn of praife, 
 to give thanks to the Father , who, from being children 
 of wrath, and heirs of condemnation, hud made them 
 meet to he partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in 
 light? (a) Having fat at th3 feet of Jefus La the rai- 
 nillry of his Evangeiifts and Apoftles, and learnt, as 
 from his ov^'n mouth, the heavenly leffons of wifdom, 
 which he came from the bofom of his Father to reveal, 
 were they never to utter a Song of praife to their great 
 Deliverer, as having already appeared, nor to fpeak of 
 him in a Pfalm or Hymn, but in the obfcure and figu- 
 rative language of thofe, who had lived a thoufand years 
 before he Vvas born ! — 
 
 As therefore there is no probability that the churches 
 at Ephefus and CoIolTe, had the Pfalms of David in 
 their pofleffion, as the Apollle does not mention them, 
 nor refer them to them, but fpeaks of the devout exercifes, 
 which he enjoins in fuch a diverfity of phrafe, as fliews 
 that he had them not at all in his view.* — But above 
 
 (a) Col. i. 12. I J. 
 
 * The Pfalms of David are never referred to in tlie New 
 Teftament, hut in a manner fo dircft and exprefs, that they 
 cannot be miftaken. Thus, I^uke 20, 42, David h;///f!f faith in 
 the Book of Pfalms, ire. And our Lord fays, Luke 24," 44. All 
 things mnil hs fulfilled Tjhich wt'rj wr'tten in the lavj of Mofes and 
 in the Prophets, concerning; 7ne. The like may be obferved of all 
 the other inftances in which the Pfalms of David are quoted ; 
 as, Acts i. 20 — -and xiii. 3?, 35. If therefore, the Pfalms of 
 David had been introduced and ertablilhed among tbe converts 
 at Cololle an<i Ephefus, no reafon can be affi^ned^ why the 
 
J4 A DISCOURSE ON F3ALM0DY. 
 
 all when we find him direftlng them to fubjcdsof praifc 
 and gratitude to God, wholly different from what are 
 recorded in the Old Teftament, id wonders that had 
 not been accompliHied in former days, but in which they 
 themfelves were perfonally and deeply interefted ; and, 
 moreover, find him, tlirough the whole of the Epiflle, 
 fixing their attention to the Gofpcl, which they had 
 hcrird ) we mufl conclude, that by the word of Chrift 
 he mnft mean and intend that word, -which God, hi ihefe 
 lafi days, had fpoken unto us by his Son [a), in his own 
 mlniflry, and that of his Apoftles. And, we mull be- 
 lieve, from the whole firain of our Apofile's w ritings, 
 that it was from this word, they were to draw the ma- 
 terials of thofe Pfalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, by 
 which they luere to tecch and admoni/]} one another- — But 
 I proceed, in the 
 
 II. Place, to illuftrate and prove the fame truth from 
 the examples of the Saints, and the predictions, and in- 
 jundions of the Prophets, under the Old Teftaraent. 
 
 Apoflle (hould have ufed fuch a diverfity of phrafe, and not 
 have fpoken of thefe Pfalms in the ufiial manner, as beirg fa- 
 miliar and well known to them. But his directing the mem- 
 bers of thefe chorches to the ■u^ord of Chrijl — his commanding; 
 theni to do all In thi name of the Lord J^fui — Lis enjoining them 
 to give thanks unto Cod ana tbs Father, by h>-7i, manireftly fliew, 
 that the Apoftle had not even the mod diftant reference to the 
 Pfalms of David. Our Apoftle always diftingailhcs the word 
 ot Chrift from what has been fpoken by David and the Pro- 
 phets. And if we were to adhere ftrictly to the Old Tefta- 
 ment Pfalmody, we cannot be faid to do any thing in the name 
 of the Lord Jefus, much Icls to give thanks unto God and the 
 Father, by him. No mention is therein made of li;e Father 
 as a diliind and fpecial objeft of our devotion, nor of the Son, 
 as being the appointed way of our accefs to him. Thefe 
 things are fo peculiar to the Gofpcl, that it appears amazing 
 that they fhould be underftood r.s having a reference to any 
 thinor elfe. It muft appear plain, I conceive, to every unpre- 
 judiced mind, thatif any Songs were compofed, entirely con- 
 forming to the Apoftle's direction, the fubjefts and occafion of 
 them, as well as the manner in which they were addrc^ed; mufl: 
 be wholly new. - C^?; lieb. i. i. 
 
A DISCOURSE OM PSALMODY. , 35 
 
 \Vc are exhorted by the great Apoftle of the Gen- 
 tiles to be followers of them, who, through faith and pa^ 
 
 tlence, inherit the protnJfrs (a) We cannot greatlj^ err, 
 
 if we walk ;n the pat'i.^ in v/hich they have gone before 
 us, to glory- Now their altars, their monuments, their 
 facriaces, their feitivals, teftify their piety and grati- 
 tude to God. You might alnioft learn the hiflory of 
 the wonders God had wrought for them, from the 
 Songs of Fraife and Thankfgiving, in which they have 
 celebrated the power and goodnefs of their great Deli- 
 verer. Thofe elders, who obtained a good report, (h) did 
 not confine their praifesto the mercies and blefiings con- 
 ferred upon their fathers, but took care to record the 
 goodnefs of God upon every nev/ deliverance. And 
 are not Chriftians under the fame, or even far fuperJor 
 obligations to God? — - 
 
 As foon as Mofes had brought the children of Tfrael 
 through the RedrSea, he compofed a Pfalm or Song to 
 be fung by them, in all their generations and families, 
 in memory of that deliverance, (cj This deliverance, 
 great as it v.'as, was but an obfcure type and fhadow of 
 the great Salvation, wrought out for all true believers 
 by the Son of God. The one bears no comparifon 
 with the other, either withrefpecl to the enemies and e- 
 vils from which it delivered the Je wifh people, or the dig- 
 nity and excellence of the perfon employed, to efFed:it. 
 
 This is fo plain to all, who confider the kind and na- 
 ture of the blelTings of the Gofpel, or believe the di- 
 vinity of its great Author, that, I prefume, it needs no 
 proof or illuftration. And fball all the warmth of ora- 
 titude, the force and beauties of poetry, the harirtony 
 
 '(a) Hcb, vl. 12. r^; Heb. xl. 2. (c) Exod. xv. r. 
 E2 
 
36 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY 
 
 of numbers, and the melody of the voice be employed 
 to celebrate the one, and ihdl it be accounted herefy, 
 or fuperftition to fing a Song of Praife to God for the 
 other? — Shall the ranfomed of the Lord believe, that 
 this amazing Salvation has been wrought for them, 
 above feventeen hundred years fince, and not dare to 
 fpeak of it in their Hymns or Songs of Praife, as be- 
 ing already accomplifhed ? If they fliould hold their 
 peace, where fuch wonders of goodnefs claim their ac- 
 knowledgments, 'uiould not the fiones, as our Lord faid 
 on another occafion, cry outF (a) 
 
 David has praifed God for making kno-j:n Vis vjoys un- 
 to Mofesy (ind his aSIs unto the Children of I/rat I. (b) 
 Under how much greater obligations are Chriftians to 
 celebrate the grace and condefceniion of their Heavenly 
 Father, v^ho has, in thefe lafl days fpokeu to us, not by 
 a mortal man, nor by an Angel, but by the great Crea- 
 tor and Lord of Angels, hisozun Son? (c) In the Songs 
 of that infpired writer, we can trace the dreadful acls of 
 the Lord in the Land of Egypt, we can attend his peo- 
 ple in their journeyings through the wildernefs, we 
 can fee them fed with manna from Keaven, and drink- 
 ing water from the cleft rock. We can fee the heathen 
 driven out before them, and the mfelves, after repeated 
 vidories, fettled in the promifed Land. And Ihall 
 Chriftians, in all their Songs of Praife, be filent ref- 
 pecling all the beneficent acts of the blcflcd Jefus? 
 Shall they fay nothing of his opening the eyes of the 
 blind, of his unflopping the ears of the deaf of his cauf- 
 ing the lame to leap as the hart, and the tongue of the dumb 
 tojing P (d) Shall they fay nothing of the divine power 
 and goodnefs, manifefted in healing theleprofy, thepalfey 
 and other obftinate difeafes, by a touch or a word ? 
 
 (a) Luke xix. 40. (h) Pfal. ciii. 7. (c) ITeb. i. i. 
 (d) Ifaiah xxxv. 5, 6. 
 
A DISCOU.1SE 0>? PSALMODY. 37 
 
 Shall they fee hlin walking on the water, comnianJing 
 the winds and waves, railing the dead to life from the 
 bed, the bier, and even from the grave ? Shall they 
 fee him allaying the hunger of thousands v.ith a few 
 loaves and fi.'hes, and regaling the guefts at a marriage, 
 to which he had been invited, by water converted into 
 wine, and yet not utter a word, in all their Songs of 
 Praife, concerning the glorious honor of his Mayfly, and 
 his wojidrous vjorks ^ (a) Shall we fee the great captain of 
 our Salvation, blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances 
 that zvas againfl us, nailing it to his crofs, (bj bearing our 
 fins in his own body on the tree, (c) and there Jpoi ling 
 principalities and powers and triumphing ever ihevi r—. 
 Shall we "fee him y-a/^/Zoiy/ffg- up death in vi^ory, fdj as- 
 cending into Heaven as our fore-runner, and as the 
 Apoftle exprefles it, raifing us up together, and making us 
 fit together in Heavenly places (e) — I fay can we fee and 
 believe all this, andnotlhew {oxxkxthe exceeding riches of 
 his grace ? If infuch a circumftance we can be filent, ijiall 
 not the piety and gratitude of the Pfalmift, v.'hich ani- 
 mated him to elevated {trains of devotion, upon occa- 
 fions of a far inferior nature, rife up in judgment agaiKft 
 us and condemn us ? — 
 
 The Prophets, who foretold the coming of Ciirift, 
 appear to have been tranfported with the oblcure and dif- 
 tant profpect of his glory. The Pfalmift calls upon all 
 nature to exult in expedation of his appearance — All 
 ends of the earth have fe en the Salvation of our Cod — 
 Make a joyful noife unto the Lord, all the earth, make a 
 loud noife, rejoice andfng praife — Let the fea roar and 
 the fulnefs thereof; the world and they that dwell therein i 
 Let the floods clap their hands, let the hills be joyful to- 
 gether (f)' Ifaiah reprefents the defert, rejoicing and 
 
 (a) Pfal. cxlv. 6. (b) Col. ii. 14. 15, (c) i Pe£. ii, 24. 
 (V/j I Cor. XV. 54. (f ) Eph.'ii. 6. </>> Pfal.xcviii. 2. 4. 7.8, 
 
•38 A DISCOURSE ON rSALMCDY. 
 
 blofpjming as therofe — Ji fiall hliffvu ahundanily, fays hr, 
 find rejoice^ evemvhh joy and Jinghig (a). And in prof- 
 pea of the glorious enlargement of Chrift's kingdom 
 by the accefTion cf the Gen'ciks, he fays, Sing^ Hea- 
 vens, an J be joyful, earth, and break forth into fmgln^, 
 mountains^ for the Lord hath comforted his people, and 
 •will have mercy upon his affdciedfbj. And Jeremiah, in 
 profpe<5t of the deliverance of Ifrael, and the introduc- 
 tion of Gofpel bledings, as may be feen from the fequel 
 of the prophecy addreinng t!ie Church in the nauie of 
 her Great Deliverer, fiiys ; Sing with gladnejs for Jacob 
 and fhout among the chief of the nuiious (c) And llir.ll 
 tlie Prophets fpeak thus in raptures of the dawn of the 
 •Sun of righteoufnefs, and of the happhiefs and joy that 
 would rife upon the world at his appearing; and fiiall 
 he be eclipfed after his rifing ? And ihali they, who have 
 tailed his blefiings, and have drawn water out of the wells- 
 df his falvation (dj, be fo thoughtlefs and ungrateful, or 
 fo blinded with prejudice, as never to mention his name, 
 in a Song of Pruile, or to ling an Hymn to their Great 
 Deliverer? — In luch a circuniltancc, they \\ould be led 
 by a Spirit very dilferent from that which the Prophet 
 reprefents as pofTefiang the converts to the faith of the 
 " Gofpel. In that day fkrll ye fay, Praife the Lord, call 
 upon his name, declare Us doirgs among the people, mcke 
 mention that Ms name is excited. Sing unto the Lord for 
 he hath done excellent things ; this is known in oil the 
 earth (e)' Nay they will difobey the exprefs command 
 of this Prophet. For after having fpoken of God, as 
 giving Chrifi for a covenant of the people, for a light of 
 the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, &c. be fays, Sing 
 unto the Lord a new Sorg, and his praife from the end of 
 the earth (f)' Thefe predidions and injunftions of the 
 
 (a) Ifa. xsxv, r, 2.' ((0 Ifa. xlix. 19. (c) Jer. xxxi. 7. 
 (d) Ifa. xii. 3. (ej Ifa. xii. 4, 5. (j) Ifa. xlii. 6, 7, 10. 
 
i^ 
 
 A DISCOURSE ON FSALMODV. 39 
 
 Prophets were delivered, nbove three hundred year§ 
 after the days of David and y^faph, and manifeftly fnew, 
 that it never was the mind cf the Holy Spirit to confme 
 the Church to the words or wonders, which they have 
 recorded. Nviy the Prophet Jeremiah, referring to the 
 days of the Melliah, and to the final converfion, and re- 
 ftoration of the Jews, declares, that this deliverance 
 would be fo great and fignal, that the memory of their 
 dehverance from their bondage in Egypt, would be in % 
 manner loil and forgotten in it. Jer. xxiii. 7. 
 
 And it is manifeft that many of the Pfalms themfelves 
 were written long after the days of ]3avid, in the time 
 of their captivity, and after their deliverance from it; 
 fo far were the Jewifh people thcmfelves from conceiv- 
 ing that they were to be reflrifted to the words of for* 
 mer Prophets. Indeed their grief and diftrefs, under 
 prefent cajamities, or their joy and gratitude, for pre- 
 fent deliverances, were too powerful to be fuppreffed. 
 In v/hat mournful (trains do they lament the ravages of 
 their city and nation, by Antlcchus or Nebuchadnezzar 
 in the Ixxix Pfalm, and how earneflly do they fupplicate 
 the Divine mercy? They deplore the taunts, and re- 
 vilings of the enemy, who had led them captive, in the 
 cxxxvii Pfalm, and record the Divine goodnefs, mani- 
 fefled in their reftoration, in the cxxvi and Ixxxv Pfalms. 
 Several other inilances, of the fame nature, might 1>q 
 adduced. 
 
 But, if the examples of the Saints are to have any 
 v^-eight with us, thefe are fuinclent to convince every 
 reafonable and unprejudiced mind, of the propriety and 
 duty of Chrifliians, celebrating the goodnefs of God, 
 for mercies and deliverances peculiar to thcmfelves; ef- 
 pecially for mercies and deliverances fo far.tranfcending 
 all that the V, or Id ever before fu-.v. 
 
4* A DISCOURSE 0:f PSALMODV. 
 
 Th2fweetPfaltnrJ}fjf ifrati(a) himfelf is far from 
 confining us in the praifesof God, to his own compofi. 
 tions, however excellent and divine- give ikanks 
 unto the Lord, call upon Ins name ; make knoivn his deeds 
 ■among the people ; Singyc unto him Jing Pfahns unto him, 
 ialh yc of all his wondrous works, (h J 'He is far from 
 conceiving his own cbnipofi tions fo complete and com- 
 prchenfive, as that it would be arrogance and prefunip- 
 tion to attempt anything farther, in the praifesof God. 
 Ilelcnew tliat the fubject was fo fublimc and extenfive, 
 that his own eloquence, though it was elevated by in- 
 fpiration, was unable to reach it. Pfal. cvi. 2- Who 
 can utter the mighty atffs of the LordP Who can p?ew forth 
 ell his praifes ? He is far from requiring or defiring that 
 the uork of praife ihculd be confined to the Jewifn peo- 
 ple. Pf:;I. Ixvi. i. Triuke a joyful noife unto God, all ye 
 lands-^-Knd cy.v\\.. i. praife the Lord, all ye nations, 
 praife him all ye people^ And could it be the intentioQ. 
 of the Pfiilniift, that the people of other nations and lan- 
 guages fiiouid pafs over the works of God's Providence . 
 towards themfelves, anxi confine themfelves wholly to 
 his workings towards the children of Ili-ael ? — Oris it 
 pofTible, that he, who has fet them fo bright an exam- 
 ple of obferving, recording, and celebrating the a(fls of 
 the Lord towards his own nation, would allow them to 
 be fo negligent and ungrateful, as to pafs over in filence 
 his acis of mercy, and kindncfs towards themfelves? He 
 has declared what is their duty, and what ought to be 
 their practice — Pfal. Ixxxvi. 9. Allnatiof2S, luhom thou 
 hafl made ft) all coite, end "joorflnp thee ; they /hall glorify 
 thy name. 
 
 No blefiing proceeding from God, is fmall. Th* 
 piety of David did not fuffer him to neglcdl even the 
 
 (a) 2 Sam. xxiii. I. (h) Pfal. cv. r, 2. 
 
A DISCOURSE O:, TiALMODV. 4I 
 
 meaneft and moil common. He has taken care to record 
 his formation in the womb (a)^ his prefervation in de- 
 fencelels infancy and childhood (h)^ and the care God 
 had taken of him in the advance of life, crovjutng h\m 
 with loving kindnefs and tender mercies (c)- How is his 
 heart enlarged, when he confiders the earth as full of 
 the riches of his benefactor, and fees him giving to the 
 young beaji bis foody and to the young ravens ivhich cry (d) ? 
 And can we have any regard to the example, or any 
 Ihare of the piety, devotion and gratitude of that holy 
 man, while we neglect or refafe to celebrate the praife* 
 of God, for bleflings of an infinitely fuperior nature? 
 
 If, then, whatfoever things were written aforetime, 
 were written for our learning, if the children and peo- 
 ple of God have fung his praifcs upon every new de- 
 liverance ; if the .Prophets break out into unufual tranf- 
 ports, whenever a glimpfe of Gofpel Hght dawns upon 
 them ; if they foretel and enjoin that the livelieft grati- 
 tude lliould be manifeftcd, and that longs of praife and 
 thankfgiving fhould be compofed and fung by thofe w lio 
 ihould lliareits bleflings — What fhall we fay ? Or is it 
 poflible to refifl- the force of fuch examples, or to gain- 
 fay and oppofe exhortations and injundions, fo reafcma- 
 ble and juft ? Were thefc holy men guided by a lying 
 fpirit, and led to conceive of the bleflings of the Gofjpel 
 far above their value ? Do we fee no beauty or luftre in 
 ihe Sun of right eoufnefs, whofe obfcure and diftant rays 
 were fo glorious in the eyes of the Prophets ? Have they 
 prophefied unto us a falfe vifion and divination, and a 
 thing of nought, the deceit of their own heart .' fej Ye 
 
 C^rjPfa. 139. n,i4, 15. r/^jPfa. 71. 5, 6. fcJVCz. 107. a, 
 (d) Pfa, 147. 9. (s) Jer. 14. 14. 
 
4* A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 men of God, is there nothing, in all the wonder-^ 
 ful events of a Divine Providence, i'lwce your days, 
 worthy of a fon<r of praife, from the dlfciples of ChiA\ > 
 AVe will not believe it, unlefs we find our Lord and his 
 Apoftles coniirnxing nsin fuch a belief. 
 
 Lei us then enquire of thofe whobeheld his glory. — 
 This brings me, in the 
 
 II L Place, to illudrate and prove from the New Tef- 
 tanient, the truth I am endea\-ouring to eftablilli. And 
 from this part of the facrcd writings, I prefume it will 
 appear manifeft, beyond a doubt, that the principal fub* 
 jefts of our Pi'almody, of our Praifes'and Thankfgivings 
 to God, fliould be drawn from the Gofpel.— There we 
 find Mary, from the fulnefs of her fpirit, magnifying the 
 Lord, for the greatnefs of hi5 condefcenfion to herfelf, 
 and for his faithful performance of his promife to the 
 fathers of hernation ^a). Zecharias, who officiated a^ 
 a prieft, and v.'as poffeffed of all the privileges and ad- 
 vantages of his nation, blej/ej the Lord Cod oflfrael, ivhn 
 had v'ljitcd and redeemed his people, and had given Ught to 
 them that /at in d<irknejs and the fnadovj of death, to guide 
 their feet into the ivay of peace (h). A choir of Angels 
 announced the birth of Chrift, in a Song of praife (t) ; 
 and the wife men fron the eaft bring gifts and offer- 
 ings to the infant Saviour (^/). The devout and aged 
 Simeon breaks out into raptures of prail'e and thankfgiv- 
 ing upon finding him in the temple (e) ; and the Prc- 
 phctefs Anna gives thanks andfpeaks of him to all that 
 looked for redemption in J erufalem (f). 
 
 Thus early was the attention of the Jewifli people 
 turned off from former mercies and deliverances, and. 
 
 fa) Luke i. 46; (^) Luke i. 6S, yg. (c) Lukeii. 13,14. 
 (^)Matth. u. II. (0 Luke ii.'sS, 32. (J) V. 38- 
 
A DISCOURSE b:A psAtMonV. 45 
 
 from the dinml profped their prcfent ftafe affdrded 
 then?, and awakened to attend to the great light, that 
 was fpeedily to dawn upon them ; that light that zvas io 
 lighten the Gentiles, and to he the gloiy of God^s people , If- 
 raeU (a) 
 
 The evangelift declares, with relpecH: to himfelf, and 
 his brethren, that wlien the isjord was made Jie/I: and 
 dwelt among them, they beheld his glory, the glory, as of 
 the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, (h) 
 And our Lord magLiifies the advantages his dil'ciples en- 
 joyed above all thole of former ages, and reprcfents 
 many prophets, and kings, and righteous men, as having 
 earneftly defired to enjoy them, who yet came fhort of 
 that happinefs (t). jjpl^reprcfentshiailelf, zsa light come 
 into the vjorld (d), and lets forth the greatnefs of God's 
 love, in fending him into it, as far tranfcending all for- 
 mer inftances, and manifeftatiorK of it (e)» He breaks 
 forth into a rapture, upon contemplating the riches and 
 freenefs of fovereign grace manifefted in the choice of 
 thofe objects who were called to fhare its bleffings.^ — 
 Mat. II. 25 — I thank thee, father, Lord of Heaven 
 and earth, becaufe thou haft hid thefe things frdm the ivife 
 and prudent andhaf} revealed them unto babes » 
 
 And were all thofe holy perfons miftaken who beheld 
 the early dawn of the fun of righteoufnefs with fuch 
 extacy of joy, and celebrated his appearance with fongs 
 of praife ? — Were they the illufions of an heated fan-. 
 cy and imagination, that led them to conceive, that the 
 former ftate of their nation was darknefs, in comparifon 
 
 {a) Luke li. 32. {b) John i. 14. {c) Luke x. 24. 
 [d) John xii. 46. (^) John iii, 16. 
 F2 
 
44. A DISCOURSE ON PS.^L^fCDY , 
 
 of thcbrightnefs and comfort of the Gofpel revelation ?. 
 Were they, v/ho beheld the Glory of ciu- Tiorcl, nay 
 was our Lord himfelf miftakcn, with refpccl to the im- , 
 portance of his own character and mifiion, ai?tl with 
 refpeft to the excellence and value of the blefnngs, that, 
 were to arife to the world from his appearing in it, as 
 its Teacher and Saviour i Or were thefe perlons led 
 thus to fpeak and exult by the Spirit of God ? W^s the 
 judgment of our Lord according to truth ? And were, 
 thsir Sonjrs of Praife and Thankfgivings to God, in 
 the days of David and Afaph, for theblefllngs then en- 
 joyed, and are none to be fung for the grace that is 
 come unto us by the incarnation, life, death, and rdur- 
 rection of David's Lord! If thefe events and the blef- 
 (ings flowing from them, be not worthy of our fublimeft 
 Songs of praife and gratitude, the Evangelifts have 
 written, the Apoftles have preached in vain, and none 
 of all the wonders, that God has wrought for the chil- 
 dren of men, fince the foundation of the world, de- 
 fiprves to be mentioned. 
 
 Our faith may be weak, our gratitude may be cold 
 and languid ; we may be contented to praife God in the 
 language of thofe who had a very obfcure and diftant 
 profpecT: of our Lord's coming. It was far otherwife 
 with thofe, ivho had an immediate view and imprejfiott 
 of his glory. Upon his entry into Jerufalem, the whole 
 •multitude of his difciples began to rejoice and praife Cod, 
 for all the mighty works they hadfeen; faying y Bleffed 
 he the king that comeih in the name of the Lord, peace in 
 Heaven and glory in the highefl*. Did our Lord rebuke 
 them, at the requeft of the Pharifees? Did he fend 
 
 * Luke :$ix. 37, 58. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 45 
 
 tUera back for fubjecls and occafions of praife and gra- 
 titude to David and the Prophets? — Did he tell them, 
 tliac nothing he had done, or fpoken, in his own per- 
 fon, was to be the fubjed: of their praife, and thankf- 
 giving to God ? — So far is he from it, that he rebukes 
 the Pharifees therafelves. He ftrongly inunuates, that 
 they themfelves were guilty of unconquerable prejudice, 
 unbelief, and hardnefs of heart. Ke tells them, that 
 the wonders, that now engaged the admiration and 
 gratitude of his difciples, were fo great and affecting, 
 that if they fnould hold their peace y thejiqnes vjould imme- 
 diately cry out. And are tliofe mighty works become 
 lefs interefting and affecling, becaufe they were tranf- 
 afted above feventeen hundred years fincei' — And muft 
 the whole multitude of our Lord's prcfent difciples, 
 whenever they rejoice, and lift up their voice in a lonor 
 of praife, fay nothing of all the mighty acls, that at 
 that time fo ftrongly aifeded, and tranlported his difci- 
 ples? — Can we, like the Pharifees, thofe inveterate ene. 
 mies of our Lord, be filent and unaffecled at wonders, 
 fufficient in the eftimation of our Saviour to affed the 
 rocks, and make them, if poflible, exprefs in language, 
 their admiration and their joy ? — Such condud in thofe, 
 who beheld his miracles, and triumphs, with envy and 
 rage, who looked upon his glory, as eclipfing and tar- 
 nifliing their own, was naturally to be expected. But 
 who could have conceived, that his profelFed difciples,- 
 even in the remoteft ages, who acknowledge him, as 
 the Lord their Righteovfnefs, and hope to /hare in his tri- 
 umphs, and glory, would be averfe to celebrate them 
 in their fongs of praife, and would prefer finging of the 
 deliverances of Ifrael, by the hand of Mofes, and of 
 the victories and triumphs of Jofhua, before the achieve- 
 ments, and vidories of tjje Sou of God, and Captain of 
 
/tJS A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 their own Salvation P — Be aflonijljed, ye Heavens ^ at 
 this! (Jer. ii. 12-) 
 
 If we pafs on to the writings of the Apoftles, we find 
 thepaffages, wherein they celebrate the tranftendent 
 love of God in the gift of his Son, and the Divine glo- 
 ries of the Redeemer, and the greatr.efs of their obh- 
 gations to him, alraoft innumerable. Kow often do 
 they triumpli in him, and glory in his crofs F How often 
 do they inculcate upon their Chriftian brethren a fpeci- 
 al regard to him in all their prayers, praifes, and thankf- 
 givings to God? — The great Apoftle of the Gentiles 
 reprefents, as we have done, the predidlions and injunc- 
 tions of the Prophets, as l.iying them under the ftrong- 
 efl obligations to glorify God for his mercy and fmg un- 
 to his name — But for what mercy ? {a) Look into the 
 whole epiftle and fee — -For what elfe Ihould they glo- 
 rify God, but for the Gofpel, luhiah was the powtr of 
 God unto Salvation, to the Jewftjl and alfo to the Gen- 
 tile P {b) Whofe praifes fliould they fet forth but his, 
 who, when they were ungodly and Jmners, had commended 
 his love in giving his Son to die for them P [c) Who had 
 notfpared his own Son but had delivered him up for them 
 allP (d) Who had manifefted himfelf as the God not of 
 the Jews only, but alfo of the Gentiles ; (e) nay, who had 
 taken occafion, from the fall of the Jews, to bring Salva- 
 tion to them P (f) That thefe were to be the great fub- 
 jecls of their praife and gratitude to God, is manifeft 
 from other parts of our Apoftles writings. Remember, 
 fays he, writing to the Ephefians, that ye being in time 
 pa/} Gentiles — that at that time ye were iaithout Chrifly 
 being aliens from the commonwealth of Ifrael — having n9 
 
 {a) Rom. XV. 9, 10. {b) Rom. i. 16. (c) Rom. v. 6 8. 
 {J) Rom. viii. 32. (f) Rom. in. 29. (/> Rom. xi. 30. 3t. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALNfODY. 47 
 
 hope and ivit bout Codvt the worU, but nonv in Chr'ijl Je. 
 fus, ye, who vj ere fome times far off, are made nigh by the 
 blood of Chrifi — are no vaoxt fir angers and foreigners, 
 hut fettovi. citizens ivith the Saints, and of the houfehold of 
 Cod. (g) 
 
 But why need we ufe arguments in fo plain a cafe, 
 when we have the example of the Apoflle in the very- 
 entrance of the Epiftle, laft referred to? — He clearly 
 points out to us, what he means by the word of Chrifi:, 
 in our text, and fliews us whence the great fubjefls of 
 our Pfalms and Hymns are to be taken. He had faluted 
 i;he converts to Chriftianity at Ephefus, with a moft 
 eanieft and aifeflionate prayer, that grace and peace 
 fliould be communicated to them from God our Fatherf 
 andfroin the Lord Jefus Chrift. {h) Unable to reftrain 
 his gratitude for that rich and tranfcendent goodnefs that 
 had put it into his power to make fuch a prayer, and had 
 opened the way for communicating fuch a profufion 
 of blelfings as it comprehended, he breaks forth into a 
 Song of praife and thankfgiving to God- Bleffed, fays 
 he, be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrifi, ivho 
 hath bleffed iis ivith all Spiritual Dleffings in heavenly pla- 
 ces, in Chrifi, according as he hath chofen us in him, be- 
 fore the foundation of the world, that ivejhould be holy and 
 •without blaine before him in love, having predefiinated us 
 unto the adoption of Children by Jefus Chrifi unto himfelf 
 accordir^ to the good pic qfure of his will, to the praife of 
 the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted 
 in the Beloved ; in ivho?n ive have redemption through 
 his blood, the forgivenefs of fins, according to the riches 
 of his grace, (i) Is this the language of the Old. 
 TeHaii^ent? Is it borrowed from the vmrds of David 
 
 {^) Epb. ii. II. *ic, (/') Eph. i. 3. (i) Epb. i. 3. % 
 
45 A D1SC0UR.5K ON' rSALMOJJY • 
 
 and Afaph ? Is it not wholly takea from the luord 
 ij Chr'ift^ which we fay, is the Golpel? Where but in 
 rlie Gofpel, is the eternal eleclion, adoption, fanftifica- 
 non of believers, and their redemption by the blood of 
 Clipfl fo clearly taught and fo fully eftabliflied ? Wliere, 
 but ia the Gofnel, is every thing done In the name of 
 'Chr'ift ? And how often does the Apoftle mention it, in 
 tile conijnfs of thefe few verfes ? And would it be here- 
 ly or fuperftition in us to imitate or adopt his words in 
 an Hymn of praife to our God and Redeemer? If God 
 has done fuch wonders to the praife of the glory of his 
 grace, can it be iniquity to celebrate them? Shall God 
 have done fuch wonders for us, the children of ivrathy 
 whofe fathers y^ere finners of the Gentiles, and fhall any- 
 one be foimp.oas^ as to forbid us to admire, adore and 
 praife? No. Let this be the praiJlice of the ungodly, 
 -who regard not the work of the Lord, neither confider the 
 operation of his hands(a)' If the Pfalmifl preferred 
 Jtrufalcm, the city of his Cod, and the place of his fo» 
 lemnities, before his chief joy ; if he prayed, that his 
 fight hand might forget her cunning and his tongue cleave 
 to the roof of his mouth, if he did not remember her fbj, 
 vhai ftupidity and ingi'atitude has feized us, and what 
 dooia awaits us, if we forget, in all our Songs of Praife, 
 tlie blelTed Jefus ? 
 
 The Apoftle of the circumcifion concurs with the A- 
 poftle of the Gentiles, in directing us to take the princi- 
 pal fubjedis of our praife and gratitude to God, from 
 the Gofpel of Chrift. Writing to the Chriftians, dwell- 
 ing in the provinces of Afia, who were moft of them 
 difperfed Jews, he fays : Ye are a chofen generation, a 
 royal prie/ihoodf an holy nation, a -peculiar people ; that 
 
 ('tfjifaiah v. la. (h) Pf. cxxxvii. 5. 6. (c) i Pet. ii. 9. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. /^g 
 
 ye Jhould /hew forth the pra'ifes of him, who hath, called you 
 out of darkmfs into his marvellous light (a)- And would 
 thefe Chriftians have anfvvered the end of their high 
 calling, and the purpoCe God had in view, when he chofe 
 and diltinguiilied them by fuch knowledge and privile- 
 ges, if they, in their Songs of Praife and Thankfgiving, 
 had neglected that very Golpel, by fliaiHng in the know- 
 ledge and blellings of which, they were thus d'ftin- 
 guilhed ? But the Apoftle has not only Ihewn them 
 their duty, and obligations to perform it, but has, as it 
 were, dictated to them a Song of Praife in which they 
 fliould addrefs the Great Author of their blellings. — 
 BleJJed be the God and Father of our LordJePus ChriJ}^ 
 which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us 
 again unto a lively hope, by the refurredlion of Chrift Je- 
 f us from the dead ; to an inheritance, incorruptible, and un- 
 defiled, and that fadeth not away, referved in Heaven for 
 you, zvho are kept by the pozuer of God through faith unto 
 Salvation (bj» 
 
 And the beloved difciple, after pouring forth an afFec- 
 tionate prayer for the feven Churches of Ada, appears 
 not to have it in his power to proceed to the particulars 
 of that revelation, which God had given to him, before 
 he had ereded a monument of praife ?nd gratitude 
 to the Great Prince of the Kings of the Earth, by 
 whom he, and his fellow Chriftians had been r^ifed to 
 the higheft dignity and hopes. Unto hiri7, that loved ys, 
 and wafioed Its from our fins, in his own blood; And hath: 
 made us kings, and priefts unto God, and his Father ; to 
 himheghry, and dominion for tver an ever. Amen (c). 
 Not only io, 'but this difciple, fo dearly beloved, and lb' 
 * 
 
 . '(a) I Pet. ii. 9. (b) i Pet, i. 3, 5. (c) Rev. i. 5. 7, 
 
 G 
 
5^ A DISCOLRSE ON' PSALiMODY. 
 
 highly honored by his Saviour, has given us, as it 
 were, a copy of a Sacred Anthem, in svhich the ran- 
 fomed of the Lord are reprefented, as expreffing their 
 gratitude, and celebrating his praifes, even in Heaven 
 
 itleU And they fimg a new fong, fcy\ng, thou art ivcrthy 
 
 to take the hook, andopen the pals thereof; for thcu -jjaf} 
 flaln, and haji tedeemed us to God by thy blood out of every 
 kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hofi made 
 us unto our Cod, Kings and Prieftsfa). And upon the re- 
 prefentation he had of the fealing an hundred r.nd forty- 
 four thoul'and of all the tribes of Ifrael, he fays, Jftcr 
 this I beheld, and lo, agreatwultitude, -which no man could 
 number, of all nations, and kindreds, and tongues flood be- 
 fore the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in ivhite robes 
 and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, fay- 
 ing Salvation to our Cod, which Jittcih upon the throne' 
 and unlo the La?nb (b")* Would you not believe, thefe 
 v/ere fome of thofe devout ryien of every nation undtr 
 Heaven, of whom we have an account in the Ads, who 
 heard with fuch amazement, each of them, in tlieir owr> 
 language, the wonderful works of God, from the 
 mouths of the Apoftles, and who, in fuch numbers, and 
 with fuch readinefs, believed and embraced the Gofpel 
 upon the preaching of Peter; and that they were now 
 repeating in Heaven thofe fongs, which they had learn- 
 ed upon earth — Nay, fuch is the joy and gratitude, that 
 prevails in Heaven upon the redemption, and falvation 
 of believers, that all the inhabitants of the celeftial re- 
 gions are reprefented, as joining in an anthem of praife 
 to the great Redeemer. — And I beheld, and I heard the 
 voice of many Angels, round about the throne, and the 
 heafts and the elders, and the number of them was ten 
 
 (a) Rev. V. 9,10. {l>jRev. vii. 9. 10. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 5« 
 
 thou/and times ten tbou.Q'.rid, and thoufands of thwfands } 
 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb, that was 
 /I ('.in, to receive poiv.tr, and riches, and tvifdoin, anu 
 Jlrength, and honor, and glory, and bleffing (a)- 
 
 And have the holy Apoflles of our Lord themfelves 
 made the Gofpel, and the great bleflings it contains, the 
 principal rubjeft of their praifc and thankfgiving to 
 God; — have they conllantly directed thofe, who, by their 
 miniflry, were converted to the faith, to do the fame j 
 and have thefe, upon their rifing to partcike in the glo- 
 ry and happinefs of Heaven, celebrated the grace and 
 condefcention of their great Redeemer, as having laid 
 the foundation of their prefent unfpeakable dignity and 
 happinefs, — And have the Angels around the throne, v.'ho 
 were lefs immediately interefted in thefe things, united 
 their Songs of Praife to thofe of the ranj'omed of the 
 Lord? — What fhall we fay ? Can we, orfhall we, refift the 
 united force of fuch evidence, and fuch examples, both 
 in earth and Heaven ? Shall we, who are the minifters 
 of religion, merely to foothe prejudices of cur people, 
 diredl them to pafs over in filence, in their Songs of 
 Praife, to God, the principal fubjecls, that excited the 
 admiration, the praife and gratitude of thefe primitive 
 Saints and of the Angels of Heaven themfelves ? Shall 
 the Gofpel have no iliare in our Songs of Praife and Gra- 
 titude to God, becaufe its light has fo long flione upon 
 us? Shall the wonderful acls of our glorious Deliverer 
 be forgotten, becaufe we are drawing fo much nearer 
 to his fecond and glorious appearing ? Are we never to ad- 
 drefs a Song of Praife to him, who has made us kings 
 and priefis unto God, until we join the choir of Angels 
 jiiid JpiriiS of juft men made perfe£l in Jiec-ven? G"r can 
 
 (c) Rev. v. II, 12. 
 G 2 
 
$1 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY* 
 
 it be unwarrantable or finful to do that upon earili., 
 which they are dohig in the immediate preCence of God ? 
 Are we not taught by our Lord to pray ? Thy vjill be 
 done on earth as it is in Heaven,\ (a) And if we know 
 and believe, that the Saints and Angels above are em- 
 ployed in celebrating the praifes of the Redeemer, ho\r 
 is our praclice confiftent with this prayer, if we are not 
 doing the fame upon earth ? 
 
 I now proceed to confirm the truth I am endeavour- 
 ing to eftablifh, 
 
 IV. From the pradice of the Primitive Church. 
 
 That evangelical Pfalms and Hymns were in ufe in 
 tlie da5'^s of the Apoftles may be clearly inferred from 
 that pafTage, where the Apoftle gives directions to the 
 Corinthians, with refpedl to the extraordinary gifts con- 
 ferred on them, i Cor. xiv. 26. The learned Gro- 
 tius was of the opinion, that the Pfalms, of which the 
 Apoftle fpeaks, were extemporary Hymns, proceeding 
 from infpiration ; and that thofe things, which former- 
 ly had been the fruit of human genius and labor, were 
 then fuggefted fuddenly, and from God, that thereby 
 the riches of the divine bounty might be more fenfibly 
 difplayed, and underftood. — If this was the cafe, as is 
 highly probable, fuch a gift, next to that of fpeaking 
 with touffues was a o-lorious confirmation of the truth of 
 Chriflianity. — To hear and fee men, all at once, cele- 
 brating the divine benefits in the fublime language of 
 poetry, and with all the graces of harmony, and nura- 
 terS; which are ufually the effecl of great labor and ftir- 
 
 (a) Matth. vi. jo. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY- 53 
 
 ily, muft have greatly confirmed the faith of thofe 
 upon whom fuch an extraordinary gift was conferred, 
 and led others to believe, that the revelation, whofe 
 light and bleflings they were celebrating, as well as the 
 miraculous gift by v.'hich they were thus fuddenly and 
 immediately, enabled to do this-, was derived from Hea- 
 ven. — But whether thefe pfalms Vv^ere th6 effedt of pre- 
 vious ftudy and infpiration united, or of immediate fug- 
 geftion, they were certainly not defigned to attach the 
 converts to the Gofpel to the religion of the Jews, and 
 to infpire them with veneration and refpeft for the 
 Pfalms of David — And indeed what need could there 
 be of any extraordinary gift to enable or dired them to 
 a Pfalm of David or Afaph ? The defign of conferring 
 this gift muft have been the fame with that of the other 
 extraordinary gifts conferred upon thefe primitive Chrif- 
 tians. — This was to confirm the truth of the Gofpel, 
 to inftrud them in its do6lrines and bieflings, and to in- 
 fpire them with love, gratitude,^ and obedience to its 
 great Author. — This was the end for which the Cod of 
 our Lordjefus Chr'ift gave them thefpirit ofivifdom and re- 
 velation in the knowledge of him, and enabled them to ex- 
 ert it in this extraordinary manner- And if it had been 
 his deilgn to confine them to the pfalmody of the Old 
 Teftament would he have conferred upon them his fpi- 
 rit to enable them to compofe pfalms and hymns, en- 
 tirely of another nature and tendency, calling their at- 
 tention to the great Lord of David and the prophets, 
 and enabling them, in fome good meafure, to conceive 
 and defcribe the hope of his calling and the riches of the 
 glory of his inheritance in the faints : (a) And how abfurd 
 and inconfiftent is it to fuppofe that the fpirit of Chrift, 
 
 (a) Eph. i. 17, iS. 
 
54 A DISCOtr.lSE ON PSAL>rODY. 
 
 conferred in order to difplay and make kno^'/n the myftcry 
 that had been hti from pjrmer ages and generations [b) 
 would confine diem in doing this to the language of 
 an obfcure and typical difpenl'ation ? — This would have 
 been to counter aft his own gracious intention, and to 
 veil in /hades and darknefs, that lyiarvcUous light (r) 
 which he meant to rt^vecl, and dilplay. — And in- 
 deed, can it be luppoled that the gratitude of thefe 
 primitive Saints, enilamed by their lively fenfe of the 
 love of God, and Chrift, and heightened by the Hdy 
 Spirit, would have been confined to record the deliver- 
 ances, peculiar to the Jewii'h people, while wonders of a 
 far luperior nature, m which they themfelves were im- 
 mediately concerned, engaged their attention, and re- 
 quired their acknowledgments? 
 
 But that we may proceed in confitlering the practice 
 of the primitive Church. — 
 
 Kere it is to be lamented, that we cannot be furnifli- 
 c^ with all the light and evidence we ceuld wifli. A 
 great degree of obfcurity hanirs over the firft ages. 
 Perhaps this was dciigned to fupprefs a vain curiofity, 
 to conceal from us the early corruptions introduced in- 
 to Chriftianity from phiiolbphy and Judaifm and to lead 
 us to copy more clofely after its uncorrupted purity 
 and fimplicity as derived ft-om our Lord, and his infpir- 
 ed difciples. — 
 
 However fome light, with refped to the fubjeft we 
 are fpeaking of, breaks through the darknefs of thofe 
 
 (b) Col. i. 26. (c) I Pet, ji. 9. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 55 
 
 primitive ages. — We find by their praftice, that they had 
 not forgotten the inilruclions and direftions given them 
 by our Lord and his Apollles. — They had been taught, 
 that all men Jhould honor the Sort, even as they honor the 
 Father, (a) And we find them giving him this honor, 
 in their Hymns and Songs ;of praii'e, in the midfl: of Hea- 
 thenilh perfecution, and even when herefy, riling into 
 power among theml'elves, threatened them with pover- 
 ty, bvinilhment, or death. — 
 
 That they paid our Lord di^'ine honor is manifeft 
 from the teftimony of PUny the younger — This ac- 
 curate and credible writer who fiourifhed about the 
 beginning of the fecond century, having examined the 
 aiTemblies of the Chriftians, in order to give an account 
 of them to the Emperor Trajan, informs him, that 
 te couhl learn nothing of their facraments, but that 
 they aiTembled in the morning before day tojing, an hymn 
 to Chrifif as God, and that they bound -themfelves, not to 
 commit any wicked thing, hut to forbear committing theft , 
 robbery, or adultery, to be true to their word and firi£ily 
 to perform their trufi. ('') This teftimony of Pliny as 
 
 (^) John V. 23. 
 
 (3) This tefHmony a late writer has endeavoured to weak- 
 en and bring into diiVrpute, by alledging that Pliny gained 
 his Intormation from perfons, who. had renounced Chriftlani- 
 ty, and that they reprei'ented their quondam brethren, as 
 worfliipping Jefus C hrift, in order to render their worfhip 
 more OiHous. — But did thele informers beiie their brethren ? 
 No. F'or fays this writer, *' thefe apoflates knew very well 
 " that the Chriftians worfhipped the Son, in their prayers 
 *' and praifes, as well as the Kather." — And how can they be 
 blamed as endeavouring to make the Chriftians odious, when 
 they reprefent them, as binding themlelyes in a folemn man- 
 ner, to refrain from all wickednefs, and ftridly to perform 
 their duty ? Would this make them odious to Pliny or Tra- 
 jan ? 
 
§6 .A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 worthy of the greateft credit, has been quoted by the 
 learned Grotius, as a proof of the truth of Chriftia- 
 nity (b), and by almoft all who have written apologies 
 or defences of our moft holy faith. — The praifes of our 
 Saviour therefore, muft have had a great and leading 
 part in the pfalmody of the firft Chriftians, when Pliny 
 was able thus to point them out, as having a fliare in it. 
 — If he had not been very careful to inform himfelf, 
 how would his account have been fo particular and 
 circumftanticil? — And how could he have known in what 
 cftimation the Chriftians held our Lord, or that they 
 paid him divine honor, but upon the beft and moft accu- 
 rate intelligence? — It is plain therefore if this teftimo- 
 ny of Pliny be true, that the Chriftians, of whom he 
 writes, were not confined to the Pfalms of David in 
 their fongs of praife, and that they were not doing an 
 unwarrantable or finful adlion, when they knew that all 
 men JiX)uld honor the Son even as they honor the Father* 
 
 Bafnage a very reputable writer, of the Proteftant 
 Church in France, and an exile for his religion in Hol- 
 land, in his very learned and elaborate hiftory of the 
 Chriftian Church, which he wrote principally with a 
 view to expofe the errors.and corruptions of the Church 
 of Rome, has been led to give us a very full account of 
 the devotions of the primitive Chriftians from Tertuli- 
 an This celebrated Father of the Chriftian Church in 
 
 (b) Epidola omnibus obvla, quce libri decimi eft gy. cujiis 
 et TertuUianiis in apologetico meminit et Eufebias in Chro- 
 nico. — Ubi vides Chriftianos carmen Chrijlo gruiji Deo dicere 
 folitos obftriftofqiie inter fe non in fcelus aliquod, fed ne fur- 
 
 ta, tie latroc'tnia cnnnuttercnt^ nc Jidcm falUretit, tie depojittnn 
 *ppcllati ahmgaretit 
 
 Grotius de veritate, lib. 2. feft 2. in notis. 
 Eufebius hid. ecclef. — lib. 3 cap 30. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 57 
 
 Africa flonrifhed about one hundred and ninety-four 
 years after Ciirift. — In his time the profeflbrs of Chrifr 
 tianity, were fo far from being confined to the Old 
 Tellament, that they conceived themfelves as at full li- 
 berty in their devotions to God. 
 
 It appears, fays Bafnage, that neither the prayers they 
 made to God, nor the Hymns 'which they fung to his honor 
 "Mere reduced to rule ; every one drew them from the Holy 
 Scripture or from his ovm treafidre, according to his geni- 
 us or difpcfition. They fung, for injlance, Hymns in 
 ihofe feafis of charity and communion, which the Chrijtians 
 held together in the evening ; It was to God they addreffei 
 thefefongs, which every one cornpofed to the hefi of his ahi" 
 lity. — 'TVV Tertullian who teaches us this, -who could not 
 fail to be well informed* — The defign ofthefe affemhlies was 
 to offer a kind of violence to God by the concourje of fo many 
 prayers from the mouths and he arts of the faithful. — Fame- 
 lius, fays Bafnage, who has commented upon this paff age of 
 Tertullian, fuppofes, but without proof, that the Hymns, this 
 Tat her f peaks of, xvere given out by the Apcfiles, but if 
 we were to form a conje£}ure of their real origin it would 
 he more proper to fay, that thofe Hymns were infpired by 
 the gratitude which thofe firfl Chrifiians felt for the divine 
 benefts. (a) — Such was the liberty of the primitive Chrif.. 
 tians if we believe Tertullian. 
 
 (<t) On etoltllbfe snrlc cholx des prieres qu'on faifoit a t)ieu : 
 il paroit meme que ni les oraifons, ni lea Hymnes, qu'on chan- 
 toit a Ton honneur n'etolr point reglez ; c'hacun Ics tivoit de 
 i'ecriture fainte, ou de son propre fonds selon son crenie et fa 
 difpofition. On chsntoit, par example, des Hymnes a Dieu 
 dans ces repas de charite et de communion, que les Chretiens 
 faifoient enfemble !e foir ; mass c'etoit a Dieu qu'on addrefibit 
 ces,chanfons que chacun faifoit deniieux qu' il pouvoit.---C'e{i 
 TertulHen qui nous Tapprend, et qui devoit en etre bien iu-. 
 Ilriijt ; le but de ces aliemblies etoit de faire uneeftaecede vi- 
 
 H 
 
58 A DISCOURSE ON I'SALMODV. 
 
 Origen ulio flourilhed nearly at the fame time with 
 Tertullian, ules the very expreflions of the Apoftle, in 
 the words of our text, (a). He exhorted the people ^ fays 
 Bafaage, tofh'ive hy their Hymns, by their Pf alms , by their 
 Spiritual Hongs, crying to God that they might obtain the vic- 
 tory through our Lord"] ejus — Has not this ancient Father, 
 in thefe words, an immediate reference to the command 
 of the Apoftle, which enjoins upon Chriftians a frricl and 
 exprefs regard to Chrift in all their Songs of dcvotioi, ? 
 Whatfoever ye do in "word or deed, do all In the na^me of the 
 Lordjefus — Thus does the great Origen not ordy prove, 
 but exemplify the doftrine I am advancing — 
 
 Eufcbius tiiat Father of Church Hiftcry, quotes a paf- 
 fage from an author, whom he very much commends, 
 which Jully manifefts v.hat was thepradice of the Church 
 in the firft ages. — This author had undertaken to re- 
 fute the herefy of Artemon, who afierted, that our Sa- 
 viour was a mere man, and that this doctrine had been 
 uniformly taught till the times of Zephyrinus, when 
 the truth began to be adulterated — In anfwer to this, 
 he obferves, that the Sacred Scriptures contradict fuch 
 
 o?cncea Dieu,parleconcours'cletantdeprieres qui fortoient 
 a meme tcms, de la bouchc et du coeur de tons Je fideles— - 
 Pamelius qui a commente cet eudroit de Tertullien pretend 
 que les Hymnes, dent parle cet ancien, avoient, etc ir.ftiruc 
 par les apoftres ; s' il faut deviner pour connoitre la veritable 
 crigine de ces prieres, vaudroit mieux dire, que ces Hymnes 
 fin-cnt Infpirez par la reconnoiirance, que les premieres ientoi- 
 ent de bienfaits de Dieu. 
 
 Bafnage Hiftoire de TEglife liv. 18. 
 Chap. a. Seel. 2. pag. 1009. 
 
 ia) 11 exhorte le peuple a ccmbattrepar fes ITyipnes, par 
 fes pfeaumes, par fes cantiques spiritueles,criant, a Dicuaffin 
 qu'on puifle obtcnir la vidtoire par notre iieigneur Jefus^— 
 
 Origen apud Bafnage Hid. de I'Eglife 
 liv. 18. Chap. II. Sea. 14. Pag. 1094. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 59 
 
 alTertions, and then proceeds to Tnention feme of the 
 moft ancient Chriftian writers who hud maintained the 
 divinity of Chrift — And then he fays, {a), " Who is he 
 " that is ignorant of the books of Irenceus, Mclitn, and 
 « the reft, which declare Chrift to be God and Man? 
 " — The Pfalnis alio and Kynins of the brethren, writ- 
 *' ten at the beginning by the faitiiful, do fet forth the 
 *' praifes of Chrift the word of God and attribute divi- 
 " nity to him." — Here we fee rhat Pfalms and Kymns, 
 were written very early in honor of Chrift— And we 
 may judge how great was their antiquity, and in what 
 high and juft efteem they were held, when they were 
 brought to repel the inroads of herefy and falfe dodriae» 
 
 But what evinces beyond all poffibility of difpute, 
 that an evangelical Pfalniody generally prevailed in the 
 early ages of the Church, is what Eufebius has record- 
 ed, E. 7. Ch. 30. of his hiftory. Paulus of Saniofata, 
 being raifed to the bilhopric of Antioch, revived the 
 herefy of Artemon — Being a man of great pride and 
 haughtinefs, he alTumed to himfelf great power and au- 
 thority — In order to ftop the progrefs of his herefy, 
 two councils were called — At the firft, which was very 
 numerous, ke fo far difguifed or retraced his opinions, 
 as to efcape condemnation. — But the fecond, which con- 
 . lifted of feventy bifliops, befides prefbyters, deacons, &c. 
 pafled upon him a fentence of excommunication — The 
 council, in confequence, fent abroad an Epiftle to all the 
 churches, reprefenting the character, -and arbitrary pro- 
 
 (rt) Irenxi ac Meletonis et reliquorum libros Chndum et 
 Deum et hominem confiteri que ignorat I Denique quot funt 
 pfalml et cantica ab initio a fidelibus fratribus Icripta, quae 
 Chriftum Dei verbum tanquam Dcum celebrant^c laudant I 
 gufeb. lib. 5. Cap. 25. 
 
6o 4 DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 ceetlings of this Hereiic — Sundry large extradls from 
 this epiftle are exactly quoted by Eufcbius — It is infcrib- 
 ed and directed to Dionyfius and Maximus, and to all 
 their fellow minifters over the whole world — to the 
 ■whole Catholic Church under Heaven. It is fubfcribed 
 by fix teen of the principal perfons, who were prefent, 
 in their own names, and in the names of all the bifhops 
 of the neighboring cities and provinces, who were with 
 them, of the prelbyters, deacons, and Churches of God. 
 This council was held between the years 270 & 272. 
 Among many other matters of accufation which they 
 hrjng againft this heretic, is his abolifliing the Pfalms 
 which were ufually fung in honor of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift*. — Herein he aftcd agreeably to his principles — 
 He looked upon Chrifi: as a mere creature and would 
 not bear that any aft of adoration fhould be paid him f . 
 Here then we have the ampleft teftimony that can be 
 given ; a whole council unanimoufly agreeing that Pfalms 
 ihould be fung, and had been ufually fung in honor of 
 cur Lord Jefus Chrift, and accufing him, who abolifhed. 
 them of malicious wickednefs and as denying his God.— 
 Not only fo ; but they v/rite to the whole Catholic 
 Church under Heaven, as expefting that they, in like 
 manner, would join with them in acknowledging the 
 juftice of thefentence, whereby, as they exprefs them- 
 felves, they had excommunicated this contumacious ene- 
 my of God, — How could they have made this a mat- 
 ter of fuch high accufation againft him, if they had not 
 been unanimous in the ufe of fuch a Pfalmody as wc 
 
 * PlalmQS qui in gloriam Chrifli canebantur--fuftuHt. 
 
 \ FilJum Dei e cjeIo defcendlfe vma nobifcum confiteri 
 
 detfeftat— Chriftum Jefum e terra efle dicit Itaque necef- 
 
 litate coadi adverfarium Dei cxcomoiunicaviraus^ 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 6t 
 
 plead for ? and if the whole Catholic Church had not 
 been acciiftomed to fuch a Pralinody, how could they 
 have expecled, that they would have joined Vcith them 
 in condemning him. 
 
 Here then we fee thefirfl: rife of that ftrenuous oppo- 
 sition that was made to the evangelical Pfahiis and 
 Hymns that had from the beginning been fung in the 
 Chriflian -Church — It arofe from the enemies and op- 
 
 pofers of our Lord's divinity They blafphemoufly af- 
 
 ferted that the Lord Jefus was a mere man, and there- 
 fore could not beai' that every thing fhould be done in 
 his name, and that divine honor fhould be paid him. — 
 Are they of the fame fentiments, who now oppofe them- 
 felves to the revival of evangelical Pfalms and Hymns, 
 and would exclude from this part of their worfiiip the 
 grace and truth, which are come by Jefus Chrifl P — If fo, 
 let them come forth, and declare themfelves. — Say ye 
 advocates of the OldTeftament Pfalmody, what is there 
 in the name of Jefus, a name at ivhich every knee Jhouid 
 hoiv, that ihould make you fhudderatits admiffion into 
 a Pfalni or Hymn ? Which of all his good works has de- 
 ferved fuch treatment ; — Did the haughty and luxuri- 
 ous bifhop of Antioch, juft mentioned, defervedly de- 
 grade Chrift from a place in the pubHc Homage, and 
 Hymns of the Church ?^Or will you cenfure and con- 
 demn the numerous and venerable council, that excom- 
 municated him for this, as a contumacious enemy of 
 God? — If you condemn the heretic, let it appear not 
 by your words, but by your adions too, and reftore to 
 him thofe divine honors in your Pfalms and Hymns, 
 which, from the beginning, were given hira by the faith- 
 ful— 
 
6l A DISCOURSJi; ON PSALMODY. 
 
 But let us proceed, and fee whether we can adduce 
 an}t farther eivdence in favor of the doJlrine we are ad- 
 vancing — Dionyfius, bifhop of Alexandria, flourilhcd 
 in the time that the council above mentioned was held — 
 He was the oracle of the age, in which he lived for wif- 
 doni and learninp;, — He vvrotefeveral books inoppofition 
 tolomeperfonii, v»ho ha3 embraced and propagated er- 
 roneous opinions, refpecting Chrift's reign upon earth, 
 and who produced a book of Nepos, another biiliop of 
 Egypt, as favoring their fentiments. From thefe pieces 
 of Dionyfiuo, Eufebius has made fundry large extrads. 
 Though this bifliop found himfelf obliged to write 
 againft Nepos, yet, with a truly Chriftian candor, and 
 goodnefs of heart, he fays; *' Indeed for feveral other 
 *' things I commend and love Nepos, for his faith, his 
 *' induftry, and Iludy in the Scriptures, and alfofor the 
 " many Pfaims and Hymns he compofed, with which 
 " many of the bretb-ren are even at this tinje delight- 
 " ed"*. If the Pialniody of the Old Teftament had 
 been at this time introduced and eftabliflied in the Chrif- 
 tian Church, and if it had been accounted unwarantable 
 andfinful to deviate from it in our Songs of Praife to 
 God, would this holy man have loved and commended 
 a perfon from whom he otherwife differed, for fucli 
 compofitions? — Or would the brethren have been much 
 delighted with that which they efteemed it criminal to 
 ■write? — Nay the learned and judicious Valefius, who 
 has commented largely upon Eufebius, fays, that here- 
 in this bifl;of> aded conformably to the cuftom of the 
 Chridlans in thofe early times ; and Bafnage aflerts, 
 that bifliops had fometimes the care of furniHiing 
 
 * Euf. B, 7. Ch. 24. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY- 63 
 
 their flock with HymnS; and ados, that prefbyters had 
 in this rel'pe^n; the iame right with the bilhops^ and men- 
 tions an Hymn of Clemens Alexandrinus, who never rofe 
 liigher than the office of a prePjyter. Nay Bafnage af- 
 firms, that lay- men fometimes conipofed Kymnr: — (a) 
 Such are the opinions and aiTertions of thsfe ^rreat men, 
 who with great diligence and accuracy, as well .;S with 
 the beft opportunities, have fearched into the opinions 
 and cuftoms of the primitive church — 
 
 But to return to the Church at Antioch. Neither the 
 pride nor arbitrary proceedings of the biiliop who had 
 been depofed and excommunicated, ncr the zeal of the 
 Arian biihops who fucce-cded him we're able to Ihake 
 the iidelity of the orthodox Chriftians to their Saviour, 
 nor to filence thofe Hymns of praife and adoration, which 
 they refolutely continued to compofe and fing in his ho- 
 nor. — Leontius was raifed to the bifliopric of that city 
 in the year 348 — Though this biflaop treated the or- 
 thodox with lenity, hoping thereby, no doubt, more 
 efFei^ually to ferve the caufe of Arianifm, Vv'hich he fa- 
 voured, yet the divifion rofe to fuch an height that they 
 feparated in lingiiig their Pialais. (l>) — The orthodox, as 
 
 (a) Les eveques avoient quelqaefois le foin ds donner des 
 canciques a leur troapeau. Les prctres avoient u. cct egard 
 le mem^ droit que les eveques et on volt unde ces Fynins com- 
 pofez par Clement Alexuiulrin, auquel Codius a donne mal a 
 propns le tltre de Evcq'jc, puisqu'il n'a jamais monte au def- 
 ilis de la pretrife. — eiiiin les laiques nieni,e le raiioient quel 
 q^uefois, puisque TertuUien vieiit de nous I'apprendre — Baf- 
 nage pag. 1009, — 
 
 {i^) Qiiando quidem Arianis etiam eccelefias occupantibusto- 
 totas clerus ac populus Antiochenus non penitns obfequeretur 
 fed in cxtus, pro more, dum Dcum Hymnis collaudabant, dif- 
 tribnti, Tub finem Hymnorum (in(i;i]li fuam opinlonem declar- 
 arent, et alii non patrem mode, fed filium etiain utpnre Patri 
 bcnore xqu^ilem gloria eiferrcnt, alii Patrem in YiWo elle dice- 
 
64 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY- 
 
 Sozomen, informs us, finging Hymns agreeable to the 
 Nicene faith, while the Arians fung fuch as were con- 
 formable to their own fentiments — And when they 
 fung the doxology, Glory be to the Father, and the or- 
 thodox added, and to the Son and Spirit , Leontius pafled 
 over thefe words, and pronounced only the following— 
 for ever and ever [a) — This bifhop, it is true, was mild to- 
 wards thole who held the Nicene faith, and did not 
 proceed to extremities againft: them ; but laying his hand 
 upon his head, which was then white with age, he af- 
 fured them, that when that fnow^ fliould melt, they 
 would liee a great deal of dirt ; meaning that w^hen he 
 would be dead they might not exped fuch mild treat- 
 ment from his fuccelTor — 
 
 "We fee from this tliat the Pfalms and Hymns of the 
 firft Chriftians were fo entii;ely evangelical, that no 
 part of their worfliip more dearly difcovered their fenti- 
 ments than this. — And if any perfon caft an eye upon 
 the creed drawn up and agreed upon by the council of 
 
 rent atque per banc prseporuionem, li, Filiiim patre inferio- 
 rem oftendere coaaventur. Leontius featee Arianaededitusta- 
 metfinon aggrederetureos qui Hymnisconcilii Nicoeni consen- 
 ticntibus Leum laudarent, prohibere — tamen manu ad caput 
 quod jam valde canefcebat admoia dixifle fertur j Hac nive 
 lic^ucfacta multum erit luti. — 
 
 Sozom. Kiftor. cedes, lib. 3. Cap. 19. 
 
 (tf) Nam cum (Leontius; pars eflet Arians blafphemL'E,fum- 
 mo ftudio ilium morbum celare nitebatur,quod que cerneret bi- 
 fariam dlvifos faterdores acplcbem unamque partem accomo« 
 dareglorificationeFilii conjunftionem ei, alteram, proepafitio- 
 nem per, filio, ipiritui vero inapplicare, ipfe quidcm lilentio 
 glorificationem memorabat, et tantum claululam, iv fecitla 
 jc^uloruvi fic proferebat ut ab aftantibus exaudiri poflet. 
 
 Theodorcti hill, ecclef. lib 2. Cap. 24. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY.' 65 
 
 Nice (a) he will quickly perceive how remote Pfalms 
 and Hymns, formed upon it, would be from the lan- 
 guage and doftrine of the Old Teftament. But why 
 need we multiply remarks in fo plain a cafe ? 
 
 The council of Laodicea, held about the middle of the 
 fourth century, furniihes us with a further proof, re- 
 fpedling the praftice of the Primitive Church. The lafl: 
 canon but one of this council ordains, that no PfaJms 
 compofed by private or ignorant perfons* ihould be lung 
 in the Churches. — This canon the learned Valellus in his 
 notes upon Eufebius, B. 7. Ch. 24. underftands qf thefe 
 Hymns which it was ufnal for the primitive Chriftians 
 to compofe and ling in honor of Chriit — And indeed, 
 does not the proliibition of Hymns, compofed by illite- 
 i^te and ignorant perfons imply a permiffion and allow- 
 ance of fuch as were compofed by perfons of fufficient 
 
 (a^ The Nicene Creed. 
 Credimus in unum Deum, &c. 
 We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of 
 all things vifible and invifible; and inone Lord [efus Chrifl:^ the 
 Son of God, begotten of the Father, the only begotten_, that 
 is of the fabft?.nce of the Father, God of God, and Light of 
 Light, very God of very God ; begotten not made ; of the 
 fame fubftance with the Father ; by whom all things were made 
 that are in Heaven and in earth ; who for the fake of us men, 
 and for our falvation defcended and was incarnate, pnd was 
 made man, and fuffei-ed and rofe again the third dav, af- 
 cended into the heavens ; he fhall come to judge the quick and 
 the dead ; We alfo believe in the Holy Glioft-.— But the Holy- 
 Catholic, and Apoflolic C hurch doth anathematize thofe that 
 aver, that there was a time when the Son of God was not, 
 and that he was not befiire he was begotten, and tliat he 
 was made of nothing, or fay that he was made of another fub- 
 ftance or elTence, or that he is either created, or convertible 
 or mutable. 
 
 * l^iMTixoi -^xXiy-oi , That this is the meaning of the expref- 
 flon is evident from Afts jv. 13. wliere Peter and John are cal- 
 led ' ctofxi/.iJi.)iroi K'xt 'ihurct^ imlearned and ignorant men. 
 
66 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 fkill and qualifications? The fame council ordain- 
 ed that no books, but fuch as were canonical, fliould 
 
 be read in the Churches Would any perfon un- 
 
 derftand this as a prohibition of fuch as were canonical? 
 
 1 njight here mention Ephraim Sirus, who fiourifli- 
 
 edin this century, and whom the hiftorians Thcodoret 
 and Sozomen celebrate as the ornament of the Church 
 for piety and learning- His talent for poetry was lingu- 
 lar, and the number of Hymns he comnofed and fent a- 
 broad was almofl incredible. Theod. lib. 4. cap. 29. So- 
 zom. lib. 3. cap. 15. 
 
 If we may believe what Bafnage relates («) of the 
 fourth council of Toledo in Spain, we ihall have an evi- 
 dence, that evangelical Pfalms and Hymns were in ufe 
 much longer than the fourth century — Tliis council was 
 held in the year 633. — Certain Prefbyters of France 
 and Spain were brought before it, for refufmg to fing the 
 Hymns of St. Hilary and St. Ambrofe, which had been in 
 ufe in the Church for near three hundred years. — 
 Thefie prefbyters were of opinion that the prayers and 
 confequently the Hymns in public uffe fhould be found 
 in the fcriptures, and dictated by the Apoftles. — (b) 
 This was acting confiftently. Prayers and praifcs being 
 immediately addrefled to God, and duties equally foleran, 
 
 [a) Lc quatrleme conclle de Toledo reprefente des gens, 
 qui refufoient de chanter les Hymnes qui portoient le nom de 
 St. Hilaire et de St. Ambroife. — les peres vouloif nt que les 
 prieres de rcgliCe fe trouvaHent dans Tecriture, et qu'ellcs 
 cuflent etc dictees par les apoftves. — La nierre d'achopement 
 de ces Pretres etoit, qu'on introdufoit dans I'eglife des pri- 
 eres qui ne fe trovoient point dans livres sacrez, et qu' ils ne 
 refpeilolent point une tradition de pres trois cents ans, car il y 
 avoit environ ce terns la que St. Hilaire et Sr. Ambroife avoient 
 compofe des Hyn-ines.— |e ne fai si le concilene pechoit point 
 autant qu'eux/parla feverite avec laquelle il excommunia les 
 Pretres d'efpagne et des Caules sils ne fummettoicnt s cbaun- 
 ter ces Hymnes. ' 
 
 (I'J Hift. d'Kglife llv. 9. feet ii, pag. 4S3 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. Cf 
 
 there is the fame reafon for our being reftricted and 
 conhned to the fcriptures in the one as in the other. 
 We may obferve too, thatthefe prefbyters paid an equal 
 regard to every part of fcripture, whereas the zealots 
 for purity and orthodoxy, in our day are for rejefting 
 from their Pfahns and Hymns every part of the facrcd 
 canon, but the Pfalms of David ; and reprefent cve^y 
 attempt to introduce the gofpe], into this part of our 
 worfliip, as a dangerous innovation, and a corruption 
 of the worilijp of God — The council of Toledo hov/e- 
 ever was otherwife minded — They ex-communicated 
 thofe Prefbyters of France andSpain, unlefsthey would 
 fubm't to fing the above mentioned Hymns. Eafnage 
 is of opinion that thefe prePoyters carried their fcruples 
 too far, jnd that the council was to blame for the feve- 
 rity, with which they excommunicated them, efpecial- 
 \y as the fecond council of Braga, held fome years before 
 had forbidden any poetry to be fungin the Churches, ex- 
 cept fuch Pfalms, as were drawn from the Old and New 
 Teftament. 
 
 The celebrated Moflieim, of whofe induftry, learn- 
 ing and accuracy, ho perfon, acquainted with his cha- 
 rader, as an hiftorian, will difpute, v/riting of the fourth 
 century, fays; In this century the Pfalms of David 
 were introduced into the Chriftian Church. What 
 truth would there be in this afiertion, if they had been 
 introduced before it, much lefs if they had been intro- 
 duced and eftablifiied by our Lord or his Apollles, whofe 
 authority fhould have the principal weight with us?-— 
 Could it be the meaning of Moflieim or of other wri. 
 ters who affert the fame thin^ ^* that the exercife of 
 *' fmging, had before been quite neglected,*' as a late 
 writer has alledged ,? — What? was the Chriftian Church 
 
 I 2 
 
€Z A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 or any part of it, living for three hundred years in ex- 
 prefs violation of the command of the Apoftle? — Did 
 they who were by Jefus Chnjl to offer up the facrifice of 
 praife to God continually *, all this while, never fing 
 a fongof praife, refpedingthe wonders God had wrought 
 for them ? — This implies fuch a charge of difobedience, 
 infenfibility and ingratitude againft thefe primitive faints, 
 as can never be admitted. — And for Moflieim, or other 
 writers who had fuch full evidence, that Pfalms and 
 Hymns had from thebeginiiing, been compofed and fung 
 by the faithful, to aflert fuch a thing, would have^been 
 the moft deliberate and palpable falfehood — A fall'e- 
 hood of which no perfon, wijo is not grofly ignorant of 
 the primitive praftice of the Church, or willfully prepof- 
 feiTed againft the truth, can be guilty — No perfon who 
 regards his character for candor and veracity would af- 
 fert iuch a matter in oppofition to the concurring tefti- 
 mony of all antiquity, reproachful to the zeal and devo- 
 tion of the firft Chriftians, and refpefting which his ig- 
 norance or prevarication could be fo eafily detedled- 
 Could any perfon more effeftually ferve the caufe of 
 that feci, who have baniflied all fuiging, all melody and 
 harmony of the voice from their public worfhip, than 
 by afierting, that the exercife of finging had for the 
 firft three hundred years been quite negleded by the 
 Church of Chrift? — And what a want of candor and 
 charity does a certain writer manifeft, who choofes ra- 
 ther to brand the Church of Chrift, with the charge of 
 fuch a grofs omiflion of duty and fuch a downright vio- 
 lation of an apoftolic precep't, than honeftly acknowledge 
 that ihe had been, as all antiquity teftifies, ijo the pra<^cc 
 
 • Heb. ;clii. 15. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 69 
 
 ©f praifing her God and Redeemer, in materials drawn 
 from the word of Chrift? 
 
 Thus have v/e proved, I conceive, with fuliicient evi- 
 dence, that an evangehcal Pfalmody prevailed for the 
 three firft centuries, and that it continued in ufe in 
 fome parts of the Church at leaft, till after the begin- 
 ning of the feventh century. — It is obfervable too, that 
 they who praclifed and defended it, were neither here- 
 tics nor fchifmatics, but men who Jlrove together for the 
 faith of the gofpeU — And even ihcy who were more fcru- 
 pulous with refpect to the materials, of which their 
 Pfalms and Hymns fhould be compofed, had no notioa 
 of excluding the New Teflament from having any fhare 
 in their fongs of Praife. Nor can they be charged with 
 a deflgn or defire of corrupting the worfliip of God, or 
 of introducing fuperftition error or falfe objects of de- 
 votion — So far were they from that, that they were 
 for taking the materials of theii' facred Songs from the 
 holy fcriptures. Nay the learned and laborious Bafnage 
 abundantly proves, in oppofition to the corruptions and 
 errors of the Church of Rome, that notwithftanding the 
 liberty, which the primitive Chriftians enjoyed in their 
 Pfalms and Prayers, not fo much as one of them was ad- 
 drefled to a Saint, or Angel, or to any other but God 
 or Chrift. 
 
 What evil confequence then arofe from an evangeli- 
 cal Pfalmody, when it continued in ufe for fo many cen- 
 turies, that fome pcrfons in our day are fo much alarm- 
 ed and afraid left it be revived and introduced ? — Can it 
 be evil or dangerous to fhew forth the pratfe of the glory 
 of his grace, who hath made us accepted in the beloved, {a) 
 
 (tf) Eph, i. 6. 
 
70 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 or to fing of his unpsralleled loving kindnefs, ivho though 
 he rvas rich yet became poor for our fakes ? — (/») 
 
 Na)'' the danger of the Church arofe from the difufe 
 of the Hymns we plead for- Arianifm reigned in the 
 fourth century. — It had fuch influence in the general 
 councils and in the courts of Emperors, tliat it banifticd 
 and depofed many of the orthodox, and pofTelTed itfelf 
 of their Churches. No wonder then, if its votaries, ri- 
 fen into power, and zealous for the propagation of their 
 own opinions, bent their whole force to exclude a Pfal- 
 mody, which, if it had prevailed, would have effedual. 
 ly prevented the reception and progrefs of their pernici. 
 ous tenets. — And if they had influence fufiicient to filence 
 and banifli the teachers and profefibrs of orthodoxy, we 
 need not be furprifed to find, that tliey fhould have in- 
 fluence fufficient, gradually to filence and abolifli thofe 
 Hymns, in which divine honors were paid to Jefus Chrift, 
 which they looked upon as- idolatrous and impious — Yet 
 we fee, that with all the power and influence thefe 
 heretics poflefled thefe Hymns continued in ufe in fome 
 parrs of the Church of Chrift for whole centuries after 
 their blafphemous opinions took their rife. — 
 
 If then the Pfalms of David were conftantly in ufe 
 in the Chriftian Church from the days of the Apoftles ; 
 how comes it to pafs, that we hear nothing of them 
 for the three firft centuries ? — If the Apoftles had re- 
 ftrided their converts to the ufe of them, how comes 
 Tertullian to reprefent Chriftians, in his day, as en- 
 joying fo full and entire a liberty? — How could Pliny 
 affirm that Chriftians fung Hymns to Chrift whom they 
 worfhipped as God ? And another afiert that Pfalms 
 and Hymns, fetting forth the praifes of Chrift, and at- 
 
 (^) 2 Cor. viii. 9. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY* 7I 
 
 tributing divinity to him, had been written at the be- 
 ginning by the faithful ? How could a numerous and 
 refpeclable council have alTerted, that Hymns in honor 
 of Chrift had been in ufe, and condemned Paulus Sa- 
 mofatenfis for aboliihing them, if none fuch had been 
 compofed and fung ? — If tlie Apoftles had introduced 
 and eftablifhed the Pfalms of David, why did not the 
 Arians improve this as an argument for fuppreffing the 
 Pfalms and Hymns of their adverfaries? — Why did 
 they not reprefent their pradice as an unwarrantable 
 and unfcriptuml innovation ? — Why did they not re- 
 prefent them as fetting afide a whole book of cannoni- 
 cal Scripture becaufe they refufed to confine thenifelves 
 to it in the praifes of God .' — 
 
 There is not then, I will venture toaflert, any prac- 
 tice of the Church of Chrift, that appears more truly- 
 primitive and apoftolical than that of finging Pfalms and 
 Hymns drawn from the Gofpel. — Nothing to a candid 
 and unprejudiced mind, fmcerely difpofed to know, 
 embrace, and believe the truth, can be more full and 
 exprefs to this purpofe, than the command and injunc- 
 tion of the Apoftle, in the words of our text. — Hebe- 
 gins and ends it with Chrift. — He leads you to theivord 
 «/ Chrift J as thefweet and copious fountain, from which 
 the vein of your facred poetry fhould be fupplied — 
 He points you to the name of the Lord Jefus, as what 
 would give a grace and beauty to every line, and make 
 it dehghtful, as the harmony of Heaven, to every true 
 believer's ear. — He points you to it, as the precious and^ 
 fragrant incenfe, that can make your praifes and thankf- 
 giving an acceptable facrifice to God. — The whole 
 praftice of the Apoftles correfponds with, and exempli- 
 fies the precept. — All their praifes and thankfgivings to 
 
72 A DISCOrRSE ON PSALMODY'. 
 
 God and to Chrift, whether in behalf of themfelves or 
 others, centre in thebleffings and grace of the Gofpel. 
 And the pradice of the firft Chriftians clearly proves and 
 manifefts, in what fenfe they underftood the precept of 
 the Apoftle, how fully they obeyed it, and the lively 
 fenfe they had of the dignity, the glory, and the grace 
 of their Redeemer. 
 
 What then can be fald in oppofition to the precept 
 and injunction of the Apoftle, which is fo diredl and ex- 
 prefs, in referring us to the word of Chrift, as the 
 ground and foundation of our Pfalmody, and in requir- 
 ing us to do every thing in vjord or deed in his Name ? 
 — But, fay our adverfaries, by the word of Chrift, the 
 Apoftle means the Pfalms of David. We have alrea- 
 dy fliewn, that this could not be his meaning. The 
 very words flievv that it was not. And where in the 
 whole compafs of the Book of Pfalms, is any aft of de- 
 votion done, or diredled to be done, in the name of the 
 Lord Jefus ? But granting, that the Pfalms of David 
 are, in a remote fenfe the v/ord of Chrift, as being 
 written under the impulfe and direction of his Spirit. — ^ 
 Are the writings of the New Teftament no part of 
 the word of Chrift, that you would banifh them front 
 having any part in your Songs of Praife to God ? Are 
 not the praifes and thankfgivings of our Lord and his 
 Apoftles, as much the word of Chrift, as the Pfalms of 
 David, or are they not his word in a much more pro- 
 per and immediate fenfe ? — Is that no part of the word 
 of Chrift, which God hath in thefe laft days fpoken to u§ 
 by his Son .'—We have already ihewn, that the Jews 
 were not confined to the Pfalms of David, and where 
 is the propriety of Chriilian? being confined to them I—* 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY* 73 
 
 But fay 3'ou, fuch is the excellence and perfeiflion of 
 the Pfahns of David, they arc fo well fuited to the cafe 
 of every Chriltian, and they give fuch clear difcoverie* 
 of the Gofpel, that it would be arrogaxice and prefump- 
 tion to deviate from them or to pretend to add anything 
 to the light and advantages that may be derived from 
 them. If this be fo, why did God raife up fo many 
 prophets after David, feme of theni' far out-fl:iining him 
 for gofpel-light and difcoveries, and why did he after 
 aWfpeak to us by his own Son ? — Or was there no need 
 that he fhould appear as our teacher \ 
 
 If the writings of David were fo excellent and com- 
 plete, then the whole of the Old Teftament, taken to- 
 gether, muft be, if polTible, ftill more fo. — The evan- 
 gelifts then, having been Jews themfelves, and writing 
 under the diredlion and influences of the Spirit of God, 
 muft have been fully fenfible of the united advantages, 
 which they enjoyed under the teachings and difcoveries 
 of David and the prophets — Let their judgment then 
 in this matter be decifive. — Matthew iv. Ch. 16. fpeak- 
 ing of the Jews themfelves, upon the coming of Chrift, 
 fays, The people J which /at in darknefs,faw a great lights 
 and to them, which fat in the region of the fiadow of death, 
 light is fprung up. — And Luke, Ch. i. 78, 79. repre- 
 fents Zacharias, who was a prieft, and therefore was 
 fully fenfible of all the former advantages his nation en- 
 joyed, as faying. The day fpring from on high hath vifted' 
 us, to give light to them that fat in darknefs and in thefoa- 
 dow of death — The Apoftle Paul enjoyed all the privi- 
 leges and advantages of the Jewifli difpenfation in a de- 
 gree equal to any other, and yet all thefe he counted lofs 
 for the excellency of the h^^wledge of Chnft Jefus hi$ 
 
 K 
 
74 A DISCOUflSE ON PSALiMODY. 
 
 Lord (a)* And the Apoftle of the circumcifion himfelf, 
 tvriring to the Jews of the difperfion, who were con- 
 verted to the faith of the Gofpel, repreients them as 
 raifed to their prefent dignity and privileges that they 
 might fh-nu fo-th the pfijifes of Hirrit -who had called ihem 
 Cut of darknefs into his marvslious light (h). It could not 
 furely be the delign of the Apcftle to confine tlieni, 
 in the praifes of God, to the oblcure, typical and figu- 
 rative language of that dilpenlation, from which they 
 had been fo happily delivered. Or how could they 
 pralfe God for events, which had been accompliihed in 
 their own perfons, in the language of tiiofe who only 
 law thefe events afar off? Could it be the defign of the 
 Apoftle, that in praillng God for the light, into which 
 they had been tranflatcd, they fhould have recourfe to 
 that darknefs, from wliich they had been delivered ?— 
 We fliould take heed, left being led by an intemperate 
 zeal to ferve our own fchemes and purpofes, we be found 
 falfe witnefles for God, and left, by magnifying the 
 light and advantages of the Old Teftament, we be in- 
 duced ourfelves, or betray others into the commifTion of 
 an awful fm, by thinking or Ipeaking too meanly of the 
 tranfcendent grace of Cod in fpeaking to us by his S-on ,• 
 thinkin^T and fpeaking as if all the difcoveries he had 
 made, were fuperfeded or even excelled by the prophets 
 and teachers of former ages. For why fliould the New 
 Teftament be wholly degraded from bearing any part 
 in the moft agreeable, the moft devout, and elevated 
 part of our public worfliip, if the words of David and 
 Afaph are not preferred before it ? — 
 
 But we are told, that the fcripture Songs are the on- 
 ly forms of Pfalmodyjj which ought tobeufed In the pub- 
 
 ^^; PhU. Jii.8. -• (^)iretii. 9. 
 
A DISCOUUSE ON PSALMODY- 75 
 
 lie and folcmn worfiiip of the Church of Chrift and that 
 to the end of thne — 
 
 This is a very folcmn affertlon, but it is not to be adr 
 
 -niitted without proof. We would fuppofe to war^ 
 
 rant and eftnbliih fuch an aflertion fome plain and ck- 
 prefs prohibition of any other Pfalmody would have been 
 produced from the Prophets, the Apoftles or our Loi'd^p 
 Nothing lefs than this can warrant our omilTion in our 
 Songs of Praife, thofe wonders which the Gofpel exhibits 
 to our view. We have already [een that this is far 
 from being the cafe — But let us confider the arguments 
 brought in proof of the above mentioned alTertlon.' — 
 *' David fent his compofitions, fays our author, to the 
 ^' chief mufician, they were ufed in the public praifes 
 " of the temple, and we have the divinely recorded and 
 " approved example of the Old Teftament Church for 
 *' their ufe." — And is nothing to be admitted into our 
 public worfhip but what we have the divinely recorded, 
 and approved example of the Old Teftament Church for? 
 
 If fo, then we fhall violate the exprefs command of 
 
 the Apoftle, enjoining us fo give thanks ahvays for ^U 
 things unto God and the Father y in the name of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, Ephf v. 20. Here, you fee, lue are t^ 
 give thanks, always, and therefore more efpeeialiy in our 
 Pfalms and Hymns , which are chiefly to be employed in 
 praife and thankfgiving. — We are to give thanks /or ail 
 things, and therefore more efpeeialiy for the grace and 
 
 truth, that come to us by Jefus ChriJ} We are to give 
 
 thanks unto God and the Father, as a diftind perfon of the 
 glorious and blefled Trinity, and we are to offer up hy 
 Jefus Chrif} the facrifce of praife continually' Keb. xiii. 
 15. — With this precept of the Apoftle, in our Sopgs of 
 
 Praife in all its parts, it is impoffible for us to com- 
 K 2 
 
7^ A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 ply, while we arereftricled to the'Pfalmody of the Old- 
 TeflaRient — It was an equally approved and edifying 
 praiftice of the Jews to read Mofes and the Prophets 
 in the temple and;iynagogues — (Acts. xiii. 27- xv. ^^.) 
 • — Will it follow from thence, that no other fcriptures 
 
 are to be publicly read in the Churhes of Chrift? Or 
 
 was not the Apoftle Paul guilty of great prefumption, 
 when he fays, (Col. iv. 16.) When this epifile is read 
 amongft you, caufe that it be read alfo in the Church of the 
 Laodiceans, and that ye likeiuife read the epifile from Lao- 
 4kea. — If we are to read or fing nothing but what is 
 authorifed by the example of the Old Tellament Church 
 we fhall, to \\{e the phrafe of our author, Judaize in- 
 deed — 
 
 We have the example and authority of the Old Tef- 
 
 lament Church for the ufe of organs, timbrels, harps 
 and other rnufical inftruments in the public feryice of 
 God — David in particular, carried the improvement of 
 rocal and inftrumental mufic to an height before or 
 fince unknown — We have reafon to believe, that he. 
 was led to this by a fincere and unaffefted piety to God, 
 and by the influence he experienced it to have in raifing 
 and animating his devotion He found it to be a pro- 
 per mean of fixing his attention, and warming his affec- 
 tions; and efteemed it ajuft teftimony of his unfpeakable 
 regard and veneration for the great objeft of his worlhip, 
 and of his joy and de'ighi in his fervice — Here then is a 
 pradice, authorized by the example of the Old Teita- 
 ment Churchy and often inculcated by its divinely infpir- 
 ed penman* — Why then, are they, who are fuch zea- 
 lous advocates for the practices and ufages of the Church 
 of the Old I'eflament, oppofed to the harmony of the 
 voice in Tinging, and utterly averfe to the introdudion 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY- fj 
 
 of inftrumental mufic into public, worfliip? — Why are 
 they fo much attached to the Pfalms of David, and yet 
 fo wholly oppofed to the means, which that holy man 
 
 iifed to nianifefl and encreale his devotion? Will 
 
 true piety fatisfy itfelf with ferving God in a carelefs 
 manner, not regarding, if the work be done, in what 
 a flovenly and ungraceful manner it be perfornjed .'— 
 
 But any arguments will fuffice to fet afide a praftice 
 againft which we are prejudiced, or makes not for our 
 purpofe. *' Inflrumental mufic, fays our author, was 
 ^' ufed in the fervice of the temple, it fignified the joy 
 '' and triumph that arife to believers from the facriiice 
 *' of the Lord Jefus Chrift, in a word the pra<^ice of in- 
 " ftrumental mufic declared, that Chrift was not yet 
 *' come, and therefore muft now be utterly unwarranta- 
 *' ble.'^ Befidcs the judgment of Plato is againft it, 
 for he fays ^' that it is an unmeaning thing." — But were 
 not the Pfalms of David ufed in the fervice of the tem- 
 ple ? Do they not in many places fignify the joy that a, 
 rifes to believers from the facrifice of Chrift ? Did they 
 not declare that Chrift was not yet come ? By the fame 
 ^ode of reafpning then, is not the pradlice of finging 
 
 them wholly unwarrantable ? Strange ! David's 
 
 Pfalms being ufed " in the public praifes of the temple," 
 is an argument for their continuing in ufe to the end of 
 time. And inftrumental mufic being *' ufed in the fer- 
 vice of the temple'' is an argument for its being wholly 
 aboliflied — But inftrumental mufic was in ufe long be- 
 fore the tabernacle or temple were ereded. — ^^It had no 
 fpecial reference to either. It had no typical fignifica- 
 tion that I can conceive. It arofe from tlie natural love, 
 which mankind have for harmony, and their difpofition. 
 to employ it in raifing or foothing their afFedioiis — -Da- 
 
7^1 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 vid, cultivated it, as well when he wSs a fliepherd, aj 
 when he was raifed to the throne of Ifrael — The argu. 
 ment therefore, for its being abolilhed, drawn from its 
 being of typical fignification or ceremonial inftitution is 
 without all ground. — 
 
 David no where reftri^s us to his words, but often 
 enjoins, and exhorts us to the ul'e of his inflrurnents of 
 mulic — He no doubt expecled, and dcfired that the ar- 
 dour of our devotion, and our regard to God and our 
 joy and delight in his fervice would lead us to teftify 
 them, as far as we had an opportunity, in the fame man- 
 ner he hirafelf did. (a) 1 mention not thefe things, 
 
 (a) Dr. Korne, an author, for whom the fcceding brethren 
 have fiich an high efleeni, that they liave promoted an Ameri- 
 can edition of his comraentary on the Eook of Pfahns, writ- 
 ing on Pfalm cl, :?, 4, 5. fays; '^It is in.poffihle lor us to 
 diftinguifii ami dcfcrlbe the fe; eral forts of miifical inftrunients 
 here mentioned, as the Hebrews themfelves acknowlti'gc 
 their ignorance in this particular. — Thus much is clear, that 
 the people of God are enjoined to ufe all the various kii^is of 
 them, in the performance of" their divine fervices. — /nd why 
 Ihould they not be lb ufed, under the Go(pel f We read of fa- 
 crcd nmHc before the law, in the indance of " r>;iriam the pro- 
 phetefs the filler of Aaron," wlio to celebrate the deliverance 
 from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, " took a tymbrel in her 
 hand, aiid the women went out after her, with timbrels and 
 dances." Exod. xv, 20. The cuftom, therefore, was not in- 
 troduced by the law, nor aboli/lied with it. — Well regulated 
 mulic, if ever it had the power of calming the paflions, if ever 
 it enlivened and exalied the afFeftions of men in the viorfiiip 
 of God, (purpofes for which it was fonrierly employed) 
 doubtlefs has ftill the fame power, and can ftill aftord the 
 fame aids to devotion. — When the beloved difciple was, in 
 fpirit admitted into the celeRial choir, he not only heard 
 them " finging" hymns of praife, but he heard likewli'e " the 
 voice of harpers harping upon their harps." And why tliat, 
 which faints are reprefented as doing in Heaven, fhould not 
 he done, according to their fl<ill and ability, by faints upon 
 earth ; or why inflrumental mufic (hould be aboli/lied as a le- 
 ^al ceremony, and vocal mufic, which was as much fo, fliould 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMQDY* 79 
 
 from any eagernefs to introduce inftruraental mufic into 
 die public worfliip of the Chriftian Church ; but to ftiew 
 into whal inconfiftencies men are hurried by prejudice 
 and attachment to the iniereft of a party. — -When Da- 
 vid's example and authority are to our purpofe, the whole 
 Gofpel revelation muft give way to his compofitions.— 
 But when they correfpond not with the fentiments 
 of the party, whofe prejudices we efpoufe and vindicate, 
 then the authority of Plato, an heathen philofopher, is 
 fufHcient to render his ufe of inftrumental rauGc ridicu- 
 lous, and fet it afide as unmeaning and infignificant. If 
 any of our author's oppofers had treated the character 
 and practice of David nay, I may fay, the inflitution 
 ofGodhimfelf with fuch indecent freedom, he would 
 not have fcrupled to charge him with profanenefs, or 
 deifm.— 
 
 But let us proceed to confider fome other aflertions 
 cJf our author.*— Ill order to fliew that we fuiFer nothing 
 
 be retained, no good reafon can be aflTigned. — Sacred mufic, 
 under proper regalations, removes the hindrances of our de- 
 votion, cm-es the diftradions of our thoughts, and banidies 
 wearineCs from our minds. It adds folemnity to the public 
 fervice, raifes all the devout pallions in the ibul, and caufes 
 our*daty to become our delight. — ' Of the pleafures of Hea- 
 ven,' lays the eloquent and elegant biftiop Atterbury, 'no- 
 thing further is revealed to us, than that they confift in the 
 prafticc of holy mufic and holy love ; the joint enjoyment of 
 trhich we are told, is to be the happy lot of pious fouls, to 
 endlefs ages.' It may be addetl, that there is no better way 
 of combating the mifchievous effedts flowing from the abule 
 of mafic, than by applying it to its true and proper ufe. If 
 the wor{lii|)pers of Haal join in a chorus to celebrate the 
 praifes of their idol, the fervants of Jehovah fliould drown it, , 
 by one that is (honger and more powerful, in prai(e of him 
 who made Heaven and Earth.— If the men of the world rejoice 
 in the objeft ot their adc^ratioa^ lei thi Children of Zkn hi jOjr 
 fui Vi ibtir King.'" 
 
80 A DISCOURSE OM PSALMODY. 
 
 by leaving out the Gdfpel in our Pfalmody, he fays 
 (page. 47.) " Though the Old Teftament fcriptures 
 ** taken by thenifelves, may well be faid to be far more 
 " obfcure than thofe of the new, yet through the a- 
 ** bundant light reflefted upon the Old Teftament 
 " from the New, we may now difcern the Gofpel of 
 *' Chrift as clearly and as plainly in the one as in the 
 " other." — The fair conclufion from this propofition, 
 fuppofing it true, will eftablifh the very docflrine, which 
 our author fo ftrenuoufly oppofes. It will prove, that 
 if we would fee the Gofpel clearly and plainly in the 
 Old Teftament, we muft apply to it, and join with it, 
 the light of the New Teftament. For, to ufe the illuf- 
 tration of our author, the difcerning other objefts by the 
 light of the fun, is no argument for excluding that light, 
 but a powerful reafon for its being admitted. — The 
 moon, taken by herfelf, is far more obfcure than the 
 fun, yet by the abundant light, refleded upon her by 
 the fun, we may fee her full as clearly as the fun itfelf. 
 — Would our author, therefore, defer the profecution 
 of his ftudies, or a journey in the day time, in order to 
 enjoy the mild refle£led light of that Heavenly luminary? 
 —The moon, indeed, is beautiful and refplendent, even 
 ■with her borrowed light, and to cur view, hides or 
 obfcures many of the remoter ftars, but fades and lofes 
 her luftre, when the fun is above our horizon. — Who 
 fees not in this a juft illuftration of the comparative ex- 
 cellence of the Old and New Teftament. — The great 
 Apoftle of the Gentiles, who lived under both difpen- 
 fations, had jufter views of their comparative clearnefs 
 than we can pretend to. And he, fpeaking exprefsly 
 to this point, fays, (2 Cor. iii. 10) — Even that ivh'tcb 
 ivas made glorious, had no glory in this refpe^y hy reafon 
 •f ths glory that excelhth- — And when, ey^n in the 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 8l 
 
 judgment of an infpired Apoflle, this was the cafe, 
 would any reafonable and unprejudiced perfon choofe 
 rather to be guided, and animated, in his afts of devo- 
 tion, by the former than the latter? Would he choofe 
 rather to walk in an obfcure and imperfect light, refled- 
 ed from Mrtfes and the prophets, than in the brio-ht and 
 cheering rays of the Sun of Right eoufnefs ? The man 
 would difcover a flrange and fanciful humor, who would 
 make choice of the light of a candle or a taper in the 
 profecution of his labors or fludies in preference to the 
 brightncfs of perfed day. 
 
 But the propofition is not true. We do not fee the 
 Gofpel as clearly and as plainly in the Old Teftament as 
 in the New, even with all the light, that is caft upon the 
 one by the other. According to the Apoftlc's reprefen- 
 tation, juft now mentioned, the glory of the one is loft, 
 and fwallowed up in the other. Was there ever a pro- 
 phecy as full and as clear as its accomplilhment ? Can 
 any light, caft upon a ihadow, make it equal to the lub- 
 ftance ? Can darknefs and obfcurity be equally bright 
 with the light that difpels them? But what is the Gof- 
 pel ? Do the fermons and parables of our Saviour con- 
 ftitute no part of it? And do you read them in the Old 
 Teftament ? Some general out-hnes of his character are 
 drawn by the prophets- But does this give us as juft an 
 idea of him, as a clear and diftinft exhibition of the fuels, 
 upon which this character is founded ? They certainly 
 among vjhom he divelt, who fcivj his glory, and to whom 
 it was manifefted in all its luftre, could give us much 
 more lively reprefentations of it, than they who only 
 faw it afar off in the light of prophecy. Take his fingle 
 conference with Nitodemus, try whether any part of 
 
^2 A biSCOtlRSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 the Old Teftament refleds clearly and plainly the Go^- 
 pel light and difcoveries, that are made there in thecom- 
 pafs of a few verfes. 
 
 Our Author had confidered the whole of the Old 
 Teftament as exhibiting the Gofpel of Chrift, by the aid 
 of the New Teftament, as clearly and plainly as the 
 Gofpel itfelf. — But this did not anfwer his purpofe- He 
 muft be able to find this light reflected from the Book of 
 the Pfalms alone, otherwife he will be obliged, in order 
 to complete his Pfalmody, to call in the aid of the other 
 prophets. He therefore changes his object. He fixes 
 his eye upon the Pfalms of David. He fees all the 
 rays of the Gofpel centring there. — He fees, Svhat no 
 man ever before faw, a reflected light, brighter and 
 more glorious than the luminous body itfelf. Let us 
 hear his own words. (P^ge 47.) *' We maintain that 
 *' the Pfalms are calculated in the befl manner, to ex- 
 ^' prefs the praifes of the glory of God as fhining in 
 *' the face of Jefus Chrift, even under the New Tefta- 
 *^' ment difpenfation." 
 
 Our Author has not told us, on wliat ground, he and 
 Ills brethren, inwhofename I fuppofe he writes, main- 
 fain this propofition. But I conceive it to be one, that 
 no perfon, who beheves the Gofpel, ever maintained 
 before them. Let us confider it particularly. — The 
 Pfalms "are calculated to exprefs the praifes of the 
 ''glory of God.'' This part of the propofition is not 
 denied. But that they are befl calculated to exprefs 
 the praife of his glory may admit of a doubt. The 
 Song of Mofes, and many fublime paiTages in Ifaiali 
 and the other prophets, may, perhaps, be equal to any 
 part of the Pfalms of David, But our Author pre* 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 83 
 
 ^eeds. " The Pfalms of David are beft calculated to 
 *' exprefs the praifes of the glory of God, as fhining in 
 '' the face of Jefus Chrift." If our Author had flop- 
 ped here, we might again have called in queflion the 
 truth of his propofition. For I think, he himfelf will 
 Cdnfefs, that Ifaiah has given us much clearer and plain- 
 er difcoveries of Chrift, and confequently of the glory 
 of God as fhining in him, than even David himfelf has 
 done. On this account, he has often be^n juflly fliled, 
 the evangelical prophet- But our Author's quarrel is 
 not with the Old Tefiament. No part of it ftands in 
 competition with his favorite Pfalm Book — His defign 
 is againft the Gofpel itfelf. — The light of its glory is 
 to be caft into fhades, that the faint and obfcure light, 
 upon which he has fixed his regard and attentixjn may 
 appear ; and therefore he has reprefented " the Pfalms 
 *^ as beft calculated to exprefs the praifes of the glory 
 *' of God, as fhining in the face of Jefus Chrifl, even 
 ^' under the New Teftament difpenfation." 
 
 Since our Author has given us no reafons in fupporc 
 of his propofition, I will endeavor to try the force of 
 reafon and Gofpel light againft it. — I fliall endeavor 
 to proceed upon the fureft grounds, and by the eafiefl 
 fteps. — And, 
 
 I. Our Lord wzsihe bright nefs of his Father^ s glory and 
 the exprefs Image of his perfon. (Heb. i. 3.} He was in 
 the form of Cod, and thought it not robbery to be equal with 
 God^ (Phil. ii. 6.) He was the image of the irtvifible 
 Cod. (Col. i. 15.) 
 
 1' In confequence, therefore, of this intimate union, 
 and participation of the fame nature and perfeftions, 
 \vhen Chrifl manifefts his ovjn glory ^ he may be faid alio 
 
 L % 
 
84 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 to manifeft the glory of the Father. Hence he appeals 
 to his works, as giving the Jews fufficient ground to be- 
 lieve, that the Father luas in him, and he in the Father^ 
 And when Philip fa-d to him, jQhn xiv. 8. Sheiv us the 
 Father ; Ke fiiys to him, Have I been fo long with you, 
 and yet hafi thounot knov^nme, Philip r — He that hathfeen 
 me, hathfeen the Father- 
 
 3. They, who had the beft opportunities of contem- 
 plating our Lord's character and actions, and whom he 
 admitted to the mofl intimate and endearing fellowlhip 
 with himffclf, had the beft advantages for conceiv'^^g^ 
 and were moft capable of declaring his glory, and, con- 
 fequently, the glory of the Father, as Ihining in him. 
 — Who in any former age enjoyed, in this refpeO:, 
 equal advantages with thofe, who ivere eye-ivitnejfes and 
 minifters c)f the word ; (a) Who could fay, (John i. I4') 
 The word was made fiePo and dwelt among us, and we 
 beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the 
 Father, full of grace and truth. It was certainly our 
 Lord's defign in man:fej}ing forth his glory to his difci- 
 ples, that they ftiould fee it, and be able to declare it. — 
 The opportunities, which the Baptift had of converfing 
 with our Lord were fmall, compared with thofe of his 
 difciples ; and yet he reprefents him as fuperior to any 
 prophet of former generations. He had a confiderable 
 infio-ht into Gofpel myfteries^ gave an immediate and 
 exprefs teftimony to the dignity and miilion of the Mef- 
 fuih, an J was remarkably fuccefsful in opening the dawn 
 of the Sun of Right'eoufnefs. If then on thefe accounts 
 our Lord declared him to be a prophet, and more than a 
 prophet, Matthew xi. 9. what ihall we think of thofe, 
 who were fo \oi\g the conflant companions of his pwn la- 
 
 (a) Luke i. 2. 
 
A RISCQURSE ON PSALMODY? S5 
 
 bors snd miniflry, who walked in the light of his bright 
 and ihining example, heard his lively inflruftive dii- 
 courfes ; 10 whom he unbpromed himl'elf with all the in- 
 timacy of the moft endearing and perfed friendlliip, whom 
 he furnilhed and inftrufted to be lights of the world, and 
 teachers of his Church for all Ihcceeding ages, andchofe 
 to be_, next to himfelf, the founders of his kingdom ? — 
 If they were not more capable of exprefling the praifes 
 of the glory of God, as fliining in the face of Jefus Chrift, 
 than all the prophets and righteous men, who lived before 
 them, they beheld the luflre of his miracles and exam- 
 ple to little purpofe, nor could our Lord, with any propri- 
 etty , have pronounced their eyes and ears blefled. 
 Matth. xiii. 16. . 
 
 Thefe, I conceive, are ftrong and jnfl conclufions 
 founded in fcripture and reafon. But let us attend to 
 the true and infallible teftimony of our Lord himfelf. 
 We ihall find him magnifying the meaneft minifler of his 
 Gofpel, not only above David and the prophets, but 
 even above the Baptill himfelf, his own immediate fore- 
 runner. Matt. xi. II. Vej'ily, 1 fay unto you, among 
 tkem that are horn ofivomen, there hath not ar'ifen a great- 
 er than John the Bapt'ifiy not-withjlanding, he that is leajl 
 in the kingdom of Heaven, is greater than he- That is, 
 fays Dr. Doddridge, '^ My minifters and people in p-ene- 
 '^ ral, ihall receive fuperior fupplies of the Spirit, and 
 " know many important truths relating to my Gofpel, 
 '< which have not been revealed to John himfelf." The 
 pious, learned, and juftly celebrated Witfius cannot be 
 reafohably fufpedled of derogating too much from the 
 light and advantages of the Old Teftament difpenf^ti^ 
 on. In feveral inftances, I conceive, he allows them 
 to have been greater than they rerJIy were. Let us 
 
S6 A DISCOURSE ON 'PSALMODYf 
 
 then hear what he fays upon this pafTage. After har 
 ving difapproved and rejecleda fenfe, in which fome un- 
 derhand the words, he fays, B. 4. Chap. 13. Sed. 26. 
 *' They come nearer our Lord's meaning, who, by the 
 *' leaft in the kingdom of Heaven, think is intended 
 " the leaft rainiftcr in the Chriftian Church, who is in- 
 . '^ trufted to preach the Gofpel in its perfect ftate — He is 
 " compared tO'John, not in refpedt of knowledge, ho- 
 " linefs, and gifts of a like nature ; but in refped of 
 " his miniftry, as John himfelf was compared to his 
 '' predeceiTors, the prophets — For John was greater 
 ^^ than all of them, becaufe he was the immediate harr 
 ^*" binger and brideman of the Meffiah ; and pointed him 
 " out with the finger as prefent, or come. — " Again 
 *' any preacher of the Gofpel is greater than John, in 
 " that refpedl, who declares Chrift, not only born, but 
 ^' alfo dead and rifen, and afcended to Heaven, and as 
 ^' fitting at the right hand of God, and as having hap- 
 '^ pily erefted the kingdom of liberty. The comparir 
 " fon therefore, is not fo much of perfons in their abfo- 
 
 " lute qualities, as of their miniftry. The miniftry of 
 
 *' Mofes, and the other prophets, may not improperly 
 ^' be compared to the night, diftinguiflied by many pro- 
 " phecies concerning Chrift, as to many interlucentcon- 
 '' ftellations — The miniftry of John to the dawn, when, 
 " the fun not being yet rifen, yet drawing near the ho- 
 ^' rizon, the heavens brighten with fome light; but the 
 f* Gofpel to the perfed day, when the fun, being rifen, 
 **' fills all things with the brighteft and pureft light." — 
 
 Such is the judgment of our Lord concerning the mi- 
 Tiifters of his Gofpel — He has exalted them above the 
 Baptift, whom he reprefents as far excelling any pro- 
 phet of former generations. And fuch is the fenfe, 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 87 
 
 which the judicious and pious Witfius has put upon his 
 • words, in which the body of commentators agree with 
 him. — And are the minifters of Chrift after all to be de- 
 graded to a bafe inferiority? — Would you take them 
 from the noon-day of the Gofpel, from the feet of Chrift 
 and his Apoftles and fet them to learn how to exprefi 
 the praifes of the glory- of God, as fhining in the face of 
 Jefus Chrift, not from the charafter, which the Evan- 
 geiifts and Apoftles have drawn from him, nor from the 
 bright original himfelf, but from thofe faint and tran- 
 fient beams of light, which like fo many twinkling ftars 
 at midnight, appeared amidft furrounding darknefs? 
 Would you conceive, that perfons who would write or 
 fpeak thus bad ever believed in Chrift, or that ever the 
 light of the glor'iQus^ Gofpel of Cht iflj who is the image of 
 Cod J had fJjined unto them? Would you not believe that 
 the veil of Jewilh darknefs and unbelief was ftill up- 
 on their hearts, and that Cody ivho commanded the light 
 to fhine out of darknefs, had never fhined in them, to give 
 the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, as fhining in 
 the face of Jefus Chrifi ? {a) But vje preach not our/elves 
 hut Chrift Jefus the Lord, (b) — Sink the charafter and mi- 
 niftry of our Lord's fervants of the prefent day as low 
 as you will, even though you therein contradift the de- 
 claration of their divine mafter ; and proceed even to 
 the bold and daring attempt of degrading the holy Evan- 
 gelifts and Apoftles, whom he honored and infpired to be 
 his immediate fucceflbrs, in founding and eftabliiliing his 
 kingdom. — And fay that they, ivhofaiu the glory of God 
 fhining in him, have failed in exprefling it in a manner 
 equal to the Pfalms of David. But our indignation can- 
 
 {a) 2 Cor. iv. 4, 6. (^J 2 Cor. iv. 5. 
 
8iJ A DISCOURSE ON PSALMObV. 
 
 not fail to riie, when you would do any thing that 
 would tarnifli the glory of the only begotten o.fthe Father ; 
 
 For, 
 
 4. The blefled Jefus is the author of ihc New Tcfta- 
 
 ment dilpenfation — He was the bright and refplendent 
 
 image of the invifible God. Coh i. 15 — He has revealed 
 
 his nature, his works and his will in a clearer, fuller, 
 
 .and more authoritative manner, than it was poUible for 
 
 any of the human race to do. To manifeft the glory 
 
 of his Father was the great end of his coming into the 
 world, and, at the conclufion of his v.ork, he could 
 appeal to him, as having completely performed it. John 
 xvii. 4. Father, I have glorified thee on earthy I have 
 fniJJjeclthe ivork zvhich thougaveji me to do — When there- 
 fore you fay, That the Plalms are beft calculated to 
 exprefs the praifes of the glory of God ds fhining in the 
 face of Jefus Chrift, even under the New Teftament 
 difpenfation, do you not fee what an infufterable indig- 
 nity you put upon the Son of God ? — Do not his fublime 
 and heavenly dodrines and difcourfes, his holy, heaven- 
 ly and ufeful life, his illuftrious and beneficent miracles 
 difplay the glory of his Father, M'ith incomparably great- 
 er clearnefs, than it is polTible for language fully to ex- 
 prefs ? — The heavens declare the glory of Cod, and the 
 number, grandeur, and fplendour of thofe worlds of 
 light, with which they are adorned, difplay his pow- 
 er, his glory, and majefty beyond any thing we can 
 conceive, much lefs defcribe. For ivho can utter the 
 mighty a6is of the Lard? — If then the heavens praife the 
 ■wonders of the Lord above the attainments of human elo- 
 quence ; how can it be faid of any man, that he can 
 equal or ever exceed the degree, in which he has exhibit- 
 «d the glory of the Father v/ho was himfelf the bright' 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. tp 
 
 iiefs of his glory, and the exprefs imcge of his perfpnP The 
 evangelift who faw our Saviour's glory and knew how 
 fully qualified he was to difplay that of his Father, aflerts 
 his vaft fupericrity, in this refpeft, to all former teach« 
 ers and prophets. John i. 1 8. No man hath feen God at 
 oiiy time ; the only begotten Son, which is in the hofom of 
 the Father, he hath declared him* And our Lord himfelf 
 fays, Matthew ii. 27- A^O man kno-xcth the Son hut the 
 Father, neither knoweth any man the Father, but the Sort^ 
 What then fhall we think of the man, who will affert, 
 that the praifes of the glory of God as ihining in the 
 f;ice of Jefus Chrift are better exprelTed by one, wha 
 h-id but obfcure, tranfient, and diflant gliinpfes of our 
 Saviour's glor}"", than they are by the bright original 
 himfelf. — That all that the Apoftles and evangelJftshave 
 written, all that our Lord himfelf hath taught, and 
 done, and fuffered to illuftrate and fet forth the glory 
 of God, fall Jhort of exprefling it equally with the 
 Pfalms of David — This aflcrtion is fo extravagant, {o 
 contrary to Scripture and reafon, and fo derogatory 
 from the divine glory and majefcy of our Lord Jefus ' 
 Chrift, and from the light of the glory of his Gofpel, 
 that I find myfelf at a lofs to exprefs my conceptions of 
 it, and think it better to leave the Author to his own 
 fecret reflexions, than to retaliate in the language of 
 railing accufation. 
 
 After the aflertion that I have now been confidering, 
 we have no reafon to be furprized at any thing our Au- 
 thor may advance — He fpeaks (p. 16) "of the tendency 
 "of the Pfalms to promote the fpiritual edification of 
 " Church members, and to convey the knowledge of 
 " Gofpel truths ;" and alledges, '* that in refped of 
 
 *' this fuiublenefs; it is not difficult fo iljev/, thiit they 
 
 M 
 
99 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY- 
 
 " ure not lefs, but rather more fuitable to the ftate of 
 " the New Teftament difpenfation than they were to 
 '' the ftate of it under the Old." That they were fui. 
 table to .the Old Teftament difpenfation is certain. 
 They were written in conform.ity to the degree of know- 
 ledge and privileges believers had then attained to, and 
 to the rites and ui'ages enjoyed by that inftitution. — But 
 can it be more proper or more fuitable for Chriftians ta 
 derive the knowledge of Gofpel truths, and fpiritual edi- 
 fication from the Pfalms of David, than from the Gof- 
 pel itfe If? — 
 
 The Jews were appointed to approach God by flfcri- 
 ficeSy hy the blood of bulls and of goats, and by h'lgh-priefls 
 that had Infirmity (a)- This mode of accefs fuited them, 
 the way into the holiejl of all being not yet made matnfej}, 
 'vohile as the firfi tabernacle -was yet /landing. (Heb. ix- 8.) 
 But is fuch a worfhip more fuitable to Chriftians, -who 
 have boldnefs to enter into the holiej} by the blood ofjcfus ; 
 (Heb. X. 9) Who have an high-priej}, loho was holy, 
 hanyilefs, undefiled, and fefar ate from finnerSy and made 
 higher than the Heavens ; (Heb. vii. a6.) who is not en- 
 tered into the holy places made with hands, which were only 
 the figures of the true, but into Heaven it/elf , now to ap- 
 pear in the prefence of God for us? (Heb. ix. 24.) 
 
 The worfhip of the Jews fuited their ftate. — They 
 were treated as children under age, who differed nothing 
 from fervants, who were under tutors and governors, and 
 were in bondage under the elejnents of the world. Gal. 4. 
 I — 8. But Chriftians are no more fervants but fans, and 
 if fons then heirs of Cod through Chrijif v. 7* How 
 
 I 
 (tf) Heb.. vii. 28. , 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODV- 9Y 
 
 can they, then, after having kt70V)n Cod under the en- 
 dearing relation of a Father, after having received the 
 Spirit of his Son, and after having, at the expence of 
 his abafement and death, been delivered from the bondage ^ 
 under which theyivere held, return again to weak and beg- 
 garly elements, and dejire again to be brought in bondage ? 
 — This is the reafoning of the Apoftle Paul in .the paf- 
 fage here referred to. — I fay then, is a worfhip, that 
 was dictated under a Spirit of bondage (a), ufed xuhile 
 the firfl tabernacle was yet /landing (b), and offered up 
 in conjunction with facrifices and other rites of the law 
 of Mofes more fuitable to Chriflians, than to thofe who 
 by divine appointment v/ere obliged to pay it^ under 
 thefe circumftances? 
 
 The fuperior light of the New Teftament difpenfation 
 can do every thing with our author but prevail to the 
 admiffion of itfelf. — The Apoftle Paul gives a noble 
 idea of the tendency of Gofpel light when he reprefents 
 it as intended, (Eph. iii. 10.) t'j make known to the prin- 
 cipalities and powers in heavenly places, the manifold wif-. 
 
 dom of God. But our author, inftead of making the 
 
 lawfubfervient to the Gofpel, makes the Gofpel fubfer- 
 vient to the law. — " The fuperior light," fays he, " of 
 '' the New Teftament, inftead of rendering the ufe of 
 " the Pfalms in the public worfhip of the Church lefs 
 *' fuitable makes it more fo; that light ferving to dif- 
 *' clofe to our view the manifold wifdom of God con- 
 " tainied in the words of the infpired fongs." 
 
 Now let us carefully attend to the defign and tenden- 
 cy of this reafoning — It is to exclude the ufe of al! 
 
 (.-z) Rom. viii. 15. (/^) Heb. is. 8. 
 
 M2 
 
9ft A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 Other Songs but thofe of the Old Teftament from pub- 
 lic worfhip, and for this reafon, that the fuperior light 
 of the Gofpel renders them more fuitable to us than to 
 the Jews — But this light has the lame effect upon eve- 
 ry part of the Old Teftament writings, and upon the 
 whole of the ceremonial law, and confequently the whole 
 is moreibitable to us than to the Jews. — By the light of 
 the Gofpel we can fee the defign of the pafTovcr, facrifl- 
 ces, high-pricft tabernacle wafliings, 8cc. much better 
 than they did, and confequently they are much more 
 f\iitable to us than to them. — And confequently the Gof- 
 pel was never intended to fuperfede the ufages and cCt 
 remonies of the law but only to render them more edify- 
 ing and fuitable, and to eftablifli them to greater advan- 
 tage than ever. And as to our Lord's coming into the 
 
 world, it was never defigned, that we fhould in our 
 Pfalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, glorify God for this 
 as his fgnal mercy, nor Jing unto his name [a) nor praife 
 him for any mighty works our Lord (/;) has done, nor teach 
 and admonijh one another from any do^rines^ precepts, pro- 
 mifes, or threatenings which he has delivered; we are 
 only to improve the Gofpel in order that we may have 
 clearer views of the manifold wifdom of God manifefted 
 in the few paffages of the Pfalms of David, that refer to 
 Chrift — In this manner of proceeding our Lord and his 
 Apoftles will be highly magnified indeed — They vrill be 
 only confidered as expofitors and commentators upon the 
 law and the prophets. — 
 
 Let us then return wholly to the Scriptures and 
 ufao-es of the Old Teftament. Then fliall our 
 prayers, preaching and fongs of praife, be uniform and 
 
 ^a) Rom. XV. 9. {b) Luke. xix. 37. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY- 93 
 
 confiftent. We fliall read, hear and fing nothing, that 
 would lead us to believe that Chrift is already come. — 
 We will not then, as many of us do now, preach and 
 pray like perfons who are under all poffible obligations 
 of love, and duty and gratitude to a crucified, rifen 
 and exalted Saviour, and praife and give thanks in our 
 fongs, as if he had never come into the world. We 
 would not then be preaching and praying, as if we were 
 really members of the Church of Chrift, and praifmg 
 God, as if we were members of the Jewifli fjaiagogue, 
 or worlhipping at the tabernacle or temple, amidfl 
 prieits, facrifices, harps, organs, and all the ceremonies 
 
 of that pompous and expenfivc ritual. r We fliall not 
 
 then celebrate the memorial of the facrifice and death 
 of our Lord Jefus Chrift in the fame fongs, in which the 
 Jews celebrated their deliverance from Egypt, and fang 
 at the facrifice of their pafchal lamb — But the fuperior 
 light of the Gofpel makes all this more fuitable. — He that 
 will receive this doftrine as reafonable or fcriptural, let 
 him receive it — But let me aik our author, if the night 
 is more fuitable for bufinefs, by the introdudion of the 
 day ? — Is it more fuitable to a proficient in learning, to 
 return to the letters of his alphabet, and to the pradlice 
 of fpelling his words and dividing them into Syllables, 
 becaufe he fees much more clearly, than he did at the 
 beginning, the intent and meaning of thefe early rudi- 
 ments? — With much lefs propriety of reafon, and at a 
 defperate hazard, would a Chriftian go after the rudi- 
 
 ifients of the "world , and not after ChriJ}> Col. ii. g, 
 
 20. Gal. iv. 9, 
 
 But our Author fees, that according to his mode of 
 reafoning, the whole ceremonial law may be introduced* 
 He therefore apologizes for himfelf in a note by faying, 
 
94 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 that he is far frono advancing our fuperior advantages 
 for underftanding the Pfalms as an argument for our 
 finging them, he is only arti'vvering an objection. But 
 would it not have been better for Wm honeftly to have 
 confefled, that the objection was unanfwerable, than to 
 have produced that as an anlwer that would in its con- 
 fequences undermine the whole Gofptl, and, as he him- 
 felf acknowledges, imply a total renunciation of the' 
 Chriftian Religion — Page 1 8. Note. 
 
 The argument, therefore, for finging the Pfalms of 
 David, drawn from our fuperior advantages for under- 
 ftanding them, after all that has been faid about it, is 
 formally given up — The only pafiage, that has any ap- 
 pearance of a fcriptural authoi-ity for confining the 
 Church in her Songs of Praife, to the words of David 
 and Afaph, is 2 Chron. xxix. 30. Moreover Hezekiah 
 the King, commanded the Levites to Jing the praife of the 
 Lord in the words of David and Afaph^ the Seer. The ce- 
 lebrated Dr. Clark and our Author have, both of them, 
 quoted this palTage — But if it be duly confidered, it 
 will be found not to anfwer their purpol'e. 
 
 1. It is defedlive inrefped of the perfons who gave 
 the command. However, Hezekiah and the princes 
 might give this command as being vefted with civil 
 authority, they were not prophets, and therefore had 
 no authority, as fuch, to prefcribe Laws, binding the 
 Jewiih Church, muchlefs had they a right to give forth 
 laws obliging the Chriftian Church to the end of time. 
 
 2. Though this may prove, that on that particular 
 occafion, a Song of David and Afaph was fung, as being 
 fuitable to the occafioii, yet it does not jM*ove, that the 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 95 
 
 Jews, in their Songs of Praife, always confined them- 
 felves to the words of thefe prophets — Nay, we have 
 elfewhere jh<2wn, from clear Scripture teftimony, that 
 they did not. 
 
 3. This command of Hezekiah and the princes was 
 given to the Levites, who were a choir of fingers, in. 
 ilruded and appointed for this exprefs pnrpofe. Is 
 die authority and example of Hezekiah fufficient for in^ 
 troducing, and eftablifliing fuch an order of men in the 
 Chriftian Church? — I think, our Author and his bre- 
 thren would not admit this.— 
 
 But, 
 
 4. If the authority of Hezekiah of itfelf, be of force 
 to bind the Chriftian Church, it muftof confequence bc; 
 of much more force, when it correfponds with and en* 
 forces the commandment of God- Now, we are in* 
 formed 2 Chron xxix. 25. That Hezekiah fet the Levites 
 in the hmfe of the Lord with cytnbals, with pfalteries, and 
 with harps, according to the commandment of David, and 
 of Gad the King^s Seer, and Nathan the prophet ; for fo 
 was the commandment of the Lord hy his prophets. Our 
 Author fays (page i^') " It may be fafely laid down as 
 ''a maxim, that whatever form of worfhip God hath 
 " appointed, ought to be obferved to the end of time ; 
 " unlefs he himfelf declares, that it is only of a tempo- 
 *' rary nature, or that he is pleafed at a certain period 
 *' to abrogate it." — It is far more certain then, that 
 God once appointed his Church to fing hispraifes In con- 
 jundion with cymbals, with pfalteries and harps, than 
 it is that he appointed her to fing his praife in the words 
 
^6 A DISCOUJISE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 of David and Afaph, and, to ufe the words of our Au- 
 thor, "%Yhere have we any intimation of his will, that 
 *' the Church fliould ceafe to do fo, before the end of 
 *' the v/orld ?" — Our Author and his brethren have cer - 
 tainly a peculiar quicknefs of difcernment, when they 
 can fee a divine inftitution of force to bind to the end 
 of time, in the merely civil authority of Hezekiah, ex- 
 ercife<i occaiionally, over a company of fingers, in one 
 cafe ; and as ftrange a flov/nefs of apprehenfion when 
 they can difcern no traces of divine appointment ni the 
 commandment of the Lord by the prophets, in the other — 
 Do tkey err, not kno-jcing the Scriptures, or are they fo 
 unfair as to quote only fach fragments of them, as fcem 
 to anfwer their purpofe, while they omit fuch parts of 
 them as_ would difcover and expofe the weaknefs or fal- 
 lacy of their reafonings ? — Hezekiah's eKample and au- 
 thority, however, is far more conclufive for introducing 
 and continuing the ufe of inltrumental mufic, than for 
 the eftablirtiment of the Old Teftament Pfalmody. 
 
 Our author has advanced fundry other pofitions, which 
 will be found, upon exanimation, equally deftitute of 
 foundation, either in reafon or Scripture. — He has af- 
 ferted, *' that no human compofures are to be admitted 
 in fmging the praifes of God." 
 
 If by human compofures he means fuch as were writ- 
 ten under the direction and fuperintendency of the Spi- 
 rit, then the whole Scripture was fo written, andcon- 
 jfequently there is not a fingle example in Scripture of 
 praying or preaching, in focial or public worlhip, in 
 which infpired matter was not ufed. Our author's rea. 
 foning, therefore, for inlpired fongs only being ufed, in 
 public worlliip, drawn from there being no Scripture 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 97 
 
 examples of the ufe of any other, will be as ftrong for 
 our being ftriclly confined to Scripture in our prayers 
 and fermons : for to ufe our author*s reafoning, (page 
 43), is not the Lord's having given us fuch a variety of 
 prayers and fermons in his Word, as is fufficient to an- 
 fwer all the various ocjalions of preaching or praying 
 in public worlhip, an intimation that no other Ihould be 
 ufed therein ? It will carry us ftill farther : We have 
 no Scripture examples of auy perfons praying or preach- 
 ing, but fuch as were infpired* 
 
 Befiues, if the great variety of Scripture fongs be fuf- 
 ficient to evince the reafonablenefs of our beinp- confined 
 
 o 
 
 to them in our public worlhip, the much greater number 
 and variety of prayers and fermons, ftill more ftrongly 
 proves the reafonablenefs of our being reftriiled to them* 
 Whataftrange fihirig is it then, that, when the miniilers 
 of the Chriftian Church have not only an hundred and fif- 
 ty, but feveral hundreds of prayers and fermons, not only 
 of Mofes and the Prophets, but alfo of our Saviour and 
 hisApoftles, from which to make their choice, they fliould, 
 inftead of clofe and literal tranflationsof theprayei's and 
 fermons of Scripture, venture upon original compofi- 
 tions of their own, into which they will deign to intro- 
 duce a detached expreffion or half fentence from Scrip- 
 ture, as it fuits their own plan ? Does not this fiiew an 
 arrogant preference of human compofitions, and aftrange 
 difrelilh, not merely of the difcourfes of Mofes and the 
 Prophets, but alfo of the fermons of our Lord and his 
 Apoitles, who fpake under the immediate impulfe and 
 direclion of his Spirit? And how can they undertake to 
 pray or preach, when v/e have not a lingle Scripture 
 example to warrant any perfons praying or preaching, 
 
 but fuch as were infpired ? — Such are the confequences 
 
 N 
 
98 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 that would follow from our author's reafonings. It 
 wouldaclmitof no perfonspreaching or praying, butfuth 
 as are infpired. It would confine us, in our pravers and 
 fermons, to the words of Scripture, no lefs than in our 
 fongs of praife. I prefume, notwithflanding, that nei- 
 ther our author, nor his brethren, would undertake to 
 defend thefe conclufions, though they juftly fdlcwfioni 
 their mode of reafoning. 
 
 But if no human compofures are to be admitted into 
 our public worihip, but fuch as have been written under 
 the immediate diredion and fuperintendency of the Ko- 
 Jy Spirit; then none but thofe which were written by 
 the infpired authors themfelves, in the original Greek 
 or Hebrew can be admitted, or fuch verfions of them 
 as have been written under divine direclion. Now will 
 our Author fay, that the verfion of the Plalms now in 
 ufe v\as fo written ? Will he affirm, that the verfifier 
 has been led in every inftance to exprefs the mind of 
 the Spirit? If he would affirm this, what proof could 
 he advance in fupport of the aflertion? Or what could 
 be his defign in advancing fuch a polition, but to raife 
 in the minds of the people a fuperftitious veneration for 
 a compofition merely human? If Ivlr. Roufe's verfion 
 of the Pfalms of David were more than human, and 
 written under Divine direction, 'how came the Weft- 
 minfter General Aflembly (of 1645), ^° correft and 
 amend it? And if, after they had corrected it, they had 
 fuch an high opinion of it, why were they fo exceeding- 
 ly modeft in their recommendation of it to parliament ? 
 " The aflembly, fay they, has cauled the Pfalnis, pub- 
 *' lUhed by Mr. Roufe to be carefully perufed, and as 
 *^ they are now altered and amended do approve them, 
 ♦' and humbly conceive tliey may be ufeful and profita- 
 
A discour.se on psalmody. 99 
 
 " ble to the Church, if they be permitted to be public- 
 '' \y lung." 
 
 If the Aflembly were perfuaded that Mr- Roufs's 
 verliou of the Pl'alms, was written under fupernatural 
 influence ; how came they to iue fo humbly for the fanc- 
 tion of civil authority? Why did they not boldly tell 
 the parliament, that they would be chargeable with 
 profane boldnefs if they prefuraed to rejeft it ? Did 
 they reprefent the Church of Chrift, as confined by Di- 
 vine inflitution to the Pfalms of David to the end of 
 time, and forbid the ufe of all other Songs of Praife to 
 God? 
 
 So far were the Minifiers of Chrlfl in that age from 
 conceiving that the Church in the Praifes of God fhould 
 be confined to the words of David and Afaph, that the 
 aflembly of the Church of Scotland, fo early as the 
 year 1648 (a), took meafures for enlarging the compafs 
 of their Pfalmody. Stewart of Pardovan in his collec- 
 tions, (p. 85) informs us, " that an ad was paffed that 
 year for examining the labors of Mr. Zachary Boyd, 
 upon other Scripture Songs; that the like was done by 
 the Aflembly, with refped to the Scripture Songs of 
 Mr. Patrick Simfon in 1706, and that the like order 
 was renewed and continued for the two fucceeding years, 
 and that the commiflion of the Aflembly was inftrucled 
 and appointed to confider the printed veriion of the 
 Scripture Songs with the remarks of the Prefbyteries 
 thereupon, and after examination thereof, they are 
 authorized and empowered to conclude and emit the 
 fame for the public ufe of the Church." And it is well 
 
 (a). Only three years after the firfl; introduftion of Roufe's 
 Yetfiou. 
 
 N 2 . 
 
lOO A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 known, that that afiembly have printed and recom- 
 mended fundry Poems, partly collecled from the pious 
 and ingenious Dr. Watts, as they ftile him, and other 
 writers, and partly furniflied by the minifters cf their 
 own Church. Why then does our Author and his 
 brethren bear teftimony againft the Synod of New-York 
 and Philadelphia, as if they alone had entered into de- 
 terminations that afFecl the purity of the worfliip of 
 Cod, and tliat are contrary to his word ? Has not the 
 Church of Scotland, in her pureft times, feen the pro- 
 priety of enlarging her Pfalmody, and been taking mea- 
 fures for that purpofe? Has not the Baptift Church 
 been in the conflant and unanimous ufe of Dr. Watts's 
 imitation almoll: ever fince it was firfl: publidied? And 
 iias not ilie Epifcopal Church in England, and much more 
 of late in America, declared by her practice, that ihe 
 did not look upon her members as confined, by Divine 
 inftitution, in their praifes of God, to the words of Da- 
 vid and A(aph ? And are the minifters of Chrift in all 
 thcfe Churches fo ignorant of the word of God, as not 
 to know what it forbids or requires ? Or are they fo un- 
 faithful to God, that they would wilfully revolt from 
 his authority, or corrupt his worfliip ? Or are they fo 
 wicked and cruel towards the people of their charge, 
 that they would lead them into pradicrs unwarrantable 
 and (inful? What can tempt them to do what would be 
 fo pernicious and dangerous to themfelves? Could they 
 not have fulfered their people to go on calm and undif- 
 turbed in the ufe of a Pl'almody, in favor of which 
 they were fo ftrongly prejudiced? What but a pure 
 and difmterefted zeal for the Gofpel of Chrift, and a de- 
 fire that it might have the fliare, which it juftly claims 
 in our Songs of Praife to God could have moved them 
 to alarm the jealoufies and fufpicions of their own peo- 
 ple? 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY- lOI 
 
 If, like the Apoflle Paul before his conveiTion, ox- 
 like the Avians in the primitive Church, they had verily 
 . thought in tbemfelvcs, that they floould do many things con- 
 trary to the name of Jefus of Nazareth, (a) they would 
 no doubt have ufed their influence to have it excluded 
 from a place in their fongs of praife, and would have 
 ufed any mean which they could devife-or find moft ef- 
 fectual for keeping the dignity of his perfon, and the 
 greatnefs of his redemption, out of fight. But their 
 lentiments were the very reverfe of all this. They look- 
 ed upon themfelves as engaged by the ftrongeft motives 
 to further the Co/pel. (b) They thought, that every part 
 of their worfhip lliould teflify their high efleeni of it, 
 and have a tendency to lead others greatly to value it, 
 and eagerly embrace it. They thought, that all the 
 former deliverances which God had wrought for his peo- 
 ple, fell inconceivably fhort of the redemption of the 
 world by his Son. They therefore conceived it to be a 
 flrange neglect of this wonderful redemption, fo long 
 fjnce accomplifhed, that no mention fhould be made of 
 it, nor any gratitude exprefled for it, in thatpartof our 
 worlhip, which is, or ought to be, principally devoted 
 to praife and thankfgiving. They therefore thought 
 it their duty to attempt a change in this part of the 
 Chriftian worfhip. They made the aitempt with a pru- 
 dent, yet refolute zeal. They faid little, they wrote 
 lefs againft thofe minifters or private Chriflians, who in 
 this refpect, worihipped as did the Jews. Perhaps it 
 would have been their duty to have teftified witivmore 
 freedom and boldnefs againft them. But they had had 
 their own prejudices, arifing from cuftom ard early 
 education, and were willing to make every favourable 
 allowance for the prejudices of others. Thefe prejudices, 
 
 {a) Ads xxvi. 9. (J?) Phil. i. 12. 
 
102 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 with refpecl to many of their people, are already vanifli- 
 ed. The voice of reafou and gratitude has been heard. 
 Many of their people have perceived the propriety of 
 prailing and blefling God for the benefits and privileges 
 of the Gofpel, and we humbly hope that the Hght of its glo- 
 ry, m procefs of time, will be cheerfully admitted by all 
 into their Pfalmody as well as in to other parts of their wor- 
 fliip — If the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia have 
 erred, they have erred from upright views and intentions, 
 fuch as I prefume will be approved of God, and ought 
 to commend them to every ?nan^s confctence. With them 
 It ought to be a/mall thing to be judged of men'' s judgement 
 
 They would be unworthy the office they bear if they 
 
 fhould be deterred from the peaceable and refolute dif- 
 chariTC of their duty by the cenfures or even the re- 
 proaches and revilings of men. 
 
 Our author farther fays, that our fongs fliould be as 
 nearly as poflible literal tranflations of Scripture, and has 
 quoted what Mr. Canne has faid of profe tranflaiionsto 
 iuftify what he fays of poetry and verfification. Bu: here as 
 almoft in every other inftance he has given us bold afler- 
 tion without reafon or Scripture. The Scriptures here, 
 as in other inftances, furniflies us with examples. — 
 Compare Mofes' fong upon the deliverance of the 
 Children of Ifrael Exod. xv. With the hiftory of that 
 deliverance Exod- xiv. And you will fee how far the 
 Tewifn lawgiver has departed from a literal adherence to 
 the language of his own hidory. Compare in like man- 
 ner the fong of Deborah and Barak upon the defeat of 
 JabhVs ^rmy, Judg. v. with the hiftory of that defeat 
 recorded in the preceding chapter, and you will make 
 the fame remark. 
 
 And now I take my leave of this Author, and had it 
 not been, that I was defirous as far as poflible to remove 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY- I03 
 
 the prejudices and fcraples of my fellow Chriflians, I 
 ihould hardly have taken any notice of him or his per- 
 formance. Indeed fome of his afTertions are fo ground- 
 lefs and extravagant, and others fo derogatory to the 
 light and glory of the Gofpel, that I hardly thought it 
 confiftent with fidelity and duty to let them pafs with- 
 out animadverllon. 
 
 * "We have already heard the Apoftle Paul inculcating 
 upon his converts, at Ephefus and ColoJQTe, the conftant 
 
 * It may be proper to lay before the reader fome account of 
 the time and circumftances, in which the Pfalms of David, 
 were {irft introduced into the Chriilain Church — We have 
 already faid that they were not in ufe for the three firft cen- 
 turies, and the Author to whom we have fo often relerred, 
 has been obliged, by the force of truth, and the concurring 
 teftimony of hiitory to acknowledge this. (P. S3.) 
 
 It has been afferted chat Pope Davnafms, who was raifed 
 to the See of R-ome, in the year 366, was the firfl: who intro- 
 duced the Pfalms of David into the Chriftian Church, And 
 it is faid tliat he did it in order to allay the contefts, that 
 prevailed between the Orthodox and Arians, refpefting 
 tiieir Hymns, this being a Pfalmody, in which they who de- 
 nied, and thofe who aflerted the divinity of our Saviour, 
 might both unite. — If this had been the cafe, the authority 
 to proteltants is not very relpeftable ; nor do I think it was 
 very honourable to the caufe of Chrift. — It deprived him of 
 that divine honor, which froni the beginning had been uni- 
 formly paid liira by the Cliurch. It deprived the alTerters of 
 his deity of all opportunity of bearing teftiraony to it in that 
 part of their worfhip, which was more efpecialiy adapted to 
 do him the highefl: honour. — It decided clearly in favour of 
 that tenet of Arianifm, that divine worfhip was to be paid 
 only to the Father, and fo had a direil tendeBcy , as far as 
 that part of worfliip went, to make herefy triumphant. 
 ^ But the introduftion of the Pfalms oi David, into the Chrif- 
 tian Church had neither the fanftion ef a pope, nor of a genend 
 council. They were introduced at Antioch, in the time of 
 Leontius, whom we have already had occafion to mention, as 
 having been bifhop of that city. — Flavian and Diodorus, two 
 perfons, who had not attained to any ecclefiaRical dignity, 
 but had great influence among the people on account of their 
 reputation for fanftity, were the fird who made this innovati- 
 on — They divided the choirs of fingers at Antioch into two 
 parts, and gave them the Pfalms of David to fmg alternately, 
 
1^4 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 and familiar ufeof Pfalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 
 taking their rife from the word of Chrift, and from the 
 fuhiefs of the Spirit, who was fo liberally imparted to 
 them. We have heard David and the Prophets, with 
 one accord, foretelling the rapturous joy, that would 
 arife upon the coming of Chrift, and enjoining that 
 Songs of the livelieft gratitude fliould be compofed and 
 fung for the greatnefs of his condefcenfion and the rich 
 blelTings of his purchafe. We have feen thefe predic- 
 tions and commands in part fulfilled, and obeyed by our 
 Lord's apoftles, and difciples on earth, and by the faints 
 and angels in Heaven. We have feen the Primitive 
 Church follow the illuftrious examples that had been fet 
 before her, and obey the juft and reafonable commands 
 given her, till error and herely boldly attempted to veil 
 the divine glories of her Redeemer, diminifh her cbliga- 
 tions to him, and obfcure the light of the glory of his Cof- 
 pel — One would think that all this would conftitute a fuf« 
 ficient foundation not only to warrant and authorize but 
 to command and enjoin the introduction and eftablifh- 
 ment of evangelical pialmody. — Here then I might lay 
 
 orby tunis.— This nfage, firft begun at Antioch, fpread every 
 where, (ays Theodoret, and came abroad into all parts of the 
 world. And ic is no wonder, that it fpread fpeedily and ex- 
 tenfiively in the fourth century, an age devoted to Arianifm. 
 It muil have been highly pleafmg to thofe who had embraced 
 or patronized that herely, among whom was the emperor 
 Conftantius himfelf.-— Tthad the moil effectual and immediate 
 tendency to filence thofe Pfalms and rlymns, which were fung 
 in honour of Jellis Chrift, and which were the great ohjedt* 
 which thofe heretics abhorred, and oppofed to the utmoft. 
 
 Thus we have ^^en, by what authority the Pfalms of Da- 
 vid have been introduced into the Chriftian Church, and wc 
 know by what authority, they have been continued ip it, to 
 the exclufion of an evangelical Pialmody. In both cafes the 
 authority has been entirely human. — Divine inftitution and 
 appointment cannot be pleaded, with any plaufibility, eithrt' 
 from reafon or Scripture. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. I05 
 
 aQde my pen, and clofe the argument. — But my duty to 
 God, whom I delire to ferve in the Gofpel of his Son, 
 and my earnefl wilh and hope to reclaim thofe whom I 
 efteem to be in error, forbid me to do it, fo long as 
 any thing can be advanced, that may tend to feC them 
 right, concerning this important branch of Chriftian du- 
 ty. ' - 
 
 And I promifed, in the 
 
 IV. Place, to adduce fome arguments drawn from the 
 Gofpel itfelf. — 
 
 Much of what might be faid here, has been already 
 anticipated in the former pans of this difconrfe — But 
 I prefume fomething farther may yet be advanced. 
 
 And here let me remind you of the folemnities of your 
 baptifmal dedication.— Youhave been baptized, agreeably 
 to the command of your Saviour, in the name of the Father, 
 
 and of the Son and of the Holy Ghoft. This certainly 
 
 implies that you owe to each of thele Divine perfons 
 fome a£ts of diftind' homage arid regard, and leads you 
 to hope and expedt to receive from each of them, fome 
 diftincT: and fpecial bleffings. — Now it is in the Gofpel 
 only, that the dodrine of the Trinity is clearly reveal- 
 ed, and in it alone thofe feveral characters and relations, 
 which the Sacred Three fuftain towards the people of 
 God, are diftindly fet forth, and enumerated. 
 
 There the Father is reprefented, as employing his un* 
 fearchable wifdom in contriving the plan of our redemp- 
 tion and falvation, and manifefting a love and goodncfs, 
 far furpafling any thing that has appeared amongftmen, 
 
 O 
 
lo6 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMOnV. 
 
 in givlnguphis only begotten Son totheloweft abafement, 
 to the mod extreme fufferings, and the moft ignomini* 
 ous death for efietnies ai^d firmers, — It is he, who accord- 
 hig to tlie Gofpel pardons our fins, accept us in the be \ 
 loved, and make us heirs and partakers of the gloryand 
 felicity of an eternal life. — And why has he done this for 
 
 us ? Is it that we fliould be filent, and never fpeak of 
 
 this wondrous grace ? — that we fliould never thank and 
 praife him for it, nov fing forth the honor of his name ^ — 
 Nay, it is to the praife of the glory of his jrrace, and that 
 lue nurfelves fhould be to the praife of his gbry. Eph. i. 6. 
 
 12' If you would be filent refpecling all the wonders 
 
 of grace, which the God and Father of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrifi has done for you, would not your underflandingby 
 which he has made you capable of apprehending his good- 
 nefs, your tongues which he has made eloquent, and your 
 voices which he has formed to melody and fongs, re- 
 proach and condemn you? — Believe not that God has 
 reftrifted you to utter the emotions of your gratitude in 
 the words of ancient fong, when he is difplaying before 
 you wonders unknown in former days. — His works de- 
 clare his will, as well as his word — And whenever he 
 manifefts his glory, he thereby declares it to be his will, 
 that men Ihould acknowledge and adore. You would 
 be heinoufly ungrateful if you would not glorify him as 
 the God in whofe hand your breath is, and whofe are 
 all your ways, but what can equal your hardnefs of 
 heart if you praife him not for his redeerning your foul 
 from def}ru^ion and raifmg you to the hopes of everlaft- 
 ing glory and happinefs by the gift of his Son ? — Every 
 part of your worlhip fliould bear teflimony to the exceed- 
 ing riches of his grace, but efpecially that part of it 
 which is more particularly defigned to exprefs your gra- 
 titude in which every heart fhould ujiite, and everjr 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. lOJ 
 
 tongue fhould be eloquent in praife And the com- 
 mand and injunction of the Aporde refpedingour Pfal- 
 mody exprefsly requires, that in it a fpecial and diftind 
 regard ihould be had to the Father Eph. v. 20. giving 
 thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, 
 in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift — With this injunc- 
 tion and comiiiand of the apoftle^ as I obferved betore, 
 it is impofTihle for us to comply, in any inftance, in our 
 fongs of thanks, fo long as we adhere to the Pfulmody 
 of the Old Teftariient. — 
 
 The like obfervationsnjay be made refpeding the Son, 
 — Your being baptized in his name certainly imports 
 fomediftintt and fpecial blelTings to be derived from him, 
 and fome correfpondent returns of duty and grateful ac- 
 knowledgment. — If Jefus Chrift has not purchafed, and 
 is not empowered to beflow upon you, any fuch bene- 
 fits, and you Hand in no fpecial relation to him, then I 
 can fee no reafon why there fliould be a diftin6t mention 
 of him in your baptifmal dedication — But what he has 
 done, and taught, and fuffered, lays a foundation of 
 obedience, duty, and gratitude, which no true Chriftiau 
 
 can deny or withhold And hence the apoftlc writing 
 
 to the Philippians, clearly teaches, that in confequencc 
 of the fufFeringsand exaltation of Chrift he is entitled to 
 a worfhip and homage never before paid to him. Phil, 
 ii. 9> 10, II. — If you afk, why no fuch diftind worHiip 
 was paid to him under the Old Teftament ? The anfwer 
 is eafy. It is becaufe God is chiefly praifed there for the 
 works of creation and providence, in which the feveral 
 Perfons of the Trinity were jointly concerned, and np 
 fpecial and diftincl manifeftation being made of their glo- 
 ry, there was no neceflity of any diftind mention of 
 
 them. — And accordingly the worfhip of the Old Tefta- 
 O 2 
 
JoB- A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 mcnt wasconftantly and uniformly addrefled to the Fa- 
 ther — But that this worfliip was lb addrefied to the Fa- 
 ther as to include alio the Son, \vc are clearly taught 
 by thefe palTagcs, which the apoflle quotes from the Old 
 TeftamentjKeb. i. 8,9,10,11, 12. — The vvorfhippaidin. 
 thefe pallages, though primarily addrefied to the Father, 
 the apoftle reprefents as addrefied to the Son. — From 
 "hence it clearly follows, that if worfiiip and homage 
 were paid to the Son, in conjundion with the Father in 
 confequemce of thofe works in which they were jointly 
 employed ; a diftincl homage is to be paid to him in con- 
 fequence of thofe Avorks in which he is confidered as per- 
 fonally and dillinclly concerned. The like we have be- 
 fore obferved refpecting the Father. Br. Sherlock, fome 
 time ilnce bilhop of London, in his excellent dilcourfes 
 upon the pafiage of the epiftle to the Philippians juft 
 now quoted, has fet this matter in a very jull and pro* 
 per light — Speaking of the exaltation of Chrill, he fays,** 
 ^' The apcflle's argument does not infer that the natural 
 " powers and dignities]of Chrift were increafed, or that 
 *' they were capable of being increafdd^ but only, that 
 *' in confequence of the redemption, God put all things 
 '^ immediately under him, making him liead over all, and 
 '^ confequently entitled to that worfiiip, and thofe ho- 
 
 *' nors, which were not before paid to him When 
 
 " Chrirt undertook and completed the redemption of 
 " the world, then it was thought proper to make 
 *' known the glory, which he had before the worlds be- 
 '^ gan; that we might know, that we were to expect 
 *' falvation from a hand that was able tofave, and that 
 " the honor and duty owing to him who n?ade, and to 
 ^' him who redeemed us might be confiftent ; For w hen 
 *' Chrift purchafed mankind at the price of his own 
 *' blood; they became his by the {trid;eft bands of juf- 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY- 109* 
 
 " tice and gratitude ; there arofe a new relation between 
 *'■ the Redeemer and the redeemed, and the duty and 
 " worfhip and honor, which flow from that relation arc 
 " immediately owing to Chrift Jefus." 
 
 And a little after the fame judicious and eloquent 
 writer fays ; *' In the revelation of St. John we have 
 '^ feveral Kymns recorded, which the Church of the 
 *^ firfl born fing to God and to his Chrift, and we can- 
 *' not form our devotions from a better copy, than that 
 '' which they have fet us. — In the fourth chapter the 
 " four and twenty elders fall down before him that liveth 
 '^ for ever and ever, and caft their crowns before the 
 *' throne, faying, Thou art ivorthy, Lord, to receive 
 '' glory and honor and power, for thou haji created all 
 *' things, and for thy pleafure they are, and luere creat- 
 *' ed. — («) Here you fee plainly that the adoration paid 
 *' to God the Father is founded upon his being the Cre- 
 *' ator of all things — Look a little farther into the next 
 '' chapter, and you will find the fame perfons praifing 
 *' and adoring Chrift '^tiws, Jaying, Thou art worthy to- 
 '' take the book and to open thefeals thereof, for thou iva/i 
 *' flain, and hafl redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of 
 *' every kindred and people and nation, and haft made us 
 '^ unto our God kings and priefts, and we Jhall reign on 
 ^' earth. — (J?) Here you as plainly fee, the woriliip paid 
 ^' to Chrift to be founded in this, that he was flain and 
 " did by his blood redeem us. Nay the very choir of 
 *^ angels fing praifes to him in the fame ftrain, faying, 
 " Worthy is the Lamb that was flain to receive power and 
 ^' riches and wifdom and Jlrength and honor and glory and 
 " bleffing, (c) '^ From all which," fays he *' it is evi- 
 
 {a) Rev. iv. 10. ii. (c) R.ev. y, 12. 
 
 {b) Rev. V. 9, 10. 
 
no A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 *' dent, that the worfliip paid to Chrift is founded upon 
 '* the redemption, and relates to that power and autho- 
 *' rity, which he received from God at his refurreclion." 
 —And a little farther on he fays. — " If Chrift be not 
 " rifen from the dead, and exalted to glory, then is 
 " our preaching vain^ and j'our faith is alfo vain. — But 
 *' if he be rifen from the dead, if he now reigns in pow- 
 ** er at the right hand of the Almighty, if he received 
 *' this power, and if he ufes it in order to our falvation ; 
 *' can any thing be more abfurd than to deny him thofe 
 " honors which are due to him in confequence of his 
 *' glory, and neceffarily flow from the relation we ftand 
 *' in towards him." — They, who would deny him fuch 
 ** honors would aft a part very unbecoming the ranfom- 
 ed of the Lord. — They would not only be ungrateful to 
 the Son but rebel againft the authority of the Father — 
 he has commanded, that all menjhall honor the Son, even 
 as they honor the Father. John v. 23. — 
 
 If you alk, how/Ijall ive honor the Son, even as -we ho- 
 nor the Father? The Pfalmift will inftruft you, Pfal. 
 cv. 1,2. give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his 
 name, make known his deeds a7nong the people^ Jing un- 
 to hiniy Jing Pfulms unto him, talk ye of all his ivondrous 
 luorks. If you alk why diftind honor, and worfhip, and 
 Songs of Ipecial praife and thankfgiving fliould be ad- 
 dreffed to Chrlfl? I anfwer for the fame reafon, for 
 which the Apoftle fays, lue/hould live to him, viz. becaufe 
 he died for us. 2 Cor. v. 15. 
 
 If before his incarnation, fufFerings, and fubfequent 
 exaltation he was worfhipped by the Saints under the 
 Old Teftament in conjundion with the Father in confe- 
 quence of thofe works, in which He and his Father were 
 jointly employed; and if it was the duty of God's peo. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY- III 
 
 {)le under that difpenfation to fing Pfalms to him, then 
 I conclude it is our duty to pay him the fame aflis of ho- 
 nor and wor/hip under the New Teftament, as a juft tri- 
 bute for thofe works, which are in a particular manner, 
 attributed to himfelf, perfonally confidered* If you de- 
 ny him this worfliip, it muft be either becaufe you do 
 not efteem him to be a divine perfon, and fo unworthy 
 of that divine worfhip, which his Father has command- 
 ed you to pay him, or becaufe his work of redemption, 
 and the miracles he performed, fall fo far fliort of the 
 work of creation, and of the deliverances wrought for 
 the children of Ifrael, as not to deferve to be mentioned 
 in your fongs of praife. But if you admit the divine 
 glory of his perfon, and the tranfcendent greatnefs of 
 his works, as your Redeemer and Saviour, you are un- 
 der indifpenfable obligations to celebrate them in your 
 fongs of praife. 
 
 The fame may be faid of the Holy Spirit, In whofe 
 name alfo as Chriftians we are baptized. The pious and 
 judicious Dr. Evans, (vol. i. Serm. i6. page 339.) 
 whofe fermons on the Chriftian temper are fo highly and 
 juftly efteemed, fpeaks fo fully to my purpofe upon this 
 head, that I cannot forbear tranfcribing what he fays 
 upon this fubjed. — 
 
 <' The Spirit," fays he, " fliould be diredly eyed and 
 *' employed by us, according to the province which he 
 '* is revealed to fuftain. Since his agency is fo particu- 
 " larly revealed in the Gofpel, he juftly expeftsthat Chrif- 
 *' tiaus fhould more explicitly direft their eye to him^ and 
 *' acknowledge their need of him through the courfe of 
 '* the Chriftian life, than the faints of former ages ge- 
 *' nerally did. It is true, when we pray for any fpiri- 
 *' tual good, for any Chriftian virtue, it is in effedpray. 
 
Tift A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODV. 
 
 *' mg for the Spirit, becai>fe God confers it on us 
 " by his Spirit ; and in former ages, when the eco- 
 *^ nomy of the Sacred Three, in the work of our falva- 
 '* tion, was but darkly intimated, this might be fuffici- 
 ^* ent ; as Old Teftament faints did not dire»^ly 
 *'' pray in the name of Chrift, before his mediation 
 *' was clearly made known, though they were beholden 
 *' to that for acceptance. — But now we cannot hope for 
 '^ the anfwer of our prayers, unlefs we oflfer them ex- 
 " plicitly in the name of Chrift and actually depend upon 
 " his mediation, according to the exprefs revelation of 
 " it. So it will be juftly difpleafmg to the BlefTed Spirit 
 *' now, if an aftual acknowledgment of him inhisfpecial 
 *' province be negledlied, when that province of his is 
 *' fo fully brought to light. As now we muft live the life 
 *' we liv^in the flefh by the faith of the Son of God, fo 
 ** alfo by the faith of his Spirit. He expects that his grace 
 " fhould adually be owned by Chriftians in all the good 
 *' they have received or done ; and without it he is like 
 *' to be provoked to fufpend it for the future, till they 
 " are becomingly fenfible to whom they are indebted ; 
 *' and he will be aftually depended on for the grace we 
 " farther need. An habitual and lively fenfe of our own 
 " infufficiency fort hat which is good, fiiouldbenialntain- 
 "ed a fixed perfuafion of his ability and readinefs to help 
 " our infirmities ; and accordingly we fliould often apply 
 '* to God not only for thofe Spiritual blefiings, which 
 ** the Spirit confers, but for the Spirit to confer them. 
 '^ This is the way to obtain his moft enlarged fupplies, 
 **■ when he is exprefsly honored as the Spirit of all 
 *' grace. 
 
 If thefe reafonings and conclufions be juft, they mani- 
 feftly fliew, that an exprefs and diftind regard is to be 
 had to the Son and Spirit in every part of our worfliip as 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY.' I IJ 
 
 Chriftians, and confequently in all our fongs of 
 praife and tliankfgiving to God — Nor can I conceive 
 how we can exped:, that our facrifices of praife iliould 
 be acceptable under the Gofpel, unlefs they are offered 
 up in exprefs dependence upon Chrift for the defired ae. 
 ceptance, nor how our fpiritual fongs can be conforma- 
 ble to our knowledge and attainments, without a direcc 
 reference to that Spirit, whofe fulnefs fliould infpire 
 that gratitude and love, from which they Ihould proceed, 
 and on wiiofe influence we ought to depend for compo- 
 fi'.irr orfinging them, in a devout and acceptable manner. 
 — For through Chrift vje have accefs by the Spii'lt unto the 
 Father. (Eph. ii. i8.) And no reafon can be afilgned, 
 why this way of accefs to the Father through the Son, 
 and by the Spirit, fiiould not be as exprefsly and as 
 diflinclly fpecified and regarded in our Pfalms and Hymns, 
 as in any other part of our worfnip — Nay the Apoflle, 
 as if he had been aware that the Church in fucceeding 
 ages might deviate from the dodrine and pracftice, which 
 the Goi'pel teaches and enjoins upon this head, has par- 
 ticularly guarded this pa:rt of our worfhip againft fucli 
 an unwarrantable neglect of the Son and Spirit. In Eph. 
 V. 1 8, I p. he d\ved:s t\i^t ivhen ive fpeck to one another 
 in P/ahns, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs ive Jhould be 
 fi/kd with the Spirit; and that we floould give thanks al- 
 ways for all things unto Cod and the Father in the name of 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift ; and in our text, where he fpcak.s 
 exprefsly of Pfalmody, he commands that whatfoever vje- 
 do in word or deed, we fooidd do all in the name of the Lord 
 Jefus, giving thanks unto God and ti>e Father by him. 
 
 When we confider thefe things, it may be jufl: ranttcr 
 of adrniratian, thatperfons, profeiilng an entire depjend- 
 ence, for acceptance wirh God, upon the mediation and 
 and interceiSon of his Soa, Ihould iiave hstn pre'v.uii.d 
 
TM A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 upon for fo long a time to conducl one great and leading 
 part of their worlhip without exprefling any regard to 
 it fo much as in one fingle inflance — And that in their 
 very Pfalms and Hymns, in which they are commanded 
 to have fuch a direct and exprefs regard to Chrifl an J 
 his Gofpel, theyfliould exclude both, and haverecourfe 
 to a form that was ufed while the fir/i tabernacle was yet 
 fianding; and Chrill as the way into thehoUeJ} of all, was 
 
 not yet made manifefi It is ftill more extraordinary, 
 
 that the profeffed ambafiaJors of Chrift, and the fuccef- 
 fors of our holy apoftle fliould ufe their utmofl: efforts to 
 miflead and deceive the people upon this important fub- 
 
 jed. — It was not fo from the beginning. It was not 
 
 fo when the proud and afluming biihop of Antioch was 
 filenced and depofed as a contumacious enemy of God for 
 abolifliing the Hymns ufually fung in honor of Jefus 
 
 Chrift. It was not fo, when they who believed the 
 
 divinity of our Saviour and were becomingly fenfible of 
 the greatnefs of their obligations to him, perfevered in 
 finging pfalms and hymns to his honor in the face of an 
 oppofition and perfecution, which, for fiercenefs and 
 cruelty has hardly been exceeded by the bittereft ene- 
 mies to Chriftianity.— 
 
 But, you will fay, how is it to be fuppofed that our 
 fathers and the whole Church were in the dark for fo 
 many ages? Many of them, we hope have gone to Hea- 
 ven, who yet fang no other pfalms but thole of David. — 
 
 In anfwer to this it may be obferved, that if cuflom 
 and antiquity may be juftly pleaded in favor of errone^ 
 ous doctrines or pradices in the Church, there would 
 
 never be any reformation. And it would be eafjr 
 
 to Ihew, that our firft reformers, eminent as they were 
 for piety or zeal, were in fome points negligent or mif- 
 
/ DISCOUR.se ON PSALMODY. H5' 
 
 taken — In the long catalogue of national fins, which they 
 confefs and lament, they take no notice of the horrible 
 and unchriflian pradtice of carrying off, into perpetual 
 flavery, the peaceable and unoffending hihabitants of 
 Africa — A great body of them were of opinion, that er- 
 or, and herefy, and fchifm were to be oppofed, and if 
 poflible, extirpated by fines, imprifonment or death. — 
 Thefe things prove that they were not infallible. — But 
 let us rather praife them for what they did, than blame 
 them in inflances were they have failed or been midak- 
 en. — They had much work upon their hands, and if, in 
 the multiplicity of important objecls, that demanded 
 their attention, fome were overlooked, we muft impute 
 it to human frailty and the diflradions of th' times in 
 
 which they lived However they faw the defefts of the 
 
 Old Teftament pfalmody, and made fome efforts for en- 
 larging it — If they had carried their deflgns into effeft, 
 it is highly probable, that all ground of controverfy on 
 this fubjecl would have been long fince removed, and 
 that the praftice of the Church, and the example of our 
 fathers, could have not been pleaded. — But furely, if 
 the pradice and example of the Church is to have any 
 weight with us, it fhould be that, which Hie has fet 
 before us in the earlier and purer times, when it appears 
 that fhe ftridlly conformed to the directions of the apof- 
 tle, and drew the fubjecls of her fongs of praife and 
 thankfgiving from the Gofpel of Chrift — And we have 
 already iliewn that ihe did this for more than three hun- 
 dred years. — 
 
 But fetting afide all authority merely human let us at- 
 tend to the voice of God in his word. — He has command- 
 ed you, Heb. xiii. 15. io offer up by ChriJ? the facrtjice 
 of praife contlmally. And with exprefs reference to 
 
 P 2 
 
1 16 A DISCOURSE OX PSALMODY. 
 
 your Pfaiinody, Eph. v. 20. he Las enjoined you, io 
 give thcinks alvjays for all thhtgs unto God, even the Father 
 
 in the name of our Lord Jtfus Chr'tft. lie has appointed 
 
 you as an holy prtt^fi-hood to offer up to Cod fpir'itual facr'i' 
 fees acceptable to God hy J^j'us Chr-fi, i Pet. ii. 5 — Now 
 you know that thefaiuts under the Old Tcflament of- 
 fered up no prayers, praifes nor ihankfgivjngs in the name 
 of Chrift — They had no inftruclions and commands on 
 this head. — But it is not fo with you. -i— Let me then aflc 
 yon, Icrioufly, and in the name of God, why God has 
 fo frequently and e^^prelsly appointed you to approach 
 hitn in every part of your worfhip in the name, and 
 through the intercelFion of Chrill, if you are at liberty to 
 ncglecl it — ? You are comm.andcd to do v)hat/ocvcryou do 
 in word or deed in the name of the Lord Jefiis. — And can 
 the exaniple of your fathers, or of any man upon earth, 
 warrant you in proceeding to violate fo general and ex- 
 prefs an injunction, and auihorize yon, in direct oppcfi- 
 tion to the apoftle's command to offer up all your Pfalnis, 
 Hymns, and Spiritual Songs without any refpeiH: toyour 
 great Advocate ? — Let me, if pofllble bring the matter 
 home to every man's confcience. 
 
 When God faid to Eliphaz Job, xlii, 7, 8- Myxvraih 
 is kindled again/? thee and thy two friends ; therefore go 
 to my fervant Job, and offer for yourfelves a burnt offer- 
 ing, and my fcrvant Job ivill pray for you, for him vjHI I 
 accept, lefi I deal with you after your folly — If, after 
 this warning and command, they had neglected, or re- 
 fufed to employ the inierceflion of Job, would it not 
 have been an inftance of heinous pride and rebellion ; 
 and would not God have jultly refented it, and feverely 
 chaRized it, as fuch ? — After the Jewish prieilhood was 
 eftablilhed, and reflrifted to the tribe of Levi, no facri. 
 Aces^ nor offerings were to be presented to God but 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. II7 
 
 through the hands of the prieds — It wouM have been 
 daring prelumption for any one to have attempted it in 
 his own perfon, and a fingle inftance of this in king Uz- 
 ziah brought upon him Cevere chaflixement, and a difeafe, 
 that ever after banifhed him from the houle of the Lord 
 antl from the fociety of men — 2 Chron. xxvi. 16, 2i. 
 
 Now if God would not allow his ancient people to 
 approach him, but through priefts, who had infirmity ; 
 and feverely puniihed the pride and arrogance of any 
 who dared to approach him, otherwife than through 
 their intercelTion, with v.'hat confidence of acceptance 
 can we approach him if we negleft or defpife the great 
 High Priji over the hoiife of Cod, even Jefus his own 
 Sons' Heb. X. 21- * 
 
 * Since writing the above, the Author, cading his eye up' 
 on foms paflages, occurring in the pious and ]nii\y celebrat- 
 ed Witfuis, wiiere he fpeaks of adoption, found forae things, 
 fo immsdiately tending to illaflrate and conHrni what he had 
 advanced, that he could not help tranfcribing them. — So 
 highly does he elleem the Gofpcl, and fo earncH: is his defire 
 to raife and injreafe that efteem in others, that he chearfully 
 embraces the opportunity of fhewing hov/ much this judici- 
 ous and elegant writer magnifies it, and the privileges of 
 believers under it, as far exceeding all that had been ever en- 
 joyed before, even by the moll diilingaiflied of God's peo- 
 ple. — 
 
 " Though the condition of believers, under the Old Tef- 
 *' tament was very illuftrious, if compared with that of un- 
 '' believers, who continued the children of wrath, and heiis 
 ** of the treafures of divine indignation ; neverthelefs that 
 " fplendor was eclipfed to an almoft incredible degree, be- 
 *' fore the Auguft MajeOiy of believers under the New Tefta- 
 " ment, as the light of the ftars before the fun — Which w ill 
 *' appear by comparing both together. — 
 
 " Believers under the Old Tedament were indeed fons, but 
 *' fons fubjefted by their Father to the lot dly power, feve- 
 *' rity and difcipline of tutors, luho bound heavy bvrdciUy atid 
 *^ grievous to be home and laii them on their JJ'onlders ; of wlipm 
 *< however their Father faid ; ^// whaifocver they bid y-^% ob' 
 *' JervCf that objerve and do (a) ; namely, as long as they com- 
 
 {a) Matlh. 0,1, $, 4. 
 
Il8 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 Thofe of you who acknowledge the Providence of 
 Cod in furnilhing your tables, fail not to fupplicate for 
 a bleifing upon your food, and to return thanks to God 
 for it ;';; the name of Chrift ; and how can you through 
 the whole of your lives, both in public and private, (ing 
 PiUIins, and offer up praifes and thankCgivings to God 
 
 *' min led nothing that was inconfiftent with the will of the 
 ** Katlier. — Tliey were obliged to be fubjcct to the weak and 
 •* beggarly elements of the world, and like children to he 
 *' engig^'d all t'le day in the minatcfl punctilios of the Mofaic 
 '■' difcipline, which were in a manner the rattles and play- 
 *' things of tl;e Church.— ^They were enjoined like infants, 
 *' witiio.1t being left to their own choice, not knowing how 
 ** to coiidafl tlieinlelves, or what was fit for them ; Touch fiot, 
 *' tape uot (a). 
 
 *' BofiJes they were not admitted to that familiarity with 
 *' t'jeir Father as to penetrate into his fecret connfcl. — The 
 *' ■'•d^hly Go.l did th-'H kid: huufclf (h), except that their tutors, 
 *' at times, 'acquainted them with fome things relating to 
 *' God's purpol'e of grace, but that rarely enough, and in 
 " many niyllerious expredioqs, and under enigmatical or pa- 
 " rabolical rcprefentatioas. And though many proph-.H and 
 " ri^hteoy.s men dsured to fee and hear many things, yet they 
 ** were not graiified (c). 
 
 *' None of them was allowed to approach the Holy of Ho- 
 <' lies, wliich was, as it were the fecret place of their Father ; 
 *' nay they had not accefs to the temple itfelf, which was the 
 *< Father's houfe, but by means of the altar, facrifices, and 
 « prieds ; without wliich if tliey took upon them to approach 
 *' to God, iuifead of a blcfling, which they fought after, they 
 *' fhould incur their Father's difpleafure. — Neither was it 
 *' lawful for them to omit the conftant morning and evening 
 " facrifice (d). 
 
 ' <' Inftead of an inheritance, the land of Caaaan was given, 
 « as a pledge, indeed, of the heavenly, but fome what ob- 
 *' fcure, and fuch as tliey were commanded to be, in fome 
 ''mcafjre, fuhjeclcd to, and which tlie godly themfelves 
 « were obliged -to be deftitute of, when forced into bani/h- 
 *' mcnt. 
 
 <' The cafe of believers, under the New Teftament, is quite 
 « di.Terent. Our elder Brother — has brought us into liberty 
 
 a tVeed us from the elements of the world — has broken and 
 
 *' removed that troublefome yoke that was laid upon the 
 
 (»} C»l.a. ax. {}>) Ifaiah 4J. 15. (0 Matth. 13. I7. [i) Exod. 29. 3*. 
 
A DISCOUUSE ON PSALMODY. T 19 
 
 Without exprefling any regard to the merits arc] inter- 
 ceffion of Chrift, or any dependence upon him for ac- 
 ceptance ; Is this offering by Chnft thefacrtf.ee of praife 
 to God continually P Is this doing ivhatfoever you do in ivord 
 or deed, in the name of the LordJefusF 
 
 If you fay, certainly the Jews had a regard to Chrifl: 
 in their worfhip, in as much as they offered it up through 
 priefts and facrifices, which were types of him» — Ihis 
 will not juftify or excufe you. The Jews lived before 
 Chrift : the perfection of his atonement was veiled un- 
 
 *' jaws of the ancients,— He has introduced us into his Fa- 
 *' ther'sfecret connfels^ — declared to us what he had fcen in 
 " the bofom of the Father,' — and even the Father himfelf [a). 
 " He hath called us fi iinds ; for all things that he hath heard oj 
 *' />.'■/ Father he hath jnnde knoivn unto us (bj. 
 
 " He has onfe crated for us a new and living ivay, wirich we 
 ** may tread in full affurafice of faith (c). All believers are a 
 '< royal priejl-hood (d). None is excluded the Holy of Holies, 
 *< — bat invited to approach ivith boldnefs (e), without facri- 
 *< flee, vjfithout priefts, trufling only in the alone offering of Je- 
 ** fus oar High-Priefi, -whereby he hath forever perfeBed them that 
 *^ are fandified (f). And this is thai better hope by the which we 
 *'' draw nijh unto God (g). 
 
 " He hath not burdened us with any fubjei^lion to a typical 
 *' inheritance but appointedus a kingdot/i as his Father hath ap' 
 *' pointed unto him (h)" Witfms Book 3. Chap. 10. Se<ft. 
 17—25.^ 
 
 Such is the vaft fuperiority of the ftate of believers under 
 the New Teflament, to that of the Saints under the Old Tef- 
 tamsnt, as this pious author has reprefented it. They are 
 no more children under tutors — no more fervants, but Ion? — 
 they are no more obliged to approach God through priefts 
 and facrifices, but have boldnefs to enter into the holieft by 
 the blood of Jefus, (Heb. 10. 19.) — Their future dignityand 
 happinefs are no longer veiled under the promifes of a tempo- 
 ral and typical inheritance — The God oj all grace hath catted 
 them unto his eternal glory by Chrijl Jefus. (i Pet. 5. 10.) 
 
 A late Author, notwithftanding, has alTerted, " We have 
 ** already feen, that the Church has no new matter to fing of 
 
 (a) John I, 18. (bj John 15. 15. fc) Heb. 10. ao, »». 
 
 (d) I Pet. a. 9. (,) Heb. 4. 16. (/) Heb. 10. 14. 
 
 (y) Heb. 7. 19. (h) Lult. aa. 29. 
 
120 DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 der facriiites, that dtdmt make ths comers thereurJo per- 
 feei, and the power and prevalence of Iiis interce<rion 
 was veiled under high-frlefts that had infirmity. By 
 thcfe faint fliadows they were taught to hope for a per- 
 fon v.'ho -would fnifh iranfgrejpon and hrrngirtan everlafi- 
 ing rigkteoufnefs. But you profefs to believe that this 
 has been long (ince don^e. And would you iabftitute the 
 ijiadow for the fnbftance ? Would you approach Cod 
 through a mode of acccfs which he has folemnly abolish- 
 ed ? Would you draw near to God, through facrifices, 
 whofe frequent repetition teftified their in^perfeciion in 
 preference to him, "jjho by one offering hath forever fer- 
 fc£fed them "jjho are fan6}if.ed? Would you approach 
 God hy prie-Jis, vjho could not continue by reafon of death ^ 
 and neglecl him "who ever liveth to make intercefflcn P In 
 a v.'ord to worihip as if there were priefis offering gifts 
 9n earth, according to the law, what is it but a pradlical 
 denial of the actual exigence and perfedlion of cur Lord's 
 prieflhood ? For the iliadow and the fubftance cannot, 
 agreeably to divine appointment, exift together. If, 
 therefore, you afTert the being of the fiiadow, you de- 
 
 *•' in the New Tcitament, which fhe had not before in the 
 Gld.f*' If this be fr), then, the learned and pious Wirfius, as 
 well as the holy Apoliles of c.ir Lord, whofe footfteps he 
 clofely follows, have been greatly miftnken. — !f t'lie incarna- 
 tion, life, death, afcenfion and glorification of our bleflcd 
 Lord, toget!:cr with the {pccial and diftinguiniing privileges 
 of believers under the Go{"pel, be not new matter, 1 hope our 
 Author, eminent as be is for difcernment, will point out thofe 
 palTages of the Old Tcftament, in which their accomplifhment 
 is recorded, and the particulars refpefting tlieni, arc didinftly 
 enumerated. Till he can do this, or prove that the accom- 
 pliflimcnt of thefe wonderful events, and the enjoyment of 
 the fpecial and glorious privileges of Chriftians, arilingfrora 
 a praftical and faving faith in them, are wholly undelerving 
 of aSongof Praife, from thof who, through the riches of Dhnve 
 ^r^ce, have been made partakers of them, he will excufe us if 
 we think and believe the very reverfe of what he has allcrted. 
 
 I VindicicCj Cant. Dam. page io2. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON rSALMODY* iSt 
 
 ny the exiftence of the fubftance. If you worililp as if 
 there were pricfts officiating and ojfcr'tng gifts in an earths 
 ly tabernacle you in effea deny that Chrijl hath entered' 
 into the holy places not r.iadevjtih hands, viz. Hec'.ven it/elf. 
 If, therefore, you really believed, that Chrill's prieft- 
 hood was long fmceconfummated, and that all other priefts 
 and facrifices were abrogated and done away, wholly 
 fwallowed up and aboliflied in the perfeAion and glory 
 of his priefthood, you would ceafe to luorjl'/ip, as if the 
 tabernacle or temple -luerc yet /randing, and as if priefts 
 were yet officiating, and facrifices were ftill offered in 
 them, and confequently, you would give up that mode 
 of wonnip, that was ufed under the Old Teftament ; 
 for it nianifeiily proceeds upon thefe fuppofitions, and 
 was offered to God, when thefe aclually exifled, by di- 
 vine appointment? 
 
 But you will fay ycu mean not real huifpirltual facri- 
 fices. \ ou will give any meaning to David's words ra- 
 ther than give them up. The prcpenfity of man^dnd to 
 go after the rudiments of the world, and not after Chriii, 
 is truly amazing. The attachment of the Jews to thefe 
 rudiments in the firft days of Chriflianity is not much to 
 be wondered at. They had long been isccuftomed to 
 them, and had obferved them by divine iippointmeni. 
 But that they who are, if I may fo fpeak, ChrilHans 
 by nature, and not defcendents of the Jews, ^f/^culd turn 
 back to thofe weak and beggarly elements, and defre again 
 to be brought into bondage, almoft exceeds belief. A prince 
 who refides in a palace, may retain a flrong affeftion 
 for the obfcure and homely cottage, in which he was 
 born. A perfon, who has long lived under ground, 
 and wrought in the mines, might, for a time, find fome 
 difficulty in reconciling himfelf to the brightnefs of per^ 
 fed: day. So the Jews, having been long accuflomed to 
 
122 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 a lamp, thai Jhone In a (lark place, (2 Pet. i. 19.} m'ght 
 find i'oim difficulty in reconciling themfelves to the light 
 0/ the glory of the Go/ pel of Chrijl* But that the Gen- 
 tiles, after the Sun of Right eotifncfs has long iiione upon 
 them, and after they have been taught from their ear- 
 licfl days to rejoice in his cheering and falutary rays, 
 ihould be iljll looking for him in thoi'c types and ihadows 
 that veiled and obfcured him ; — that they, after the li- 
 ber tj- of a more joyful teftnmcnt has been proclaimed,! 
 fliould be for putting on the ancient fetters of the Ifra- 
 elites, is llrange indeed. 
 
 The ark of the Lord, was to the Jews, the centre 
 and /::'ompendium of all their ceremonies ; yet of this it 
 was prophefied, Jcr. iii. 16, 17. And it fh all come /o 
 pafs when ye he tnultiplie'd andincrecifecl in the land, in thofe 
 days, faith the Lord, they fl; all fay no more, the ark of the 
 covenant of the Lord} neither fKcUit come to mind, nei- 
 ther fk all they remember it, neither f)all they viflt it, nei- 
 therfijall that be done any more^ 
 
 Here, % fays Witfius, ** the entire removal of the ark 
 *' not only out of the world, but alfo from the memory, 
 ^' love and tlefire of believers is foretold ; and that not 
 "' in the form of a threatening of mifery, fuch as was 
 *' the lofs of the ark, v/hile the ceremonies were in 
 '^ force ; but as a promife of the moft happy times, in 
 ^^ which the Church fhall have tiiat in rcaUty, which 
 *' fhe had formerly typically in the ark ; and while fhr 
 " enjoys the fubflance, will bf ar the lofs of the Ihadow, 
 *' not only with equanimity and compofurer of mind, 
 "^ but alfo with gladnels of heart." — This prediftioa 
 ■yvas remarkably verified in the ApofUes of our Lord.— 
 
 t Witfius Vol. 3. 295. t- Ibid Vol. 3.323 324. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY- I23 
 
 Their remembrance of ;jnd regard to all former types 
 and fhadows was wholly loft and ['wallowed up in the 
 joy and hnppinefs they felt under that difpenfations into 
 v.'hich they found themfelves tranflated — They never 
 nicntion them, but with a view to illuftrate and fet olF 
 the vait fuperiority of their prefent privileges and hopes, 
 and to fliew how completely they are all abrogated and 
 done away by the appearance and facrifice of Chrift. — 
 The Apoftle Peter reprefents the Jews themfelves as 
 railed to their preftnt dignity and privileges for this 
 very purpofe, that they might fie-vj forth the praifes of 
 him who had called them out of darhtiefs into his marvellous 
 light — And was evei;y part of their temper and conduct 
 to bear teftimony to their gratitude to God for this fig- 
 nal mercy, while yet no mention was to be naade of it 
 in their Songs of Praife ? — Let reafon and common 
 fenfe anfwer the queftion. — But it is an obliinate attach- 
 ment to a typical and ceremonious worflnp that I ad- 
 mire, and blame after all the care the Apoftle has ta- 
 ken to bring us off from it, and when our deliverance 
 from it lliould be one great fubjed of our gratitude tq 
 God. 
 
 But what mean you by fpiritual facrifices ? Do you 
 mean that facrifice, which the facrifices of David typi- 
 fied and reprefented, that is the death and fufferings of 
 Chrift — But he has long fince given him/elf an offering 
 and a facrifice to Cod. Eph. v. 2 — Cod hath wade him 
 
 to be fin, or a fin-offtring for us. 2 Cor. v. 21 What 
 
 propriety then can there be in your Ipeaking of offering 
 him up? — The Roman Catholics profefs to do this in 
 the facrifice of the mafs — But this I perfuade myfelf is 
 far from your meaning — You intend then, perhaps, 
 the preknting your bodies living facrifices, Rom. xii. i. 
 Cemmunicating and doing good. Heb. xiii. 26. Or the 
 0,2 
 
124 ^ DISCOURSE or; psalmody. 
 
 facrtfice of praife, Heb. xiii. z6 — Thefe, and fuch as 
 thefe, are the fpirltual facrifices under the Gofpel, ac- 
 ceptable to Cod by Jefus Chrifi. (i. Pet. ii. 5.) — But the 
 facrifices under the law hnd a moffc irnir.cdiate and direft 
 reference, to the facrlfice and death of Chriil — The 
 facrifices of the Old Teftanient ihe'ived that there was 
 a hand- writing, bearing tefcimony concerning guilt not 
 yet expiated. 
 
 But the fpiritual facrifices of Chriflians, being offered 
 up through Chrifi, in the flrongeft manner imply, that 
 the great atonement for fin is ah-eady made, and that 
 their great high-priefl hath already appeared to put avjay 
 Jin by the facrifice of himftlf But I leave it to thofe 
 "who are fuch flrenuous advocates for the M^orfhip of the 
 Old Teflament, to conceive, in whatfenfe they fpeak of 
 offering thofe facrifices, which manifeflly implied and 
 declared, that the one facnfice, for- ever perfecting them 
 ivho are fanSi'ife divas tiot yet offered ; whereas the fpiritual 
 facrifices of the ChrifVian, being offered up through Chrifi , 
 are fo many memorials of it, and declarations of his faith, 
 in it, as having been already offered. 
 
 But you will fay ; if new Pfahns and Kymns are to be 
 fung, who fnall compofe them ? Who fhall be fo ar- 
 rogant and prefumptuous as to attempt to fuperfede 
 David and Afaph, and rife up to fill thofe offices in the 
 Chriilian Church, which they difcharged in that of the 
 ancient Jews i 
 
 When our Lord left the earth, and afcended to glory, 
 it might, with far greater propriety have been faid,Who 
 Ihall now preach the Cofpel of the kingdom F — Who will 
 new be fo bold and prefumptuous, as to undertake to 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 12$ 
 
 enlighten and convert ths nations, when He ivho came a. 
 light into the world is withdrawn ? 
 
 The Apoftle, indeed, upon a contemplation of the 
 awful and important conlequences of the Gofpcl miniftry, 
 cries out, JVhoisfufficientfjrtheJe things P 2. Cor. 2. i6- 
 Yet, he fays, 2 Cor. 4. 7. We have this treafure (of the 
 Gofpel miniftry) in eaithsn vejftls. And 2 Cor. 5, 20. he 
 fays, IVe are amhajja dors for Chrifl, as though God didhe- 
 feechyouhy us, vje pray you in Chrifi'sfiead, be ye reconciled 
 to God. If, then, weak, frail and fallible men have been 
 appointed to rife up in thefiead of Chrifl, and in his name 
 and authority to negociate a reconcihation between an 
 offended God and rebellious man ; ihall it be thought a 
 ftrange thing, that the children of the kingdom, inftrudl- 
 ed in its myfteries, and charmed and tranfported by 
 the enjoyment of its bleiTings, fliould attempt, in Songs 
 of Praife, to celebrate the Divine benefits? — Should it 
 not rather be accounted matter of wonder and furprize 
 ifthey didnot? — The Prophet, exulting in the diftant 
 prolpedl of an accompliilied redemption, Ifai. 44. 22» 
 cries out, Sing, ye Heavens, for the Lord hath done it, 
 Jhoutye lower parts of the earth, break forth into flnging yc 
 mountains, forefl and every tree therein, for the Lord 
 hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himf elf in IfraeU And 
 can it be fuppofed, that Heaven and earth, that moun- 
 tains and forefts ihould be called upon to unite in one 
 harmonious choir of praife to the Father of mercies, 
 for this tranfcendent and glorious falvation, while man, 
 the great fubjeft of it, fliould remain filent, amidft ex- 
 ulting nature ? Or does not the Prophet rather call up- 
 on every furrounding object to bear teftimony againft 
 the ungrateful race, if they neglected to celebrate the 
 riches of Divine grace pouring forth, through Chrift, 
 fuch a profufion of bleflings upon themfelves ? — Or can 
 
l'i.6 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 we fuppofe that the fe inanimate and int'enfible creatures 
 are called upon to break forth intoTinging, and that God 
 would refufe the tribute of a Song of thanks from a foul 
 that was filled and tranfported \vith a fenfe of his 
 goodnefs ? 
 
 But in dired arifwer to the queftlon, let it beobfcrv- 
 cd, that the Apoille, both in my text, and in the parallel 
 pafTage, Eph. 5. 19. addrefies the whole church. He 
 tWte^^ t\yttn, from the Ivor d of Chrifty to teach, adnion'ifh 
 or fprak to one another, hi Pfalms, Hymns and Sfiritucil 
 Son^s. To cdmpofe thefe in an acceptable and edifying 
 tn:inner, three things appear to be requillte. 1. A 
 competent knowledge of the doclrines and precepts of 
 X^hriiTianity. 2- The aids and influences of the Holy 
 Spirit. 3. Some talent for poetry and verfification. 
 
 As to the firft of thefe, it is attainable by all Church 
 members, who have fuflicient capacity, opportunity and 
 diligence to obtain information. As to the fecond it is a 
 gift conferred upon all true believers — If any man thirjly 
 fays Chrift, let htm come to me and drink. John 6. 37. 
 This [■pake he of the Spirit, -which they that believe on him 
 jhould receive. And accordingly the Gofpel is called the 
 mim/lration of the Spirit. 1 Cor. 3. 8. And Chriftians 
 are faid to be led by the Spirit of Cod. Rom. 8. 14. To 
 live in the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit. Gal. 5. 25. 
 
 . That they who are thus furnifhed fliould edify one 
 another (i Thef. 15. 1 1.) fliould exhort one another, Heb. 
 3. 13. ad7nonifh one another (Rom. 15.4.) iliould cow/orf 
 and warn one another, (1 Thef. 4. 18, and 5. 14.) is 
 ftridlly enjoined. And if any of the members of the 
 Churches of Ephefus or Coloire, had beeii further en- 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMOPY* IZJ 
 
 richcd by a talent for poetry, and had been capable pf 
 communicating knowledge or comfort or advice to tht^ir 
 Chrillian brethren ia its agreeable ftije and harpionious 
 numbers, would it not have been their duty ?-r— Why 
 had God beftowed upon them fo rare and excellent an 
 endowment if he had not permitted them to employ it? 
 And to wliat nobler purpofes could they employ it, 
 tliau in furniihing themfelves and others vv'iih matter of 
 Praife and Thankfgiviiig to God, and of edjtication and 
 comfort to their ov/n fouls ? If inflrudion, admonition 
 and mutual exhortation were their duty in their com- 
 mon converfation, do they become iln by being commu- 
 nicated, in a Pfalm or Hymn ? So far from it, that the 
 communicating thefe, in this way, is the very duty en- 
 joined upon all, who were capable of it, in the wqrds pf 
 my text. 
 
 The Apoftle Paul, where he fpeaks of fplritual gifts, 
 enjoins it upon Chrillians, i Cor. 14. 12. 7'hat theyjeek 
 that they may excel, or abound, to the edifying of the Church- 
 If the great Jewifii preacher, raifed to the throne of 
 Ifrael, (a) being vjije fought out and fet in order many 
 proverbs ; if he, in order to teach the people kno-culedge, in 
 the moft agreeable manner, fought out acceptable 
 ivords, and fet oif his precepts with the ornaments and 
 graces of poetry, is not the Chriftian under equal obli- 
 gations ? Can it be unlawful for us to take the fame 
 methods of inculcating the great doftrines and duties of 
 Chriftianity, which men, led by the Spirit of God, took 
 to inculcate knowledge and precepts, that can by no 
 means claim a fuperiority either of nature or original ? 
 Nay, an example, in this cafe, is equivalent to a com- 
 mand to all, v/ho have capacity or opportunity of com- 
 municating inftruftion iii this way. 
 
 [a) Eccl. 12. 9, 10. 
 
128 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 But you will fay ; " David and Solomon were imme-' 
 " diately guided and directed by the Holy Spirit and it 
 " would be prefumption in us who can have nopreten- 
 *' fions to immediate and extraordinary inlpiration to 
 ** follov/ them in celebrating the divine benefits, or in 
 *' giving forth the precepts or motives of holy living." 
 
 Such reafoning as this may appear plaufible ; it fcems 
 to carry in it great appearance of rel'pect for the facred 
 writers, and for the Holy Spirit by whom they were 
 guided. — But it is extremely fallacious, and, if generally 
 applied, will be found to have a very unfriendly afpe6l 
 upon religion and virtue, and to deflroy the force of 
 all example. — If we may not follow the example of men, 
 who were under the divine impulie and direftion, then 
 much lefs may we follow the example of the Blefied God 
 himlelf. . And yet the apoftle calls upon Chriftians to be 
 followers of God as dear children, Eph. v. i — And the 
 Apoftle (i Pet. i. 15, 16.) Says: Js he ivho hath called 
 you is holy, fo be ye holy in all 7nanner of converjation, for 
 
 it is written ; Be ye holy, for I am holy. If the force 
 
 of the reafoning above mentioned were allowed, who 
 would preach after the apoftle Paul, or who would 
 
 teach after the fon of God? And yet Chriftians in 
 
 the words of my text are commanded to teach one ano- 
 ther' 
 
 But you will fay if every one endowed with a talent 
 for poetry be permittecl or encouraged to compofe Hymns 
 and Spiritual Songs, the Church will be over- run with 
 fuchcompofitions — I would make the fame anfwer to this 
 that Mofes did to Joihua, w ben he requefted him to for- 
 bid Eldad and Mcdad to prophecy. Num. xi. 29. Would 
 Cod, tbjit all the Lord's people -were prophets j and that the 
 
A Discourse ON PsALMofiY- i2^ 
 
 Lord-would put his Spirit upon them No mlnifler of 
 
 Ghriffc or lover of fouls has any juft reafou to be alarm- 
 ed at the profped: of numbers, riftng up to celebrate thS 
 divine benefits, to magnify the blefiings and grace of the 
 Gofpel, and to recommend the great truths and duties of 
 
 religion in compofitions of any kind. And wherever 
 
 God has given men a genius and capacity for doing thefe 
 things, in the agreeable language and numbers of poe- 
 try, it fliould be ftudioufly improved for fuch valuable 
 purpofes. — ^-Men who are enriched with fuch rare and 
 excellent endowments, ihould confider the great origi- 
 nal from whence they have flowed, jfliculd employ thenn 
 for his glory, and for the edification of his Church. — ' 
 They faould not fulTer fuch a talent to lie dormant and 
 ufelefs, but improve it to promote the devotion and edi- 
 fication- of their fellow Chriffians. — ^^They are Jlevjards 
 oftlje rriani fold grace of God, [a) and it is to theii' Lord^ 
 and not to frail and fallible men, that they are to give 
 
 an account. ^God never does any thing in vain, and 
 
 wherever he beftows fuch eminent gifts and excites men 
 to devote them to the fervice of religion and virtue^ 
 fome good will be done— - 
 
 In a Vv'ord, if God has continued the gift of poetry iri 
 his Church, if he has thereby fliewn that it is to be ex-t 
 ercifed and improved, if the great purpofes, for which 
 it is to be employed, be to promote the glory of its great 
 original, and th ;: devotion and edification of the Church j 
 The great queflion is ; Or father can it be any queflion 
 at all; whether it is to be principally employed in cele- 
 brating the deliverances of Ifrael, or redemption by the 
 Son of God? — Whether it is to borrow its lights from 
 prophecy, and a difpenfation forelhadowing good things 
 
 {a) I Pet. iv. 10. 
 
 R 
 
130 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 tocorne, or from the light of theglorkus CoffslofChrlJ} > (a) 
 Whether it is to communicate inftrudion and admo- 
 nition wholly from what Cod /pake in time pafi unto the 
 fathers by the prophets, and leave out all that he hath in 
 thefe lafl days fpoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath ap- 
 pointed heir of all things ? (i) 
 
 Whether the writer, whatever his knowledge and at- 
 tainments may be, under all the fulnefs of the Spirit, as 
 loon ashefets himfelf to exprefs his fentiments in verfe, 
 is immediately to conceive himfelf, and thofe, whom he 
 is to teach and admonifli in Pfalms, Hymns and Spiritual 
 Songs, not as living in this advanced Hate of the Church 
 and the world, but as actually living and refiding in Ju- 
 dea, three thoufand years ago? — Whether, inftead of 
 giving thanks unto Cod and the Father for all things, (c) 
 he is to give him thanks for nothing, that he has done 
 for himfelf or his fellow Chriftians, for the Church or 
 the world, in that long feries of ages, and events which 
 
 have pafled fince the days of David I What fliall we 
 
 fay to thefe things? It can never be the mind of the 
 
 Spirit, it can never be the will of God, that the Chrif- 
 tian Poet Ihould pafs over in fUence thofe glorious acts 
 of wifdom and love in the profped of which he has fo 
 often, by his prophets, commanded all nature to rejoice. 
 
 I am at a lofs to exprefs my aftonifhment at the 
 
 thought, that I ihould be lead 10 plead the caufe of the 
 Gofpel, or to evince the propriety and reafonablenefs of 
 exprefling our gratitude for it, our glorying in it, and 
 endeavoring to promote its intereft in any way of which 
 the heart, the voice or eloquence of man is capable ?— 
 
 What I fliall farther advance upon this fubjeft will 
 refer chiefly to the Miniftersof Chrift. 
 
 (a) 2 Cor. iv. 4. f}J Heb. i. i. (c) Eph. ?. 30. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 13I 
 
 Our heavenly Father, in condefcenfion to our weak- 
 
 nefs, as a trial of our fubjeftion and obedience, and in 
 
 oi'der toilluftrate the glory of his power in the con- 
 
 veriion and falvationof men, hasdepofited the precious 
 
 trea/ure of the Go/pel in earthen vejjels (a). — But as men 
 
 like ourfelves, weak and unworthy as they are, have 
 
 been appointed to the important office of gathering and 
 
 edifying his Church, we muft conceive them to be fully 
 
 authorized and furnifhed for this purpofe. — They are 
 
 honored with every appellation, that may lead them to 
 
 form juft conceptions of the importance, and dignity of 
 
 their office, and that may procure from the people a 
 
 proper refped: and efteem for their miniftrations — 
 
 They are fsrvants of ChriJ} (b) appointed over the 
 
 other members of his hotifehold' — They are ambajfadors 
 
 for Chri/t (cj, and delegated to addrefs the people in 
 
 the name, and /?ead of Chri// — They are /Rewards of 
 
 the myjierks of God (d), and are entrufted with the 
 
 adminiftration of the word, and of the folemn feals of 
 
 the Covenant of Grace. They fpeak to the people in 
 
 the name of God, and offer up to God, through Jefus 
 
 Chrifl, the adorations and praifes, the petitions and 
 
 thankfgivings of the people. — To them is committed 
 
 the word of reconciliation fe J. — To inflrud and admo* 
 
 niih is the great bulinefs of their office. — Thefe two 
 
 branches of duty, if they are difcharged in their full 
 
 extent, comprize, in a manner, the whole of their pub- 
 
 lie bufinefs, as preachers of the Gofpel. — To them, 
 
 therefore, the command and injunftion of teaching and 
 
 admonifhing the people, in Pfalms, Hymns and Spiritual 
 
 Songs J muft be confidered as more efpecially direded.-^ 
 
 [a) 2 Cor. 4. 7. {!>) Matth. 24. 45'. (c) 2 Cor. 5. 20. 
 (dj I Cor. 4. 1. (^) 2 Cor. v. 19. 
 
 R 2 
 
134 " A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY, 
 
 Nor will it avail to fa)'-, that they teach their hearers 
 in catechifing and preaching, and, that in thefe, they 
 take every opportunity c^ reproving, rebuking and 
 exhorting their hearers, — The command of the Ajwdlc 
 requires, that their inftrudions, exhortations and re- 
 proofs fliould be as well and as faithfully communicated 
 in their PfulmSy Hymns mid Spiritual Sotigs, as in their 
 Sermons; and confequently that the fame leflbns of 
 knowledge to enlighten the underftandingsof their peo. 
 pic, and of reproof and exhortation to dircft and ani- 
 . mate them in the way of their puty, iliould be foupd 
 }n the one as in the other. 
 
 Befides, they live under the minlftratton of the Spi- 
 rit (a), and if they have reafon to expecl his aid i|i 
 prayer, and in preaching the word, which they are of- 
 ten called to perform without previous fludy and medi- 
 tation, they furely may expetl his aid and direction in 
 choofing or compofing a Pfalm or Hymn, deligned to 
 jnftru.lt and ecHfy the people, or to celebrate the praifes 
 of their God and their Redeemerf They are mhvjlers 
 of the New 7ejiament (h), perfons whom their Lord 
 has magnified above the prophets (c), and even above 
 the Baptiji- himfelfy his own immediate forerunner. — 
 Surely then, if the minifters of Chrift, after having 
 been fo highly honored by their divine mafter, after 
 having heard, as from his own mouth, thofe leflons of 
 wifdom, v/hich he came from Heaven to reveal ; — if af- 
 ter he has treated them zs friends ^ and made known ta 
 .them all things that he heard of his Father (dj, they 
 fliould, in any part of their miniftrations, conceal or 
 {iifguife their fuperior honor and advantages, and teach, 
 
 (a) 2 Cor. iii. 8. (b) 7 Cor. iii. 6, 
 
 (cj. Lukeyii- 28. (dj John xv. 15. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSAL?.IODY. I33 
 
 not as the mefTengers and anibaiTatlors of the Son of 
 God, but as if ihey were the difciples of Mofes and the . 
 prophets, they would be highly ungrateful to him, who 
 had raifed them to fo high ;ai honor, and blefled them 
 with fo clear a light, and be unfaithful to the people of 
 their charge. 
 
 They hav; feen, and heard many things Nvh'ch many 
 highly favored kings and prophets in vain dejired to Jee 
 and hear (a J, and Ihall they not be allowed to declare 
 them ? — Nay, <hall they take thofe very prophets and 
 kings for the models of their teaching, negleding. ih? 
 great Apofile and Hlgh-Priefl of their profej/ion, ChriJ} 
 3efus(bJP 
 
 If we could exhibit the types both of perfons and 
 things, that, under the Old Teftament, were appoint- 
 ed to fore-fignify the coming of our Lord, his humilia- 
 tion, his fuiferings, his exaltation, and the bleiTnigs con- 
 fequent upon them, in all the glory, of which they are 
 capable, they would vanifij upon the appearance of the 
 Sun of Righteoufnefs lilcQ the ftars before the fun in his 
 ilrengtht 
 
 What was the deliverance of Ifrael from their bon- 
 dage in Egypt, and from the wrath and tyranny of 
 Pharaoh by the hand of Mofes, compared with the de- 
 liverance of all true believers froni the wrath of God, 
 and the terrors of a violated law? — What are the vic- 
 tories and triumphs of Jofliua, and the fubfequent fet- 
 tlement of Ifrael in the promifed land, where they were 
 ftill furrounded with enemies and evils, hable to capti- 
 vity and death, to the triumphs of the Son of God who 
 
 (a) Matth. xiii. 17. (I) Heb. iii. i. 
 
134 -A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 delivers his people from the bondage of corruption ( a ), 
 frees th.Qm from the/hare of the devil (b), difarms death 
 of its fiingy and the grcwe (c) of its power, and will 
 raife them to a place and flate, ivhere God ivill appoint 
 them falvation for walls and bulwarks (d) P — What was 
 the abafenient of David, driven from the throne of If- 
 raei, and all the forrows and diftrefies of that holy man, 
 arifing from the unnatural bafenefs and treachery of his 
 fon, and the ingratitude and cruelty of his fubjeds, and 
 from the apprehenfions of divine wrath incenfed againft 
 him for his fins, compared to the abafement of the Son 
 of God, who left the throne of Heaven, who, in the 
 llkenefs of fmjul flejh (e) conflicted with poverty and 
 contempt, endured the contradiction of [inner s again/} him^ 
 felf (f), whofe foul was overwhelmed with unfpeakable 
 anguifh and horror, when the Lord laid upon him the ini- 
 quities of us all(g)y and who though he was perfectly 
 holy, fubmitted to be treated as an impoftor and malefac- 
 tor, and to expire iri the painful, ignominious, and cur- 
 fed death of the crofs ? — David was reflored from his 
 abafement and banifliment, he was eftablifhcd on the 
 throne of Ifrael, raifed to be the head of the Heathen (h) 
 and fome of the furrounding nations were made tribu^ 
 tary to him. But what is all this to the circumftances 
 of triumph and glory, in which our Redeemer came 
 forth from the prifon of the grave, to the extenlive and 
 everlafting dominion conferred upon • him, and to the 
 dignity to which Cod has exalted him^ having fet him at 
 his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all 
 principality and power and might and dominion , and every 
 name that is named not only in this world, but that which 
 is to com^ (/} ? And may I not be allowed to alk ; What 
 
 (a) Rom.viii. 21. fij 2 Tim. ii. 26. ^c; i Cor. xv. 55. 
 (d) Ifai. xxvi. I. (e) Rom. viii. 3. (f)Hth. xii 3. 
 is) Ifai. liii. 6. (A) Pfal. xviii. 43. (/) Eph. i. 19, 20. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. I35 
 
 portion have we in David P neither have we inheritance in 
 the fon of Jeffe. His obedience and fubniiflion to the 
 divine law, his fcrrows and fufFerings, his triumphs and 
 exaltation however diftinguifhed and illuftrious, were 
 perfonal, and had no influence, refembling that of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift. Our gracious Redeemer appeared 
 and aded in every thing as the head and Saviour of his 
 body the Church (a). The Apoftle exprefles the inti- 
 macy of the union between Chrift and believers in 
 the ftrongeft terms when he fays, i Cor. vi. 15, 17. 
 Know ye not^' that your bodies are inetnbers of Chriji P 
 and he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit* Agreea-. 
 bly to this, if he fufFered, we are faid to fuffer with 
 hinty (h) if he died, we are to reckon ourfelves as dead 
 with him (cj, if he be crucified, our old man is crucified 
 with him (d), if he is rifen xu;? al/b are quickened together 
 with himy and made to fit together in heavenly places^ itt 
 Chrift Jefus (d>). — By A/ J obedience we are made right e- 
 Qus (f) and by his firipes we are healed {g) ; — He is en- 
 tered into Heaven as our forerunner (h), and from thence 
 we look for him as our Saviour (i), to deliver us from 
 every enemy, that remains yet to be fubdued, and to 
 receive us to thofe manfions of blifs and glory, which he 
 is gone before to prepare for us (kj, and in which he now 
 lives and reigns on our behalf. — And are thefe glorious 
 and edifying doftrines, fo important to be known and 
 believed, together with the exhortations to holinefs, 
 comfort, and heavenly-mindednefs which our Lord and 
 his Apoftles have founded upon them, to be paffed over 
 in filence, by the minifters of Chrift, whenever they 
 go about /o teach andadmonifh their people inPfalms and 
 
 fa)Eph. ▼. 2^. {b) Rom. 8. 17. {c) Rom. 6. 7. (d) Rom. 6. 6. 
 (e) Eph. 2. 5, 6. (f) Rom. 5- 19- {i) ^ P^^- «• 24- 
 
 (h) Heb. 6. 20. (i) Phil. 3- ao- (^) John 14. 2. 
 
136 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY* 
 
 Hymns P — And are the anions and fufFerings of an ob- 
 fcure and cliftant type, even of the patriarch David, 
 •who is both dead and iuried {^a), to be celebrated in our 
 Songs of Praife, inilead of the beneficial deeds of the 
 great Captain 0/ our Salvation, who fuifered and died, 
 and who now lives and reiffns for oiir eternal intereft 
 and happinefs? — Shall \re thus derogate from the dig- 
 niry, obfcure the glory, and ftrikc out from our Songs 
 of Praife the very name of that divine Perfcn, v.hom 
 his Father has fo highly exalted, and whom duty, grati- 
 tude, and intereft conftrain us to adore, to magnify and 
 exalt in every way, in which we arc capable of doing 
 it?— 
 
 If then our intereft in the blefTed Jefus, our ilnfpeak- 
 able obligations to him, and his tranfcendent and divine 
 dignity, render it difparaging to him and ungrateful in 
 us, to fubftitutc the actions, the fuiTerings, or name of 
 any other per/on in the place of his, v/hat fiiall we fay of 
 thofe things that prefigured him? — When teaching our 
 people fhall we fpeak only of high-priefts -who had infir- 
 mity, (h) and of facrifxes that cbuld never take avjay 
 fins, (c) and fay nothing of our great High-Priefl, ivho, 
 after he had ojfcred one Jacrifice for fins, in full manifef- 
 tation of its prevalence and acceptance,/br ever fat doivn 
 at the right hand of God ? {d) — The tranfcendent love of 
 God to a perifhing world, and the full fecurity that all 
 true believers have, that they fliall be made partakers of 
 eternal life are fubjecls upon w hich we fliould dwell with 
 
 peculiar delight And Ihall we draw our proofs and 
 
 illuftrations of thefe important and intereft'ng truths 
 from the flaying and offering the pafchal lamb, from the 
 ihedding the blood of bulls and of goats, (e) and not from 
 
 {a) Ads 2. 29. {l>) Heb. vii. 2S. (c) x. II. {d) i. 3. (<?) x. 4. 
 
A tilSCot'RSE ON PSAtwODYi t^f 
 
 his giving up his own Son? {a) — -Shall we lead tlie people 
 to the language and types of the Old Teftament in order 
 that they may be able to comprehend with all faints, 
 •vjhat is the breadth and length, the depth and height of the 
 love of ChriJ}, (b) \jhen we have before our eyes, in 
 the bright original himfelf, a grace and coridefcennbn, 
 which we are called, not only to admire, but to imitate? 
 Let this mind be in you, fays the Apoftle, Phil. ii. 5, 63 
 7. which was alfo in Chrift Jefus ; Who being in the fcrnt 
 bf God, thought it not robbery to be equal -with Cod, but 
 made himfelf of no reputation and took upon him the form of 
 a fervant, and laas made in the likenejs of men, and hting 
 found in fafhion as a man, hmnhled himfelf, and became obe^ 
 dient unto death, even the death of the crofsk 
 
 What ihall I more fay? — -The jews might be led x6 
 venerate David their prince, they might be led to cele- 
 brate the aftionsof his life daily in their public devotions 
 as forefhadov/ing the adlions of the Son of God ; they 
 might be led to fubmit cheerfully to the daily expence 
 and drudgery of offering facrifices for the fame caufe; 
 but v/hether it be proper for Chriflians to do either the 
 one or the other, to the exclufion of ail mention of the 
 •name of the Lord Jefus, and of that one facrifce for fins, 
 which -when he had offered, he for ever fat down at the 
 right hand of God, (r) I leave to the reafon and confci- 
 ence of every Chriftian to judge. Why ihould we b6 
 
 of different fentiments on this fubjecl ? Is Chrifl divi- 
 
 ded? — Was Da'vid crucified for us? or were we baptized 
 in the name of David: {d) 
 
 c 
 
 Let me not be accounted afTuming^ if my zeal for th 
 the Gofpel and my earnefl defire to have its gloriou? 
 
 {a) Rom. V. 8. & vm. 32. {l>) Eph. ili. iS, 19. 
 
 (c) Heb. X. 12. {d) I Cor. i. 13. 
 
I3S A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 light introduced into every part of our public devotions, 
 incite meflill farther to fpeak to my fathers and brethren 
 in the rniniftry. — 
 
 We have alrea<]y heard tlie facred writers, reprefent- 
 ing the ftate of the JewiPn people, before the appearance 
 of our Saviour, as a itate of deplorable darknefs. The 
 brighteft lights of the Church have fubfcribed to the 
 
 fame truth * " What can there be, at mofi:," fays 
 
 Witfius, '^buL twilight before the rifing of the fun. — 
 *' the Lord therefore difpenfcd the light of his word to 
 *' them, in fuch a manner, that they conk! only viev/ it 
 '* ftill at a diflance and obfcurely.'* Peter has eiegant- 
 ^' ]y rcprefented this, by comparing the prophetic lan- 
 *' gnage unfo a la-rnp thiit Jljineth in a dark -place, 1 Peter i- 
 '' 1 9'" — When he calls it a lamp he intimates the ab- 
 *^ fence of the fun, and when he fpeak s of a dark place 
 " he reprefents the ftate of the ancients, which, amidft 
 *' the darkntfs, had the glimmering fn^all light of a 
 '' burning taper, which is ufed only in the night time, 
 
 " not in the full day." Ke has copied the following 
 
 eKprelhons from Calvin. — f ** What did the law and the 
 . " prophets difcover to thofe who lived in their days ? 
 " Certainly nothing but a tafte of that wifdom, which 
 " was afterwards to be clearly difplaycd, by foretel- 
 *' line it as fiininf at a diftance — Whenever Chrift can 
 '^ be pointed out with a finger, the kingdom of God is 
 *' difclofed. — " For in him, fays Calvin, are laid open 
 " all thofe treafures of wifdom and underflanding, by 
 ** which we penetrate almoll into the fecret places of 
 *' Heaven, quibus prope ad ipfa caeli adyta penetra- 
 " tur."— t 
 
 % Witfius b. 4. ch. 13. feft. 5. f Calv. lib. 2. ch. 11. feft. 5, 
 % Calv. inftit. lib. 2. Cap. 11 . ^t^. 5. ad finera. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PS '^LMODY- I ^^ 
 
 And can we, as minifccrs of Chrift, aftei- this Sun of 
 Right ecufnefs has 7-1 fen, and after the light of the glory of 
 his Gofpel has fi?one upon us, teach our people, as if we, 
 and they, were ftUl living i« a dark place, and enlight- 
 ened only by the glimmering fmall light of a burning 
 taper ?-— It would furely be Itrange and unaccountable 
 that light is come into the worlds and, that the very mi- 
 niflers q/"/A/// //^A/ fhould choofe to communicate their 
 inftruftions, and admonitions, as in a dark place, and by 
 the light of a taper. 
 
 The Apdftle after having reprefented the divine dig. 
 nity of our Saviour, as infinitely tranfcending that of the 
 angels, the prophets or any other mefiengers, whom 
 God hnd formerly employed in inftrufting and reform- 
 ing the world, fays, Keb. 2- 3. Hoijj fhall ive efcape 
 if we neglct^ fo great falvati on, which at the frfi be- 
 gan to he fpoken by the Lord? — And can we with this 
 •word of Chrifl: in uur hands, v/ith this Gofpel of our Sal- 
 vation (a) in full poiTeflion, publiflied and declared by 
 the Son of God, acquit ourfelvesof treating it with«f- 
 gleSi, if in any part of our niiniftrations v.'e pafs it over, 
 as if our Lord had never fpoken it P — Where is our gra- 
 titude to our heavenly Father for addrefTing us by this 
 glorious and divine meflenger, or to the amazing grace 
 of him, who condefcended to humble and abafe him- 
 felf to become our teacher, if wherefoever we go to 
 teach and admonifh our people in Pfaltns and Hymns, we 
 prefer the teachings of the prophets to thofe of the 
 Son of God. 
 
 Surely, if every flther eye fhouldbe blind to the glo- 
 ries of our great Emanuel, if every other heart fhould 
 
 (rt) Eph. i. 13. 
 S2 
 
t40 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 be ungrateful for the bright and glorious light and 
 tidings, be has brpughtinto the world, it (hould never 
 be the cafe with thofe, whofe bufuiefs and office it is 
 %o difplay and declare them — The prophet Ifaiah (Ch. 
 52» 7, 8.) has celebrated the approach of this heaven- 
 ly mefienger, and foretold the efFed: it fliould have upon 
 the miniilers pf religion, floiu beautiful fays he, upon 
 Ihe mouniains are the feet of him that bringeth good ti- 
 dings ^ that fublifJjeth peace, that brirgeth good tidings of 
 good, that publifijtth Salvation, that faith unto Zicn thy 
 Cod reigntth. — Tl.y watchman fy all lift up the vqice, with 
 the voice together fhall thty fing, for they fhall fee eye to 
 eye, when the Lordflmll bring again Zion. — Now this di- 
 vine melTenger has appeared, we have ften him eye to 
 eye, he has dwelt among us, we have beheld his glory, and 
 we have heard, from his own mouth, the good tidings 
 cf peace and mefiages of Salvation. — And fhall we, 
 after all this, not do, what the prophet fays we Ihould 
 have done, even upon his diftant approach? — Was even 
 this fufiicient to have raifed a joy of heart that would 
 break forth into Songs of Praife and exultation ; and 
 fhall not his appearing, his proclaiming peace, and good 
 ivill towards men, his purchaflng for us and fecuring tp 
 us the mod valuable blelTings, have, if poflible, a ftill 
 greater cfPecl? — Shall we whofe office it is to preach 
 Chrifi Jefus the Lord (a), by our filence of him in our 
 Songs of Joy, raanifeft a want of that gratitude which 
 the prophet expeded and foretold ? Shall we declare to 
 the world, that his appearance, and blefTings are not 
 fodefirable, as he apprehended them to be, or lead man- 
 kind to call in queltion the truth of his predictions ? — • 
 Shall we never confefs in Songs of Praife and gratitude 
 
 (^) 2 Cor 4. 5- 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. I4I 
 
 to God-ivhat our eyes have feen, what our ears have heard^ 
 and our hands have handled of the word of life (a), nor 
 ^?w forth the praifes of him, who, at fuch an expence 
 of abafe;nent and fullering, has called us out of darknefs 
 into his marvellous light (hj> — No — Let gratitude to 
 Heaven, let our duty and obhgations to a crucified, 
 rifen, and exalted Saviour conftrain us to declare 
 what we have Jeen and heard, that others may be con- 
 vinced of the high value we fet upon the great Salva- 
 tion, may learn to mingle their fongs with ours, and 
 feek after that communion and fellow fhip with the Father 
 andwithhisSonJefus{c), in which they hear us ex- 
 preiling our glory and our joy^ 
 
 Let me farther obferye, that in adhering to the Old 
 Teftament Pfalmody, we fpeak of the tabernacle or tem- 
 ple as ftill {landing ; we teach our people to fing as of- 
 fering facrifices or promifing to offer them, at Jerufalera, 
 though thefe things cannot be done, in their prefent 
 circumftances, even by the Jews themfelves. Thus do 
 we teach our people to view Chrift through the veil of 
 thofe types andiliadows, which fore-flgnified his coming, 
 and to maintain a great veneration and refpecl for ordi- 
 nances, that he has aboliihed at the expence of his fuffer- 
 ings and death, while we fay nothing of baptifm and 
 the Lord's fupper, which he has appointed as memorials 
 of his having appeared, and which he has commanded 
 us to obferve, as public and folemn declarations of our 
 faith in him, our dependence upon him, and gratitude to 
 him, and as folemn feals of the new covenant. 
 
 To thefe ordinances, there is not, I conceive, the 
 jnoft diftant reference in the whole Old Teftament 
 
 {a) I John I. I. (^) I Pet. 2. 9. (c) 1 Johni. 3. 
 
142 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 Pfalmody. And do th.y, who are to adminifler them, 
 need be told how neceffary it is that the people ihould 
 be carefully inftrucled in their nature, deugn, and in 
 the importance of obferving them ? — And need we to 
 remind th'em, how often the Apoflles (peak toChriftians, 
 as having been baptized, and prefs upon them a dirtin- 
 guilhing degree of mortification and holinels, as what 
 they are (Irongly obliged to by this folemn ordinance ? (a) 
 And when we come to devote the dear lambs of our 
 flock to the F.^ther, Son and Spirit, can we forbear a 
 Song of Praife to that God, who hath brought them nigh 
 by the blood of his Son fbj, to that gracious Redeemer, 
 who gathers them ivith his arm (c) and who has appoint- 
 ed them to be wafhed with pure xvater (d), in token of 
 the gr£ateft blellings ; and to that divine Agent by 
 whom we hope they Jlo all be made meet to be partakers of 
 the inheritance of the Saints in light P (e) 
 
 The mournful feafon and afFecling circumftances (/) 
 in which oar Lord inftituted his fupper, the fpecial care 
 he has taken in appointing theEvangehfts to record the 
 defign and circumllances of its inftitution, and his com- 
 municating thefe by fpecial revelation to the Apoftle 
 Paul {g) manifeftly fhew, how important it was in the 
 eftimatipn of our Saviour, that all his di{ciples fhouldbe 
 early and diligently informed of it, and flriclly enjoined 
 to 'obferve it. And, indeed, the manifeflation of the 
 Son of God, his low abafement, hisinceflant labours, his 
 extreme fufFerings for the falvation of men, are acls of 
 Providence the moft amazing, are events the mod glori- 
 ous, the moll important, the moft interefting to man- 
 kind, to Chriftians, that ever the world faw. On 
 
 ia) Rom. 6, 4. Gal. -i,. 27. {b) Eph, 2. 13. (c) Ifa. 40. it. 
 (d) Eph. 5. 26. (s) Col. 1.12. (7) I Cor. ii. 23, (^}lbid. 
 
A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. I45 
 
 thefe all our hopes of pardon, peace, and eternal happi- 
 nefs are founded. Now it is that we mayrecolleft witti 
 lively gratitude thefe wonderful things, that we may 
 perpetuate the remembrance of them, and declare to 
 the world our fenfe of their reality and importance, th^t 
 our Lord has appointed us to celebrate the ordinance of 
 which I am fpeaking. Surely, then, it may well appear 
 ftrange, and unaccountable^ that In allthePfahiSy Hymns 
 and Spiritual Songs, accompanying our celebration of 
 this ox'dinance, there ihould be no reference to the ac- 
 compliihment of thofe events v/ith which we profefs our- 
 felves fo deeply affected, nor to the infinite love of God, 
 manifcfted in it, nor to the infinite love to men, and 
 that anxious concern for our edification and comfort, 
 which our Lord difplayed in infcitutlng this ordinance 
 at a time when all his thoughts might have been fwal- 
 lowed up in the affecting view he had of the horror 
 and diftrefs of his approaching fufferings. When we 
 fee our Redeemer evidently y^f forth as crucified before 
 us {a) -wajhing us and our people, from our fins in his 
 blood (b) feating us round his table, and hear him invit- 
 ing us fo fup ivlth him, and condefcending to fiup -with 
 u (c) fhall we or can we fupprefs all mention, in our 
 Songs of Praife, of that dear and excellent perfon, 
 whofe love we are affembled to record, who has engaged 
 us by every tie to celebrate his glories, and innvhofe na?ne 
 we are exprefsly commanded to offer up to God all our 
 petitions and thankfgivings ? 
 
 When on this folemn and interefting occafion we fet 
 ourfelves to teach our people in Pfalms and Hymns, no 
 fiibjed can be more pertinent or proper for us to dwell 
 upon, than the holy ordinance in which we are imme- 
 
 C^jGal. 3, 1. (I'JKev. I.';. (c) Rev. 3. 20. 
 
t44 ^ DISCOURSE ON PSALMODYi 
 
 diately engaged, and the folemn exercifes of entering 
 into, and fealing an everlafting covenant with God, in 
 ■which our he;irtsfliould then be employed, and the afto- 
 nilhing love of God and grace of Chrift, which have 
 opened a way for our admiflion to fuch an exalted an 
 honor and privilege. — When we are called to view our 
 Lord furrounded with his difciples in the chamber where 
 he inftituted this ordinance — to follow him to his agonies 
 in the garden, where his enemies feized him, a difciple 
 betrayed him, and the reft forfook hini and fled — when 
 our faith fliould behold the Captain of our Salvation, 
 condemned as a malefadlor, fcourged^ buffetted, his head 
 crowned with thorns, his feet and hands pierced with 
 nails, and himfelf raifed on the crofs, bearing our fins in 
 his own body [«], and there giving us the laft, the dear- 
 eft and moft expenfive proof of his love. When Chrift 
 is thus evidently fet forth as crucified before us, atnd 
 when his exprefs command (b), and the very nature 
 and defign of the ordinance, in which we are engaged 
 unite in calling us to remember him, fhall we who are 
 his minifters, call off the attention of our people from the 
 great H'tgh-FrleJ} of our profeffion, Chr'ijl Jefus [c], to 
 the obfcure types and fliadows of an antiquated difpen- 
 fation? — "Where lliall we go to find fuch a bright and 
 fhinintr example of zeal for the glory of God, of calm and 
 unrepining fubmilfion to his will, of invincible fortitude 
 and patience of love to men, of a meek and forgiving 
 fpirit, as are manifefled and difplayed by the fufFering, 
 dying Saviour ? Where fliall we go to kindle the flame 
 of our devution to God, of our zeal in his fervice, of our 
 love to our Lord, if the fire of that altar, on which he 
 offered up himfelf, be infufficient for this purpofe > 
 
 {a) I Pet. 2. 24. (h) Luk. 22. 19. i Cor. ii. 24, 26. 
 [f] Hcb. 3. I. 
 
A DISCOURSE OM PfALMTODY* fjf^ 
 
 til A \Yor6, my de^ir brethren, Before the coming of 
 Oiir Lord, Mojesand the prophets' lurote df Bm; (a) the 
 types an«i Ihadows 6f the law. forefignified him. And we 
 have been taught to believe, that the moft important re- 
 voliatioas in emjak'es and kingdoms wer e defigned by Pro- 
 videH^e, to make way. for his approach, and to facilitate^ 
 
 the.fpjfGading of his.Gofpel'- And fmce his departure 
 
 fruoa the earth, the Apoftles, whom he commlfliohed — 
 the pflJiorS' iin^Jeachers, whom he ha& appointed to fuc- 
 ceed them— the Church wkkb he^ba« eftabliihed, — the" 
 days of our public worfliip,, bearing his name (h)^ and 
 obferved* in memory of his refurredion- — the facraments^ 
 he has inftituted-^-all bear, teftimony to his divaie digni-- 
 ty, and to the certainty and realityof. his. having long- 
 fmce appeared. — Our faith reprefents him, as exalted 
 to Heaven,.. and, worlhip^^tl by its glorious in habit ant s; 
 atnd our hope teaches us to look for him from thence to 
 complete our falvation in the redemption of our bodies 
 from the grave, and in the eftablifliment of our whole 
 perfons in everlafting felicity and glory — And is this 
 perfon, all-glorious .and divine, ne^^er to be mentioned 
 in our Hymris and Songs of Praife .■* — Are his incarnation, 
 his miracles, his actions, his difcourfes, his virtues, his 
 example to be pafled over, as unworthy to be taught or 
 celebrated ? — Shall eloquent orations be compofed and 
 delivered, fhall fublime and labored poems be written 
 and fung, in honor of human benefactors and deliverers, 
 and fhall the name and actions of the Saviour be pafTed 
 over in filence by thofe, who Ihare his blelTings, who 
 hope to ihare his triumphs, and are appointed by their 
 office to declare his glories? — No. — Let us go forth id 
 
 Jefus luithout the camp, bearing his reproach- (c) Let 
 
 ©ur upright and honeft intentions be mifreprefentcd. — ■ 
 
 (a) John i. 45. (1>J Rev. i, 10. (ej Heb. xUi. 13. 
 T 
 
146 A DISCOURSE ON PSALMODY. 
 
 Let US, for our zeal, for the honor of Chrift", and for pro- 
 moting the knowledge and interefts of his Gofpel, be 
 flrangely branded with the reproachful names of ^^ri^wx, 
 Sodnians, blafphoners, and De'ifis. Let us perfcvere with 
 a prudent and refolute zeal to approve ourfelves to our 
 Divine Mafter, and to labor for the furtherance of his 
 Gofpel. — If we fuffer, tuff Jhall alfo reign 'with him — If 
 ive deny him, he ivill alfo deny us — (a) And let us remem- 
 ber, we have an altar, luhereof they have no right to eat 
 whofey-ve the tabernacle^ — (b) 
 
 Unto hitA that loved us, and wafhed us from cur fins in 
 
 iis oivn blood ; and hath made us kings andpriefts unto Cod 
 and his Father ; — to Him be glory and dominion for ever 
 and ever- — Amen- (c) 
 
 (a) 2 Tim. ii. 12. (h) Heb. xiii. 10. {c) Rev. i. 5, 64mm 
 
 FINIS* 
 

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